Exploring Truth Ministries

I have for the last several months been preaching itinerantly across several states.  I love meeting new people and sharing the Word of God with different congregations.  In my recent travels I have come to some conclusions about itinerant preaching, both pro’s and con’s.

Let’s start with the pro’s first.  This type of ministry is good because it supplies a need to congregations who may not have the means to hire multiple staff members.  If a church has staff, generally in the absence of a pastor the staff would fill in.  A lot of SBC churches simply can’t afford this luxury.

It is also a good thing for congregations to be able to get a different perspective on the word of God.  Pastors, just like everyone else, can get in ruts and they have their own hobby horses and soap boxes.  This can, sometimes, lead to apathy in hearing on the part of the congregation.  Even the best pastor, who is very passionate, communicates very well in his own style and is very dedicated to Godly service can sometimes become dull.  It’s good to get a different perspective on the word in a different style.  It can stir the congregation and bring a breath of freshness into the church.  It’s always encouraging being used of God in this way.

For the itinerant preacher another pro is getting to see the way that different churches operate, especially in worship.   Over the years I have been able to see what works and what doesn’t.  It affords an opportunity to bring corrective criticism to the table from a more well rounded perspective when discussing or implementing these issues.

Oh, the people you will meet!  I have met so many deeply spiritual and wonderful people in itinerant preaching.  These people have enriched my life and given me friends all over the country.  It is wonderful to get to know so many of God’s servants.  They do truly bless your life.

Now, for the Cons.  In an itinerant ministry I find that expositional preaching tends to be harder.  This is due to several factors.  In most cases you spend a lot of time catching people up on context of the scriptures so they can have a clearer understanding.  Which, in turn, provides less time for actual exposition.  Also, application of the passage seems to be harder for me.  Generally, I don’t know the people intimately and this can make application more difficult.  All in all, I believe that expositional preaching works best in a long term setting, which is the antithesis of an itinerant ministry.

Also, choosing what to preach is harder.  One of the great things about preaching through books of the Bible is that you don’t have to labor to find out where your text is every Sunday.  Most of the time there are no themes or requests, so you must decide every Sunday what to take to the pulpit.  Personally, I prefer preaching a series or through books in order to keep myself sharp and to spend more time studying the word instead of trying to find the passage I’m supposed to study!

Not being able to fellowship with your own local body is another problematic situation in which people in itinerant ministries find themselves.  The fellowship, love, care, accountability and guidance of a local body, even if you are the Pastor, is greatly needed in the life of a believer.  It is my observation that without access to local body the individual suffers.

Itinerant ministry can also be extremely tiring.  Most of the time it involves a lot of travel.  It consists of a lot of time away from home and family.  It can also mean extra counseling as people may have not heard of the things you preach and want to further investigate them.   This style of ministry is grueling at times.

Ultimately, I am enjoying the time that God has given me in these last few months being involved in itinerant ministry.  Though it has both pros and cons, I feel that it is a necessary kingdom work.  However, I also find myself realizing more and more that I am more suited for the pastorate, according to God’s design and gifting.

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