The Goodness of God | Perspectives from an Itinerent Preacher

During a prayer time at my work I shared that I had become aware of God’s goodness in my life. I also admitted that I almost missed seeing Him moving in and about my life. Does that ever happen to you?

God is good. No doubt. His goodness never ceases yet sometimes we can miss seeing it if we aren’t paying attention. God is always at work around us. We have to remain diligent and cognizant of where He is working so that we can be ready when He invites us to join Him.

Do you have a prayer time at your work?

Speaking of joining God in His work, I am blessed with the opportunity to lead a Bible study and preach three times in the next six days. Yes, crazy-wild, I know, huh!?! That’s the life of an itinerant preacher—there are gaps in opportunities to share God’s word followed by times when He turns on the tap and allows those opportunities to flow.

What is an itinerant preacher?

Itinerant preaching has a rich history, especially in the Western church.

Itinerant preachers are Christian evangelists who share the basic Christian redemption message with different groups of people, usually in short period of time. Itinerant preachers may work from a home base, however they tend to travel to different churches to preach.

For example, this week I am preaching at OurChurch on Wednesday morning, Union Gospel Mission Dallas on Friday night, and at the City of Hope on Sunday morning. All three of these locations are in the Dallas area—-specifically South Dallas.

Itinerant preaching is reminiscent of Biblical figures like John the Baptist and the Apostle Paul, who traveled to share God’s love with unreached people groups throughout the Middle East and Europe.

In the 1700s, the Methodist church often sent itinerant preachers, called circuit riders, throughout regions to share the message of hope found in God’s redemption of humanity through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

I am honored and happy to serve the Kingdom of God in this way. I believe pastors need respite and relief and opportunity to be fed so that they can continue to serve their congregants with all the energy and love necessary in shepherding God’s flock. It is my hope that by filling in, God is able to use me to give my co-laborers rest.

In the case of OurChurch and Union Gospel Mission, I am honored to have the privilege of sharing God’s love with people who need the hope that the love of God offers.

I welcome your prayers in all of these situations.

As an itinerant preacher, I am not sticking around to preach through a book of the Bible or lead a congregation through a sermon series. So finding biblical material that speaks to an audience at a certain time along their spiritual journey is critical. Lately, I’ve focused my study time on parables.

Parables, one renowned Bible teacher says, are miracles in words. Parables, in essence, are stories that convey biblical truth. I love stories. Since I often don’t know my audience deeply, I lean on the Holy Spirit to show me what to preach, particularly when it comes to these parables.

Being a voracious reader helps me be a better itinerant preacher. I love reading. I am currently reading a self-published book by Michael Hanck titled “A Season of Itinerant Preaching.” Hanck is a Lutheran preacher recently living in nearby Coppell, Texas. According to his author bio, Hanck tends to stay on the move. His book is a collection of sermons that he preached at different churches. The book sheds light on his life, his experience with God, and the work of an itinerant preacher evangelizing to different audiences.

I am also reading the Betty Edwards classic, “Drawing on the the RIght Side of the Brain,” based on a recommendation of my art teacher, Jay Weesner, who in addition to being a talented artist and gifted teacher, is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. If you recall, I started drawing a few months ago, feeling a sense that this is something the Lord wanted me to pursue. I wasn’t sure how and why when I began, but through God’s goodness, I am starting to see His purpose for pursuing this new endeavor more clearly now.

Again, I welcome your prayers through all of these different aspects of this season in my spiritual journey.

May the Lord bless you and shine His light on you this week as you strive to love others, love God, and love yourself. May God continue to bless the United States of America.

Blessings,

The Devotional Guy™

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