Years ago a kid biking down our street stopped to quiz me—you’re one of them church talkers, ain’t you? His grandparents told him I was a preacher to college students. Even if church talker sounded odd, I suppose it made more sense to the kid than preacher.

Over the years I’ve noticed that many writers I appreciate don’t necessarily make for great preachers. The Apostle Paul was accused of the same:

For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.”

Lousy preacher who droned on and on (think of Eutychus dozing off and falling out a window). Unimpressive in person. Scrawny? Ugly? High-pitched voice?

Paul’s detractors hit at his person hard—apparently an easy target. But his writings? Not so accommodating. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the words we possess of Paul’s carry a dynamism that launched the world-wide church and led billions to the Savior.

Read those words. Take them to heart. Catch the same Spirit that propelled Paul and his entourage and billions since.

If the Lord spoke through the mouth of an ass (I’d pay good money to hear that sermon), and the Lord used the pen of a broken-down prophet, he can use you and me as well.

Even if neither one of us are good church talkers.

2 Corinthians 10 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez