The Preacher's Trust

man with Bible

Every preacher faces a defining question when stepping into the pulpit: Where will I place my trust? This question reveals not only our understanding of ministry but also our view of God and ourselves.

The weight of self-awareness is unavoidable. We know our sins, doubts, and failures. The harsh words spoken, the impatience shown, the prayers neglected—these memories often resurface as Sunday approaches. The psalmist’s words resonate: “If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3).

Beyond this, the task itself feels impossible. Who can speak for the living God? Moses protested his inadequacy (Exodus 4:10). Isaiah declared himself ruined (Isaiah 6:5). The responsibility of proclaiming eternal truths is crushing when fully grasped.

Yet the opposite danger is equally real: self-reliance. Our culture prizes skill and results. Seminary equips us with tools, and churches often measure success by metrics. It’s tempting to believe that with enough preparation and technique, we can achieve transformation through our own efforts.

Both inadequacy and self-reliance miss the point. Scripture offers a better foundation.

First, God’s Word carries inherent power. Isaiah assures us it will accomplish God’s purposes (Isaiah 55:11). Hebrews describes it as “alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12). Paul calls the gospel “the power of God that brings salvation” (Romans 1:16). God works through his word. It’s how he builds his church, and he’s chosen to include us in this work. As Darrell Johnson observes, “Something always happens when God speaks.” Even the weakest preacher, faithfully pointing to Jesus, participates in something far beyond their ability.

Second, the Holy Spirit is at work. Jesus promised the Spirit would teach and remind us (John 14:26). Paul’s preaching relied on “a demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:4). The Spirit illuminates, convicts, and transforms in ways no human effort can replicate. It’s why Charles Spurgeon is reported to mount the stairs to the Metropolitan’s pulpit by repeating, with each step taken, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” Without the power of the Holy Spirit, our preaching would accomplish nothing. But the Spirit has promised his help as we carry out this otherwise impossible task.

This doesn’t excuse laziness. Preparation, prayer, and careful study remain essential. But our confidence rests not in these efforts but in the God who works through them.

God often uses the weak to display His strength. Paul learned that God’s “power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Our limitations are not obstacles but opportunities for God’s sufficiency to shine.

Preaching, then, is an act of paradoxical confidence. We are clay jars, fragile yet filled with treasure (2 Corinthians 4:7). We proclaim ancient truths with fresh power, trusting the Spirit to breathe life through them.

This is the preacher’s trust: that God works through our inadequacy, so “your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:5). What a privilege to participate in God’s redemptive work.

Darryl Dash

Darryl Dash

I'm a grateful husband, father, oupa, and pastor of Grace Fellowship Church East Toronto. I love learning, writing, and encouraging. I'm on a lifelong quest to become a humble, gracious old man.
Toronto, Canada