When we share the preaching, we widen the witness. The whole counsel of God is unlikely to be heard by the whole people of God unless they hear from various voices for God.<\/p>\n\n
How often should others be invited to preach? <\/p>\n\n
Often enough to recognize the abilities of staff colleagues.<\/strong> Inviting staff colleagues to preach acknowledges that they bring gifts, training, and a fresh perspective in the ministry of the word. They will invariably reach some folks who may not readily connect with the regular preacher. Having them preach gives visibility to their current ministries and prepares them for future ministries.<\/p>\n\n Often enough to develop the gifts of church members.<\/strong> Many Protestant churches recognize the “priesthood of all believers”—I wonder if we might not also benefit from the “preacherhood of all believers.” A full-length sermon isn’t the only way to bear witness to the Word. Invite those who are going to read Scripture aloud to introduce the reading with four or five sentences of personal reflection. Readings can come from a lectionary or be passages selected by the members themselves.<\/p>\n\n