Does going to bible school and having a license make one a preacher?

EDITOR: Is going to bible school and having a license make a person a preacher?

It is sad that in most cases the answer to this question is YES. I must admit that going to a bible school and having a license to become a pastor or a preacher is man’s specification and not God’s qualification of a preacher.

No wonder there are so many churches today and so[much] confusion that many men have lost interest in spiritual things.

There are those who make preaching a business rather than a service. I will briefly outline some of God’s requirement for a preacher.

In 1 Timothy 3: 1-7 “This is a true saying, if a man desires the office of a bishop, he desired a good work.   A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil”.

There are other scriptures that support the above mentioned verses.

Be that as it may these verses give us what is God’s qualification for a preacher which is far different from man’s requirements. Looking at these verses the
question can be asked,” how many persons who claim to be preachers and even went to bible school are really qualified to be preachers?

Nowhere was there any mention of bible school qualifying someone to be a preacher. Let us remember that Peter was just a fisherman and never went to a bible school, but was the greatest evangelist and pastor and also so was Paul, the apostle.

It is so unfortunate that we have changed God’s requirement and replace it with man’s requirement. Growing up, some of the hottest and successful preachers never went to a secondary school, but were sincere in their presentations and met the requirements scripturally.

Maybe the church at Laodicea as found in Revelation 3: 14 – 22 best describes Christianity today? We have become wealthy, worldly and even full of activities but yet the Lord is outside knocking to come inside.

It is my hope that we would as Christian’s examine ourselves and be guided by the word of God and not be guided by man’s standard. May the Lord be inside our houses, homes and churches. May the Lord be glorified by us.

Kennard King