Just How Much Experience Must You Have to Be Qualified to Preach or Teach?

“One of the issues regarding spiritual leadership is whether spiritual leaders can take people to places they themselves have never been.” _Henry & Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership, p. 146

The obvious answer to Henry and Richard Blackaby’s question is: “No”…or is it?

I’ll never forget my earliest years as a pastor.  I remember being shocked at some of the things people would share with me and ask my advice on.  I learned early that people are far too prone to put their trust in someone just because they have a title and/or position.

On the other hand, if you are truly called to be a preacher or teacher, people will instinctively be attracted to the anointing on your life.  What are you to do?  Can you take people where you’ve never been yourself?  How can you talk about issues that you may never have experienced?  For example, no matter how hard I try, I can’t take a young girl into womanhood.  I’ve never been there and have no intentions of going there: there just ain’t no “female” in me.

Paul put it this way when writing to Timothy: “Let no one despise your youth.” (1 Timothy 4:12)

Dear friend, you are always going to be a youth (inexperienced) in some area.  If the only way you can minister to someone is having been there yourself, you are going to be limited by your own personal experience.  That’s not good!

So what is a God-called preacher or teacher to do?

First: You can point people in the right direction.

• In many ways, we are travel agents.  We learn to read “maps” like the Bible and good books/resources from godly men and women who have been there, and we point the way for our people’s benefit from what we have learned from others.

• Application: Do not feel guilty for teaching (from your perspective) other people’s anointed material.  You can’t know everything.  You can’t go everywhere.  You can’t experience every experience known to mankind.  Even God, in writing the Bible, used dozens of different men to pen His words.

Second: Lean on the Holy Spirit.

• For example, how can a male pastor/teacher give advice to a woman?  Simple: With the help of the Holy Spirit.  At the end of the day, you and I are only vessels: vessels for the Holy Spirit to fill and work through.  You may be a “green” young preacher or teacher, or you may feel that you are greatly under-qualified for the task or subject that has been assigned to you.  Remember dear friend: That is why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit – to be your teacher.
• Tomorrow, when you stand before those you have been called to serve, you can never be prepared as much as you’d like.  But then again, it is not you that you’re representing – it is God Himself, and He will give you the words to say that will take people where they need to go.
• Remember the words of God: “Not by power, nor by might, but by my Spirit, says the LORD.” (Zechariah 4:6)

Having said that, there is nothing like the seasoning that comes with experience.  Keep growing, keeping walking with God.  With each passing year there will be new levels of anointing and effectiveness that comes.  Like Paul, you will be able to say more and more – “I know” and “I have learned”…(from experience)

But in the meantime, let no one despise your youth and inexperience.  God is not worried about calling “experienced” men and women; He first calls men and woman and then begins to give them experiences…let’s enjoy the journey 🙂