Being a guest speaker in a local church congregation is a great honor, but there can also be some very real complexities that accompany such an opportunity. How should we as preachers handle these challenges?

I shared in the first installment that I always try to ask the following questions before I go into a church to speak:

• Does the congregation have a strong preference regarding dress in the pulpit?
• Does the congregation have a strong preference regarding Bible translations?
• Is the congregation used to having a media slide presentation (i.e., PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc.) during the sermon, and how is that system set up?

Last time, we looked at the first of these questions, and this time, we’ll turn our attention to the second one, which is likely the most controversial of the three.

Bible Versions

In principle, we would respond to this second issue of Bible versions in the same way we do to the first regarding dress—endeavoring to accommodate the wishes of the local congregation, in which one is a guest speaker.

I must admit, however, that attempting to do this can leave me in a quandary. Probably like many who are reading, I am blessed to own a number of Bibles in a variety of translations. However, my Bible—that is, the Bible that I preach and teach from, is not interchangeable with any of the others that I use. I bought it in seminary, and this fall, it turns 25 years old. Now, when I went to select a Bible, I had to pick a translation, and I chose the New King James Version in the form of the Thompson Chain-Reference Study Bible.

I purchased this Bible with the determination of making it my preaching Bible—drawing on the example set by my two great theological mentors, Dr. John Whitcomb and Dr. Myron Houghton, along with other teachers I’ve enjoyed. I have a unique highlighting system for it, and I’ve carefully filled it with notes. My familiarity with this Bible, in combination with the different colors of highlighting and the notes that I’ve recorded in it, makes it much easier for me to locate passages and other information that I need to access in real-time. If called upon, with no advanced notice and no other notes in front of me, I could definitely preach a sermon, teach a lesson, or strive to answer a question—as long as I had my Bible with me.

In fact, I will often speak (following the models of my teachers again) with only this Bible and no other notes—especially if I am using a slide presentation.

Thus, changing the Bible that I speak from is not as easy as picking a different one off the shelf. Many people have no grasp of this concept. Some probably think that switching Bible versions for a sermon should be as easy as changing the font on your computer screen. But it is not—any more than it would be so easy for a trained musician to switch instruments after preparing on the one they are most familiar with.

On occasion, however, I have specifically been asked to change the Bible version that I speak from. Sometimes, a church will request me to go even further and alter my slide presentation.

Now, I have a heart for serving all churches that desire our ministry and want to be sensitive to their needs. I realize that the guest speaker is, before anything else, a guest. I must admit, however, that these situations cause me to struggle.

Recently, for instance, I was preaching in a church that asked me to use a different Bible version. As a result, during the Sunday School hour, I bungled an easy Bible question simply because I could not locate the passage I was looking for. Had I been holding my Bible, I could have answered effortlessly. Then, in the sermon, I messed up a major point I wanted to emphasize because I was reading it from that version.

These experiences leave me wondering whether such mistakes are really justifiable.

Yes, the church is the host, and I am the guest. But should I ever be more forceful in declaring that I simply must use my Bible? Should I ever make it clear that, in my desire to be true and accurate to the text and Biblically correct in all that I say, it is more or less necessary for me to use my Bible?

These are not easy waters for the itinerant speaker to navigate. I know men that I respect who have dealt with it in varying ways.[i]

What will you do when you have the opportunity to teach as a guest before a congregation of God’s people? How would you manage this situation? I’d love to learn from any wisdom that you can convey.

Paul J. Scharf (M.A., M.Div., Faith Baptist Theological Seminary) is a church ministries representative for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, based in Columbus, WI, and serving in the Midwest. For more information on his ministry, visit sermonaudio.com/pscharf or foi.org/scharf, or email pscharf@foi.org

[i] For instance, I have known some Bible teachers who did not generally concern themselves with this second question when going to preach at a church. They simply presumed that anyone inviting them to speak understood what they were requesting—including the Bible version that the speaker was known for using.

Taking a break from all the bad news and tumult on the internet, I decided to go fishing. I hadn’t had a chance to go fishing for souls or even fish lately since the Naples Pier, my mission station, was destroyed again by Hurricane Ian, and it usually takes two years to reconstruct. I did, however, go to another place on the beach that has a boardwalk with a pavilion at the far end of it right on the beach.

It is quite a nice spot with a restaurant surrounded by seating for visitors to chow down with an open view of the Gulf. The water was murky on this day, so I just sat at the railing under one of the umbrellas that skirts the table-topped fence. Another man in his mid-sixties sat next to me.

As usual, I struck up a conversation and found out that he had retired early from having been an accountant. He seemed like a decent sort and, after a while, told me that he often came out to fish early in the morning since he didn’t sleep much because of what he called insomnia. I quickly found out that he wasn’t a Christian. “Are you a Christian?” I asked.

“Well, I haven’t been to church in a very long time, but I consider myself one.”

“When did you receive Christ?” I continued.

He replied, “I don’t understand; I thought if you were born here, you were automatically a Christian.”

“The Bible says that a Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. In fact, whenever I can’t sleep, I pray without ceasing and soon fall asleep with a peace that surpasses all understanding,” I answered.

“I never knew.”

Then these words poured out of me as if they had a mind of their own, “Would you like to pray to receive Christ right now?”

“I don’t know how to pray,” He stammered.

“Well then, just let me lead the way,” which I did – with the man stumbling along.

“Father in heaven, I’m sorry I’ve ignored you. Please forgive my sins and give me the peace and assurance that only Jesus Christ can give. I will get a Bible to learn more about you. In Jesus’s name, I pray.”

Then we parted ways. This was one of the easiest converts (catches) I’ve ever made, so I guess you could say – the fishing was good.

Then, wouldn’t you know it, Sunday’s sermon at my new church was about “street preachers” and whether they do any good or not, and I was slightly offended – but only slightly – since they don’t know my life story nor my motives.

It sounded like only qualified pastors with diplomas and such were qualified to reach out to the lost, not common folks. Yet the first disciples were fishermen who later became “fishers of men.” And if I’m not mistaken, only Dr. Luke had a doctorate or degree.

So, I thought it might be a good opportunity to let the church leaders know a little more about me.

In my email, I wrote,

Dear highly esteemed Pastors Brad and Doug,

As you may already know, I have recently had my book Visions, Miracles, Peace and Power published, and it is now available on Amazon and Kindle. I’ve started writing the screenplay in hopes of making a movie based on the book. The book is full of stories of redemption and hope and correlates my adventures on the mean streets of Hollywood and Miami, as well as my donut shop ministry of many years. It culminates with my Fishing Pier ministry here in Naples.

I also have a ministry on the internet as a contributing writer for Christian websites, namely Rapture Ready and Drop Zone Delta, and I have my own website, Prophetic Signs and Wonders as well.

I have never been one to preach on street corners or go about with a sandwich board strapped to my body, saying, “The end is near” (even though it may be). Instead, I reach out to individuals with the open hand of empathy and often friendship as well, as you will see in my book.

After reading my story, some have commented that the story would make a good movie, too. I am not one to boast about my achievements or exploits except for the purpose of strengthening the brethren (which is a mandate given to me by Jesus Christ, probably because of my zeal to share the Gospel).

I see this as sharing the Gospel in an uplifting and entertaining way, as there will be several popular secular songs included in it, with a little levity and just a little preaching. I intend to begin filming as soon as the proceeds of my book begin to materialize. If you care to join hands with me in this endeavor, please let me know soon.

P.S. To those who don’t believe that God doesn’t work in the modern day – I quote scripture.

“God, the same yesterday, today and forever.”

“For God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

YBIC

Jim Towers