The Voice God Uses
Dr. Kenneth R Pruitt
Communicating God’s Word represents a noble task. The spoken or written delivery of God’s Word signifies a divine engagement and an amazing privilege as both the speaker and the listener hear from God.
However, no one should presume that a word from God has been received without first allowing God’s truth to engage one’s own soul. A personal encounter with the living God always stands as the irrefutable requisite that God has imparted to the communicator a truth to be shared with others. All preaching and teaching, and all other forms of communicating God’s Word, begins here.
Many Voices and Your Voice
Our world produces a thunderous reverberation of voices that speak with an array of perspectives, convictions and authority. Social media posts, news outlets, and YouTube influencers represent but a few of the many ways the human voice attempts to connect audiences to commentaries, perspectives, and even ideologies. Yet, regardless of the means for communication, the human voice persistently offers a heralding cry for some cultural message, cause, or platform. This, however, this does not define the Christian voice. Instead, as you follow the heart of Jesus in your daily walk of faith, the opportunities God gives you to communicate His truths will resonate from a real experience with Jesus. When you communicate from this encounter, you become a voice God uses.
For many followers of Jesus, the question remains, “why is my voice needed?” Even those who preach and teach on a regular basis sometimes questions the value of their voice and their message. Do not give in to such wonderings! Your voice matters. Your unique voice has been designed through God’s work in your life to make a difference for God’s kingdom. As a follower of Jesus, your life represents a unique walk of faith likened to but also distinct from other followers of Jesus. No relationship with Jesus exists exactly like yours, and therefore when your voice speaks, the message comes from a unique place of your own encounter with the Christ. You have a voice, and your voice contains a compelling message.
The many voices of this culture continue to speak. At times these voices resonate a passionate plea, while at other times only a monotonous drone. Nevertheless, because of the many ways the voices can be heard, and because of the many issues swirling about that calls for input, the voices continue.
This vast sea of communication known as the public voice offers information as well as misinformation, traditional convictions as well as moral relevance, and commentary as well as intentional biases. In all cases, the freedom to speak becomes clear, and for this freedom I am grateful. Nevertheless, among all the voices sounding off, those who follow the Christ should pause to consider how such a freedom to speak (preach, teach, write, etc.) must be defined within the Kingdom of God
Christ followers should not desire to speak from personal inclinations with a human agenda, but instead to lovingly and effectively communicate the truths of God from an authentic encounter with God. This becomes the fundamental discipline of all preachers, teachers, and communicators of God’s Word, and must represent the priority of everyone who genuinely desires a voice that God uses.
A Necessary Caution
As with all voices of this present culture, the communicator of God’s Word must take heed to a particular caution that will prove effective in the development of a voice God uses. The Bible describes the human tongue as difficult to tame and very inconsistent in speech.
No human can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3:10
The caution becomes obvious: the human voice can pronounce a curse as much as announce blessings. This inconsistency of speech becomes very difficult to tame or control.
While James presents an ethical dilemma for personal Christian behavior concerning our words, this caution must be applied to our public communication. If every voice represents a vulnerability to the inconsistencies stated above, then what becomes of the public voice? How can you purely convey God’s Truth if the tongue – or, the voice, often represents conflicting messages?
This contradistinction of the tongue, capable of producing both blessings and curses, must be disciplined by another voice than the human voice of one’s own making. What is this other voice? This voice does not merely speak words but instead delivers divine truth. This voice speaks a new message - a message of healing and justice, a message of joy and deliverance, and a message of love. This voice represents God’s voice of truth alive in the Christian through the Holy Spirit. This voice comes forth from the Scriptures and is conveyed by faith through the preacher, the teacher, and all other communicators of God’s truth. This voice becomes alive because of the soul’s engagement with a Holy God and a risen Savior. This other voice represents the voice God creates to preach, teach, and communicate effectively for the glory of God, through power of the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus, and into the soul of humankind. This voice must become the voice of the Christian and must be heard above the thunderous roar of the futile talking this present world so often produces. The voice God uses speaks as a voice of truth and love in demonstration of the very heart of God perfectly embodied in God’s glorious Son, Jesus Christ. This voice should always sound different from the culture. This voice becomes wholly dedicated to the truths of God and the Living Logos of God, Jesus our Redeemer.
All preachers and teachers must convey the truths of God authentically. When this becomes a reality, the voice of the church becomes obvious, Christian faith lovingly speaks, and the Gospel of Jesus becomes clearly communicated. We need voices that God can use.
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Welcome to a discovery of truths that encourage an authentic voice. From the following pages, you will discover formative steps to more authentically become the voice God uses.
I have been privileged to teach the following truths in the seminary classroom as well as in leadership training programs as the Statesmen Conference of the Leadership Institute in the nation’s capital. Yet, regardless of the training venue, one goal always emerges: aligning one’s life with the heart of God for the purpose of one’s voice being used by God in the church and in the world. I have seen these truths applied by pastors and teachers as well as young Christian women and men aspiring for leadership on the university campus and in political offices. In each case, when the follower of Jesus authentically aligns with God’s truths personally, her or his voice resounds outwardly with the power and purpose of God .
Part One of The Voice God Uses focuses on steps to an authentic voice (character and communication). Part Two of The Voice God Uses focuses upon steps to an authentic message (purposefully engaging with those to whom we speak).
As you study and engage with these truths, tried and tested in the church and in the broader context of our culture, I urge you to approach the truths with open hands and open hearts. Please realize that regardless of how seasoned you may feel in publicly communicating God’s Word, there always exists more to learn, as well has new ways for one’s own preaching and teaching to be freshly tested. Also, regardless of how ill-equipped you may feel in communicating God’s Truths, the voice God uses is always within reach. Stay the course with the following teaching and be amazed at how God will use you. Welcome to The Voice God Uses.
