THE PREACHERS HYMN [Su, 8-26-18]

Reflections on Faith & Life for the Years of Winter… 

In the column for April 17, I told of my first continuing education experience for preachers, “The School of the Prophets,” for all Indiana Methodist clergy, at Depauw University, in 1957, when I was 20 years old and had already been preaching on a three-church charge for a year.

Ministry is a lonely profession. Most of us are solo pastors. Our colleagues may be miles away, and we see them seldom. That first School of the Prophets was a meaningful time for me, because it was when I first realized that even though most of the year I was out there on my own, nonetheless I had colleagues. I belonged to “the goodly fellowship of the prophets.”

That was impressed on me most by the hymn singing those 300 men, and one woman, did there at Depauw that August.

As I thought back to that event, as I do each August, and I heard those colleagues singing again, in my soul, it occurred to me that preachers should probably have a hymn of their own. So I wrote one… to the tune of R. Kelso Carter’s “Standing on the Promises.”

I don’t preach anymore, but I’m going to sing this each Sunday morning, to encourage those who do. You can join in, even if you are not a preacher, for if we all sing loudly enough, it may remind and encourage the pulpiteers in their sometimes lonely work…

THE PREACHERS HYMN: SPEAKING FORTH THE PROMISES

Speaking forth the promises

Of truth and grace

Telling how Christ came

To save the whole damned race

Shouting at the devil

Standing face to face

Telling forth the promises of God

CHORUS:

Preaching, teaching,

Bringing good news to the poor and frail

Preaching, teaching

Telling of God’s promises that do not fail

Shouting down temptations

That can stain the soul

Telling of the broken Christ

Who makes us whole

Bringing in God’s Kingdom

Is our earthly goal

Telling forth the promises of God

CHORUS

Standing in the gap

And pointing to the cross

In the boat with Jesus

Although tempest tossed

We shall join the saints

And bring hope to the lost

Telling forth the promises of God

CHORUS

Laying on the hands of healing

With a prayer

Handing out the bread and wine

In Christ we share

Pouring out baptismal water

With a dare

Telling forth the promises of God

CHORUS

John Robert McFarland

One of my favorite old preacher jokes: We sing “Standing on the Promises” while we’re just sitting on the premises.

Another one: A lot of activity in the church is like a hen trying to lay an egg on an escalator—a lot of moving around but not much getting down to business.

I heard both of those at The School of The Prophets in 1957.