We are never to forget that Christ teaches through His servants. There may be conversions without the instrumentality of a sermon. Where persons are so situated that they are deprived of every means of grace, they are wrought upon by the Spirit of God and convinced of the truth through reading the word; but God’s appointed means of saving souls is through “the foolishness of preaching.” Though human, and compassed with the frailties of humanity, men are God’s messengers; and the dear Saviour is grieved when so little is effected by their labors. Every minister who goes out into the great harvest field should magnify his office. He should not only seek to bring men to the knowledge of the truth, but he should labor, as did Paul, “warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom,” that he may “present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” {5T 300.3}

Vi skal aldrig glemme at Kristus underviser gennem sine tjenere. De kan omvendes uden en prædikens hjælp. Var personer stillet sådan, at de var berøvet alle nådemidler, påvirkes de af Guds Ånd og overbevises af sandheden, ved at læse ordet; men Guds særlige midler til at frelse sjæle er »ved prædikenens dårskab.« Endskønt menneskelighed og omgivet menneskelige svagheder, er de Guds budbringere; og den dyrebare Frelser er bedrøvet når så lidt sker, ved deres arbejde. Enhver tjener som tager ud til den store høstmark, bør lovprise sit embede. Han bør ikke blot søge at få mennesker til at kende sandheden, men han bør arbejde, som Paulus, »påminder ethvert menneske og lærer ethvert menneske med al visdom, for at« han »kan fremstille ethvert menneske som fuldkomment i Kristus."