One Message to Speak

Over the course of the last couple of years, I have had the privilege of being invited to speak at various churches, in differing countries, differing cultures, and of differing ages.

As most of these where one time shots I was forced to consider what to speak on. This forced me to clarify what would be the central message of my life and ministry, as it reveals one's top priority. What topic would you choose?

Many would speak on the answer to the post-modern angst. Many would speak to the socio-political perspective of our day. Others would speak about having success, or experiencing a life worth living.

For others the message would aim at conversion with a simplistically constructed gospel message. At the same time others would assume that when you are speaking at a church, the bulk of the people, at any rate, are believers and want to hear something for their personal growth.

What troubled me the most, was how to be God honouring first and foremost, by being faithful to Scripture and to therefore experience the promised blessing of the Holy Spirit in the work, while at the same time doing my best to be interesting and relevant.

Now this leads one to the question of what is interesting and relevant and God honouring and relevant in rural Virginia, and what would qualify in Edmonton Urban culture, or Calgary suburban?

These questions are vital. I wrestled through this idea and came to a conclusion that can be discerned no doubt by listening to resent messages here. But what troubles me most, is that the bulk of ministers and Christian leaders and Sunday school teachers, seem never to have considered the central message of their ministry in depth, and thus suffer from a million different directions, some better then others.

What is the driving force? If you had one message to speak, what would it be?