TO MINISTERS WIVES: THE POWERFUL PREACHING OF YOUR LIFE
BY BETH S. BURNS

The man of God steps to the pulpit, opens the Word, reads his text, prays for anointing and begins to break the Bread of Life. As the anointing leads him, this man will try to penetrate the minds and hearts of the entire congregation, to lead them closer to the Master.

As he is preaching there is another message which has already been preached. It is a very powerful message, but a silent one. The minister’s wife has indeed preached it. For before he ever entered the pulpit to speak, the congregation had “checked out” his wife to see if they could really believe the message of the man.

Every time the pastor’s wife goes to church, the sheep will scrutinize her for her silent message. If she passes the test, they will listen to the man. `When an evangelist goes to church, his wife will preach the first message, a silent but powerful one. God has made it possible for a woman to preach and lead without opening her mouth.

The first part of her sermon starts when she walks into the door of the church. Is she warm and real? How does she carry herself? Does she walk in a godly manner?

Secondly, how does she look? Does her appearance remind us of godliness or worldliness? Even the slightest aberration from holiness can hurt the gazing sheep. Something as slight as clear fingernail polish can injure a lamb, even if at that moment the lambs are not complying totally with holiness. Sheep follow the shepherd using their eyes, is it so different for us? They are learning a lot from the preacher’s wife.

Maybe the gazing sheep cannot see her trimmed hair because it is neatly hidden in a bun or a bunch of curls. But the spirit of rebellion that caused her to cut her hair will be shown and known because God’s people understand these spirits. “For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad.” Mark 4:22.

Thirdly, what about her attitude before, during and after he preaches? Is she submitted to her own husband as unto the Lord? Does she honor him by listening intently as he preaches and does she speak to him always with reverence? The sheep will take note.

Here is a scenario, which is repeated over and over again. The evangelist goes to church, preaches, and after the first service goes
with the young people go out for a hamburger, They will perhaps discuss the message or perhaps won’t even remember from the church to the restaurant what the evangelist preached about. But I can assure you, there will be one message preached which will not soon be forgotten. It is the silent message from his wife, which will either make him credible or degrade him. A powerful spoken ministry changes lives when it is powerfully lived. A godly example can stimulate many to righteousness without a word being spoken. God has given minister’s wives a very powerful, silent-preaching ministry. For you see, a man is no more believable than his wife.

There, have been cases of men of God having unsaved wives and still doing a great work for God without their help. An unsaved wife will not be held up as an example, but a saved one will be. A Holy Ghost filled minister’s wife must aspire to be a cut above the rest, so her husband’s ministry and message will have a complete effect.

A word of caution for every single evangelist or aspiring preacher who is looking for a wife, make sure the girl you marry is Holy inside and outside; for dear ones, she will preach the first sermon wherever you go … a silent one.

THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY THE WISCONSIN DISTRICT NEWS, PAGE 4, MAY 2000.

THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.