Empowering Faithful Proclamation of God’s Truth in the UK

by Staff Writer   |     |   ,
Church leaders in London and across the United Kingdom gathered Thursday for a Preach the Word conference. Pastor Skip Heitzig underscored the power of Scripture in changing people’s lives.

Local churches are a vital part of any Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) outreach, and on Thursday, over 180 pastors and leaders came together ahead of this weekend’s God Loves You Tour with Franklin Graham.

Skip Heitzig, senior pastor of Calvary Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico, encouraged those present in their calling, equipping them to engage their congregations with the Word of God.

“We are called to preach the Word, not our opinion,” said Heitzig, adding that believers everywhere need to be engaged with the Word of God to stay strong in their faith.

He reminded the audience that since the beginning, Satan has been skewing the truth. We face the same problem today, said Heitzig, and the only way to resist the enemy is with God’s Word.

“God speaks through what He has already spoken,” Heitzig said, referring to the Bible.

Skip Heitzig told fellow pastors and leaders that they don’t need to be concerned with entertaining preaching—just focus on proclaiming the truth of Scripture. “Whatever you have to say is not better than what God has already said.”

Pastor Petar Ivanov, who leads the Association of Bulgarian Churches in the U.K., couldn’t agree more.

“The Word of God is what will save the people,” he shared.

Ivanov and the Bulgarian churches he represents have spent over a year preparing for Saturday’s God Loves You Tour, an evangelistic outreach in one of the world’s most multicultural cities. They have committed to bringing at least 500 Bulgarian-speaking people and have arranged for interpreters.

No matter what language Scripture is taught in, Heitzig emphasised the importance of expository preaching. It’s easy to preach a message that revolves around our own ideas and substantiate it with Scripture, he said. But the Bible already contains what’s needed for a powerful message.

“I hope you walk away with confidence in the authority of Scripture,” he said. “This is the Word of God. It changes people’s lives.”

Shiv Rapley needed to hear that message. The young leader serves in children’s ministry at City Gates Church in London, and she feels called to become a Bible teacher.

“This was a great opportunity to learn about the importance of preaching exactly from the [Biblical] text,” she said. “There are many preachers that are out there just to entertain, but actually we need to be sticking with the Scripture. The Word of God is the truth, and we don’t need to deviate from that.”

The Bible is living and active, Heitzig added, and is sufficient in itself to feed God’s people and accomplish His purposes. There’s no need to embellish or add to it.

“Let the Word do the work,” he said. “The Word of God is like a fire. You never have to advertise a fire. You just have to let it burn.”

Watch the God Loves You Tour live from London this Saturday at 6 p.m BST

Franklin Graham introduced Skip Heitzig, his longtime friend and partner in ministry. Graham will share from Scripture during the God Loves You Tour this weekend. Please pray for the thousands who will hear his message—that many will recognise their need for Christ.
Also lift up churches across the U.K. as pastors communicate the Word of God. Pray for clarity and boldness as they share the Gospel in a culture increasingly hostile toward Christianity.
We thank God for every local church that was represented at the Preach the Word conference in London—and for the passion of these leaders to see lives changed for eternity.