If I asked you to name your favourite preacher, I wonder who you might choose?

I would probably struggle to limit it to one. I could possibly give you a top five. There are various men and women from whom I’ve learned enormous amounts, and who have influenced different aspects of my own preaching. Some are highly skilled expositors, bringing the text to life in compelling and challenging ways. Others are gifted cultural apologists, applying the gospel to our current moment with insight and clarity. There are those who are fiery prophetic preachers, rousing the soul. Others still are deeply creative communicators who capture my imagination.

Over the years my top five has chopped and changed. Some were people I only ever heard on podcasts, like distant mentors for a season. Others I’ve had the privilege of hearing in person week after week. Some are names that would probably be on your list too. Some you’ve never heard of.

But there’s one name I guarantee none of you would know. For the simple reason that I don’t know it either.

In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul writes about a group of people he is sending to collect a financial gift for the church in Jerusalem. He says:

‘With [Titus] we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, for we aim at what is honourable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man.’ (2 Corinthians 8.18–21)

I find this passage fascinating, and often wonder who the ‘famous preacher’ might be. Various names have been suggested, including Apollos, Luke, Barnabas, Silas, Tychicus and Trophimus. Truthfully, we can’t know.

Neither can we be sure why he is left unnamed. Perhaps it’s to protect his identity for his own security, although given that Paul is rarely shy about naming his co-workers that seems unlikely. Perhaps it’s so as to not boost the preacher’s ego? Or maybe it’s just so obvious to his readers that it doesn’t need saying? Who knows?

But whatever the reason, we’re told that this brother is ‘famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.’ Some translations say he is ‘praised’. His reputation is widespread (among all the churches), and it is specifically related to his skilful and effective preaching of the gospel.

So, the reason this unnamed preacher would make my top five? Because his praise-worthy skill is coupled with character.

Like many, I struggle with the idea of celebrity preachers. I am sickened by the high-profile gospel-peddlers, who amass followers and finance through their showmanship and brand management. But I also recognise that I’m not immune. I’ve written before on the lure of celebrity. I know that I too easily put preachers on pedestals, some of whom then come crashing down. And I also recognise the temptation in my own heart to delight in (and even to court) the praise that comes from man.

So in one sense, I appreciate the moto of the 18^th Century Moravian missionary Nikolaus von Zinzendorf, “Preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten” though I can’t help but think the quote might be more powerful if we didn’t know who said it!

Paul certainly knew celebrity preachers of the disreputable sort we encounter today. Only a few chapters previously he wrote,

‘We are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.’ (2 Corinthians 2.17)

Like so many! Profiteering through preaching was a widespread problem even in Paul’s day.

Still, the presence of bad apples didn’t make Paul cynical, as I might be tempted to be. His praise of this ‘brother’ reminds me that not all fame is sinful. It is ok to celebrate someone for their giftedness. And not just unknown pastors who preach faithfully to their home congregation week-in-week-out. It is even ok to celebrate those with trans-local ministries, whose reputation spreads far and wide. ‘Celeb’ is not necessarily a dirty word. It’s possible to be celebrated without the pitfalls of celebrity!

For all that we don’t know about this brother, we do know that he was considered trustworthy to collect large amounts of money. He had financial integrity; not something we often associate with celebrity preachers! And he had been ‘appointed by the churches’ to partake in this task (v19). He wasn’t just Paul’s choice – there was some kind of accountability that included multiple churches, and presumably their leaders.

A few verses later, Paul talks about another – also unnamed – member of the entourage:

‘And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you.’ (2 Corinthians 8.22)  

Whoever this other brother is, he has been tested often and found to be earnest in many matters. This suggests regular, detailed, and ongoing accountability, which allows Paul to be confident in both trusting and commending him. One suspects that a similar level of scrutiny would have been applied to the famous preacher.

All of which causes me to make a space for this unnamed preacher among my top five. A skilful preacher with a widespread reputation, coupled with good character, financial integrity, and a robust accountability network. We could do with a few more of those.

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Photo by Luis Morera on Unsplash