My favourite Bible verse

The Herald asked pastors across Canada: “What’s your favourite Bible passage to preach from and why?” Here are some of their responses.

John 4, the story of Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. No other story demonstrates as much drama, tension, and electricity; so much intrigue, surprise, power, confrontation, and accountability, all covered with and running over with grace, dignity-giving, forgiveness, hope, joy, buoyancy, and sheer unadulterated love. Everything in this story tells us how we should relate in our world; I could preach and hear this story every Sunday.

—Dan Unrau, Fraserview Church, Richmond, B.C.

Philippians 3:7–14 for a variety of reasons. It contains within it the core of the gospel message and it’s relevant to every person I’ve encountered – we all want to leave things behind and move ahead. This passage points to the only true way to do that – straining ahead to Jesus Christ.

—Bruce Enns, Forest Grove Community Church, Saskatoon

I love to teach from the Gospels. I see them as four paintings, each reflecting a slightly different picture of Jesus. In examining each of these portraits and putting them together, we get an incomplete, but multi-faceted, look at Jesus and his life. What better way to learn to discover our Christ-like identity?

—Mary Reimer, FaithWorks, Winnipeg

I love naming the name of Jesus and telling his story when I speak. All Scripture points to Jesus, all Scripture is about Jesus, and in all Scripture we find Jesus. Preaching isn’t about felt needs, numbers, or what we know. Preaching isn’t about us; it’s about Jesus. He’s the hero of the story. We need to call people to sacrifice, humility, and selflessness. My fear is that we don’t believe it, so we don’t preach it.

—Norm Funk, Westside Church, Vancouver

The book of Colossians – it’s all about Jesus. What a magnificent and compelling teaching Paul gives us about the person, power, and authority of Christ. Every time I read Colossians I fall more in love with Jesus.

—Christopher Douglas, Central Heights Church, Abbotsford, B.C.

I love telling stories. I think that we don’t do enough storytelling – just letting the stories of the Bible sit in our hearts and make a difference there.

—Lorraine Dick, Lendrum MB Church, Edmonton

John 10:10. What does it mean to live a full and abundant life? If life with Jesus is so abundant, why do so many Christians seem to be “un-abundant?” This passage creates in me a longing for more – to know the fullness that Jesus is speaking about because he seems to be describing “normal” Christianity. He’s speaking to the deep longings we often feel, but have difficulty articulating.

—Willy Reimer, Sunwest Christian Fellowship, Calgary

My favourite text to preach from is Luke 7:36–50, the story of the prostitute barging in on Simon’s banquet. The story’s main purpose is to highlight the centrality of Jesus as the one revealing God’s salvation. But I like to dwell on the fact that one of the “collateral damages” of the woman’s salvation experience is no longer being willing to abide by the rules orchestrating relationships between classes or groups. Meeting Jesus turned her into an unruly and somewhat wild character!

So, yes, the text is about the identity of Christ, but not without a serious hint about the subversive nature of his ministry.

—Éric Wingender, dean of École de théologie évangélique de Montréal (ETEM)

Philippians 2:1–11 is an amazing passage wherein the apostle Paul calls the church to oneness and unity as a reflection of the humility and servanthood of Jesus. These verses help me keep little things little and big things big as I ask the Lord how to invest my life each day.

—Carlin Weinhauer, MBMS International

Christian preaching is only Christian preaching if it’s cross-centred. The cross may seem ridiculous; the idea of saving the world by dying makes about as much sense as putting Braille on the buttons of a drive-thru ATM. Yet, I’ve devoted myself to preaching the cross every Sunday. Our congregation opens the Bible and walks through it, verse-by-verse, for forty-five minutes, connecting everything to Jesus Christ and his cross.

—Stephen Kroeker, Manitou (Man.) MB Church.

I love the word of God and enjoy life stories from the Old Testament as much as principles from the New. The life of David, 1 and 2 Samuel, is one of my favourite stories because David was a leader with passion for God despite his clay feet. He was a man after God’s heart and his prayer book still motivates and encourages me every day. David lived his life on mission – to see the glory of God in his generation.

—Randy Friesen, MBMS International