Preach the Word: The Preacher’s Charge in a Changing World | Rev. Dr. Marcus Allen

People still need the gospel. What has changed is the world receiving it.

Preaching the theme sermon at the 5th Annual Midwest Gospel Preaching Summit, Rev. Dr. Marcus Allen opens 2 Timothy 4:1–5, Paul’s farewell charge to Timothy, written under the shadow of Nero’s persecution. Today’s congregations arrive on Sunday having already heard five other preachers. They get theology from TikTok, Google, and AI. Dr. Allen asks how a preacher stays faithful to an unchanging message when the route to the listener keeps shifting.

From Blockbuster’s refusal to partner with Netflix to a passenger who landed a plane by listening to the voice on the radio, Dr. Allen shows how the danger of “the good old days” is mistaking the route for the destination. He calls preachers to keep the light shining, whatever the storm.

In this sermon:

· The charge to the preacher: proclaiming a message we didn’t write and answering to God for the pulpit we’ve been given

· Being “ready in season and out of season”: convince, rebuke, and exhort with patience

· Preaching to people still in the process of becoming

· The condition of the people: “itching ears” and the spiritual vertigo of a culture off balance

· Truth versus convenient lies in a polarized, politicized age

· The commitment of the preacher: “But you”—be watchful, endure affliction, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry

· The lighthouse keeper: why the storm is the reason for the light

SCRIPTURE: 2 Timothy 4:1–5

ABOUT THE EVENT

The Midwest Gospel Preaching Summit is an annual gathering of preachers, pastors and ministry leaders committed to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and serving their communities. The 2026 Summit, “Preach the Word: The Preacher’s Charge in a Changing World,” was held October 7–9 in Madison, Wisconsin. Upper House Commons hosts it in partnership with Mt. Zion Baptist Church.