Some years ago, a friend of mine said to me after a certain young minister preached, “Well, we are certainly not lacking any confidence are we?”
I understand what my friend meant. This young minister certainly did not appear uneasy. In fact, his manner, his body language, and his words indicated that if anything, he was quite self-assured. He had a certain cockiness that some thought was funny. He spoke way beyond his experiences and his years. It was awkward and almost embarrassing. There was a certainty and self-assuredness that communicated that he really had not experienced much of life.
Fortunately, I can point to a number of young ministers with a very different spirit. I know young ministers who love Scripture, are passionate for the Lord, and who exude humility as they talk about the human condition. These young ministers are likely to ask others for their counsel and input regarding situations and chapters in life they have never experienced.
They do not have an unhealthy self-consciousness which seems to be preoccupied with appearance, image, style, etc. Rather, these ministers seem to have a very healthy God-consciousness that goes way beyond referring to Jesus, talking about spiritual formation, etc.
When they preach, they call attention to Jesus instead of themselves.
May their tribe increase.