I recently read about an 8 year old girl, Aryanna Schneeberg, from Campbellsport, Wisconsin, who was playing in her backyard when she was suddenly struck in the back with an arrow.

The arrow penetrated her lung, spleen, stomach and liver, which required a 2 ½ hour surgery to save Aryanna’s life.

Following an investigation, Sheriff Mylan Fink reported that a teen boy and his friend were shooting arrows at squirrels from the balcony of an apartment complex.

Vance Havner, a preacher of the early 20th century, known for his witticism and snappy quotes, supposedly quipped to a congregation where he was once preaching, “I seen happier faces on an iodine bottle.”

One preacher remarked about going into a congregation for Sunday worship and said, “You would think it was a morgue.”

Plutarch who lived from 46 to 120 A.D. once wrote, “The worship most acceptable to God comes from a thankful and cheerful heart.” The Psalmist often coupled the spirit of thanksgiving with worship to God.

While on his third missionary journey, Paul came to Troas where he spent the week. He met with the brethren. Worshipped. Communed. And preached. (Acts 20:6-7)

Preaching. It’s been a part of worship since the first century church began on that Pentecost Sunday in Acts 2. Peter preached. He preached Jesus. His death. Burial. Resurrection. And ascension. He preached God’s plan for salvation.