Preacher Paul Washer has delivered a stirring challenge to young ministers, urging them to embrace a deeper, transformative relationship with Scripture and prayer. He is known for his uncompromising messages, emphasized that ministry must be rooted in a profound connection with God through His Word.
“Dear brothers,” he began, “I have spent 30 years reading men that I cherish, particularly the reformers, but mostly the Puritans. But they’re writing about something—they’re writing from what they know about a book. I need to read the book.”
He warned against superficial engagement with the Bible. “I’m not talking about a 45-minute quiet time,” he stated. “If you’re going into the ministry, you eat this book. You consume this book. You live this book. This book is everything.”
He called for complete devotion to Scripture, urging ministers to disconnect from distractions. “Son, get off the Internet. Get on your knees and in the Bible. Hours a day,” he said. Addressing young Reformed believers, he added, “For all you young Reformed guys, the Bible consists of more than the book of Romans and Ephesians. Read from Genesis to Revelation over and over again.”
Emphasizing the necessity of prayer, he declared, “Nothing trumps the study of Scripture, and nothing trumps prayer—not just intercession but communion with God.” Drawing from Acts 13, he reminded his audience that profound ministry flows from time spent in God’s presence.
Washer likened public ministry to “the tip of the iceberg,” with the true depth of a minister’s life found in private devotion. “Below the water is a man shut up to God,” he explained. “While everyone else is playing or surfing the Internet, the man of God is on his knees, in the Word, and crying out, ‘Show me Your glory.'”
He also underscored the spiritual nature of ministry, saying, “I am Reformed Baptist, but I will not allow anybody to take this supernatural away from me. To dwell with Him is so precious. You pray until you can pray, and then you pray until you have prayed.”
In his closing, he issued a stern warning to those unwilling to commit to this level of devotion: “If you don’t want to do this, then just please, go away.”
