Surprised by Tozer #4 of 5:

We are not peddlers of God’s Word.

(Second Corinthians 2:17)

I’m not surprised that Tozer guarded “this humble pulpit;” but I’m surprised who he guarded it against: “This humble pulpit,” Tozer insist, “is never open to a man who wants to prove Christianity…” (p. 18). Isn’t that a surprise? What’s wrong with someone standing behind the pulpit and putting up a few proofs?

It just so happens that “this humble pulpit,” from which A.W. Tozer spoke that Sunday evening, now stands in the seminary that bears his name: A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary in Redding, California. How this very pulpit got from Chicago to Redding is a long, surprising story. It has to do with a phone call I received from Chicago where the Dean of the seminary was attending a conference. While there, she got wind that Tozer’s Pulpit was in someone’s garage. She called because I had heard such rumors myself and told her if she ever got more information to let me know. She did. She had names and telephone numbers. All that was left was for someone to act.

By God’s providence, the next day after the call, I ran into a friend who had the wherewithal, both the finances and the wits, to execute. I made my plea. He said, “Yes”. And, the following week we were on a plane to Chicago.  We found the Hispanic pastor who had Tozer’s pulpit stowed away in his garage. Fortunately, my friend spoke fluent Spanish. I couldn’t follow the conversation, but I will never forget the results. We came back with a U-Hall Truck, loaded up “this humble pulpit”, and made our way west on Interstate 80 to deliver Tozer’s pulpit to the seminary that bears his name.

It’s one of those big bulky taking-up-space pulpits of former days. Its sheer girth reminds us of sacred space. We are not our own when we stand within this space. As the Apostle puts it: “Who is sufficient for such things? We are not peddlers of God’s word like so many; but in Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God standing in his presence” (2Cor 2:17). Tozer was no peddler of God’s word. That’s why he guarded such sacred space.