Thursday, January 21, 2010

It’s Time For Us to be Conscientious--Even Relentless

Chris gives his two cents on a zero-tolerance policy on preaching:
I urge those who have the privilege and responsibility of choosing guest preachers to choose those who preach the text, every time. God has promised to bless His Word, not funny stories. Insist that those you put in the sacred desk have a reputation for preaching the Bible, verse by verse, preferably expositionally. That’s not to say that I’m opposed to topical messages. I’m not, as long as they’re exegetically sound. I’m simply arguing against messages that arise from the preacher’s creative juices rather than the Scriptures. And preachers generally have reputations for one or the other. It’s time for us to be conscientious—even relentless—about this.

This shouldn’t be controversial. Paul urged Timothy to “preach the Word” in 2 Timothy 4:2. Not stories. Not red meat. Not jokes. Why? Because the Word is the only thing that is able to save (3:15), that is inspired and therefore profitable (3:16), that is life-changing and equipping (3:17). Clever stories can’t do any of that.

2 comments:

kathy said...

Yes! to preaching the Word. Reminds me of what Joe Reese said, "Sometimes I feel like lining up the high chairs across the front and saying here is your mush, come and get it." And he thought the chairs would get filled! But preach the solid meat of the Word of God and watch those high chairs empty out. Why? because we are not hungry for challenge, conviction, reproof etc.....esp on Sunday night!!

Melissa Gail said...

This is good to remember and certainly is something to be praying for - that more people would preach the WORD, not the latest "trend."
Thanks for this!