Getting Hay Out of the Loft

Greg Laurie writes:

The trend in some churches today is away from the teaching of Scripture. Instead, you are likely to hear more topical message, with the Bible merely referenced but not exposited. There is plenty of time for worship, video, and other things, but not much given to the teaching of what the Word of God says.

This is a dangerous trend and it is producing Bible illiteracy. I fear these sermonettes are creating Christian-ettes!

On the other end of the spectrum, you have preaching in churches today that is disconnected and frankly boring! This is the fault of the communicator who has not prepared properly.

I have no understanding of how speakers can take the dynamic, power-packed Word of God and make hearing it . . . dull!

Our “job” as communicators is to, as one commentator put it, “Get the hay out of the loft to where the cows can get to it.” Or as another said, “Put the cookies on the lower shelf so the children can reach them.”

There is nothing impressive about preaching over the heads of the people you speak to.

The effective communicator needs to connect. We are not in the pulpit to impress, but to feed; not to put on a show, but to call people to Christ.