It is really a struggle to find someone with the heart, knowledge, ability, calling ... sigh ...
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Friday, March 24, 2006
christian professionals
I'm doing some remote church shopping as we prepare for our move back to the US by listening to mp3 sermons. I listened to four sermons this week from the leading candidate and I have to say, I'm not too impressed. The sermons were informative, interesting, even Biblical, but I realized that the man is a professional speaker and organizer that also happens to be a Christian. He is very good at what he does and I would defend him against the army of folks out there accusing guys like this for selling out, etc.. But the bottom line is, he just isn't a preacher of the Word of God. And sadly, he is one of many. Pulpits are filled with men that really love God and have great communication skills but are in the wrong vocation. They should be cooperate executives or motivational speakers. Their faith would make them excellent ambassadors. But I think they really should stop trying to be preachers.
It is really a struggle to find someone with the heart, knowledge, ability, calling ... sigh ...
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It is really a struggle to find someone with the heart, knowledge, ability, calling ... sigh ...
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5 comments:
Rick,
One of my hobbies is listening to preachers of all persuasions. I listen to a lot of sermons on the 'net. One thing that bothers me is that many/most preachers spend a lot of time preaching on their "distinctives" rather than preaching in the balance of topics found in
Scripture. Some focus on baptism, some on communion, some on church government, some on prosperity, predestination, dispensations, etc. Not to be critical, but your talk is often about the Kingdom. You seem to talk about the Kingdom far more than it is presented in Scripture. We all do that. It seems that we should be able to listen to a preacher and not be able to quickly determine his distinctives. Agree or disagree?
Randy B.
Now you have me thinking...if the distinctive were Christ and the cross, that should come through always. Other than that, I agree. But I agree with that more for the church preacher and less for the academic, book writer, circuit speaker, etc..
But what makes the distinctive issue worse is that many preachers (and this is where I start to sound like your "ilk") are really marriage counselors, psychiatrists, sports team managers, corporate motivators, financial advisors, etc., that happen to be Christians. Somehow they chose preaching as a vocation rather than being Christians in the workplace.
And the real problem is that some of these guys are so good at it that they have managed to create mega-churches. As you often would point out, people stay for what they originally came for.
There's a difference between wanting to "improve my life living as a Christian" and "wanting to live as a Christian glorifying God". I am with the critics in saying we have too much of the former. My issue with the critics is that their disdain causes them to be less than helpful.
when i first had to preach at the church where i currently serve - the teaching pastor asked me how i was feeling about preaching. i told him i was a bit nervous. he said, "i will pray that you have a love for the people." that's all he said.
when preaching to people what is the goal? to aid in their understanding of the text and help them to apply it correctly. if you don't have a love for the people do you really care if you help them to apply the text to their lives? maybe that is the problem with preachers. they have a love for their church (building or organization). they have a love for their own fame. they have a love for their next book promotion. they have a love for their next televised interview. do they really love the people that God has entrusted to their care? maybe that's the question.
Wince - I agree that what you describe is also a problem - actual, an evil. But the guys I'm thinking about seem to love the people. They just aren't called by God to be doing what they are doing and therefore lack His authority in it. They should be serving God's people while working for some company rather than leading His flock.
By the way, who's the guy in your picture? He's lot cooler looking than the last guy...
He is cool looking! He has always been a cool guy. It must have been cold out hiking or skiing or something when they took the picuture though. What I want to know, does he wear the sock hat to church Sunday morning? We have a guy that does. And he is pretty cool.
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