Step on toes

[Richard OFfill]

I am not trying to be critical of my fellow preachers, but I am convinced that we began to go downhill in our worship services when the preaching died.

As I said, I don't mean to put down the pastor. In fact, I would like to say something in defense of the pastor's preaching. There are more and more places where trying to be the pastor is almost a lose-lose situation. People will tell us that they like sermons that step on toes, but when they say that they usually mean someone else's toes. They say that they want the pastor to tell it like it is, but by that they mean like they see it.

In the 21st century it is difficult to be a pastor. Every Sabbath he tries to preach an inspiring sermon. Yet as a result of the subject, half the people get mad at him. The next Sabbath he tries another theme and the other half are mad at him. So just to play it safe the sermon the third week is taken from the Reader's Digest and that week everyone is mad at him!

By the way, when I was a pastor there was something called respect, in the home, in the school and in the church. By the way the pastor can quote from Joel Osteen. But he has to be careful quoting Mrs. White.

Pray for your Pastor!

[Ed Sutton]

Preaching the will of God and the words of God is different than making folks happy, ask Paul and John the Baptist.  Until congregations, families, individuals, come to church converted, they are carnally minded; the deck is stacked against a godly pastor or speaker - if popularity is the measure of success. 

The late J. L. Schuler  did not ban popularity but he focused on Scripture and thoroughness and taking time to build deep and wide, and used after meetings - might not be a bad idea for modern preaching.

https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1972/10/the-life-and-work-of-j.-l.-shuler   

https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1958/08/the-evangelistic-preaching-wheel

https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1958/09/the-evangelistic-preaching-wheel-part-ii 

His collection of materials at Andrews    http://www.centerforadventistresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/collections/C0080.pdf

Conviction, repentance, desire to follow Jesus put into Biblically appropriate action, unto conversion followed by organized intelligent soul winning work in the church family, and around the church locally, and supporting regional and world missions  - from hearing godly earnest Scriptural gospel & present truth SDA preaching - would thrill any converted pastor or converted lay leader.

Preaching to attain those results creates all sorts of reactions, so that means, dig in to endure resistance while conviction takes effect.   

Then pastoral / elder - home visits needs to begin once the reactions start coming in - conviction is often demonstrated by resistance, they are fighting God but attacking the pastor or speaker.  Why do they need to be convicted, how are they in need of rebuke by the Holy Ghost ?  What needs done to guide them to reconcile their attitude and heart & behavior to resume obeying God ?   

One really good sermon or talk becomes a long weeks worth of visitations plus building the next sermon and attending to the needful church projects and needs.  The church baby is never out of diapers.  New members & newly reconverted members = growth = more diapers.  But on the sea of glass it will be cheap enough and more than worth it.

[newbie]

By the way the pastor can quote from Joel Osteen. But he has to be careful quoting Mrs. White.

this really gets me too.... yikes! 

[Listen]

I just heard them quoting E.M. Bounds, Spurgeon, Moody and the Review and Herald.  Was quite surprised as I thought this church didn't have a problem with E.G. White.  Have thought about asking the Pastor what he preaches that is different then Sunday churches.  Hearing a detailed story of Abraham and Sarah for 4 sermons, ho-hum.

[newbie]

all we can do is pray for them as Pastor said...