This is a most pertinent question to ask; and it is even more pertinent to answer. Is God pleased with the preachers in the modern church? When Christian people are frustrated with what passes for preaching today, how is God feeling and what is He thinking about it all? Let me put it like this: if you believe that God is a holy God and that He is there, do you think He can take it lightly when people spread over the face of the earth and move among God's people, and say, "This message is straight from God," when they are speaking only for themselves? This tells us that it is perilously possible for a preacher to speak only for himself and from himself, perilously possible?
What makes is infinitely worse is when these preachers contradict what God says clearly in His Word. He has revealed His own heart and mind in the Scriptures, in propositional form, yet they seem to disregard what God has said and have made up a message of their own that they then pass off as the Word of God.
Now, do you expect God to take this lightly? What isd He? Is He really an old grey-headed and grey-bearded man sitting in a rocking chair in heaven, blind and hard of hearing, and totally oblivious to what is going on in His church? Well, think again.
4 comments:
Hazlett. You pose several questions under your headings 'Preachers with no message, unsent preachers, and the above, as well as others.
Are these rhetorical questions only or are you seeking responses and answers?
Thanks
Graham
Graham, I'd be delighted to receive responses from those who cherish our precious faith and see the ministry of the gospel as God's chief instrument in the conversion of sinners and of their growth in grace as believers.
Lest some might think that this will provide them with the opportunity to undermine the work of the Christian ministry, they may be assured that I do not share their minority viewpoint.
Hazlett. Thanks for your post. Any response of mine has the intention of promoting a ture biblical view of thw Christian ministry.
IMO it is in urgent need of reformation.
Let me ask first of all - where is the concept in the NT of "the preacher" you often refer to?
I presume you refer to the traditional place and role of "the pastor"?
I suggest there is a serious flaw in this concept for it perpetuates the false clergy/laity division in both Reformed and episcopal churches.
The "clergy" are the professional ministers who are called and trained to do "the ministry", while nothing much is expected from the "laity" except to passively listen to a weekly sermon, financially support that ministry, and to 'keep silence' when gathered as churches.
Is this biblical? Does it fulfill the requirements that Paul laid down as being normal for the church - i.e. to maximise edification as in 1 Cor 12-14?
In contrast the NT teaches that potentially the whole body of Christ is to be involved in ministry, with authority to minister to one another (this last phrase found 58 time in the NT).
They are to exercise their spiritual gifts for the common good (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; 14:12,26. Epeh.4:11 - these are but a small selection of relevant verses which could be quoted).
Since when did the NT endorse the ministry and dominance in 'preaching' of one man when the saints gather?
Let me ask you - do you accept the authority of Scripture on the issue of ministry - and in particular that of Paul's clear teaching in the Corinthian passages mentioned.
If so - why then are these not applied?
Graham, at the risk of appearing dismissive of your sincerely held views, I think you have adopted an in-built antipathy to the role of preacher within the church, and I cannot understand why this should be the case.
Your views are more akin to Brethrenism that they are to reformed, i.e, biblical, church order.
I cannot see where you are coming from in this, or where you are going.
It is very discouraging when brothers in Christ constantly undermine the work that some men of God are doing in order to further His Kingdom.
How much more welcome are words of positive encouragement to the beleaguered servants of Christ, than the contrary.
It seems that there is as much likelihood of a paedobaptist convincing a baptist of the correctness of his position, and vice versa, than there is for us to come to a common mind on this matter of ministry.
That being said, it will be fruitless to continue this discussion any further. It grieves my heart to have to say this, but fruitless discussion with no likelihood of resolution is pointless, is not edifying, and only serves to build barriers between Christians. I hope you will understand and accept my conclusion. Thank you, and may God bless you as you serve Him.
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