Honor, Sobriety, and Fear, and Shockers

Mal 1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
Shock Society.
That is where we live. We love to shock people. We love to be shocked. We need a jolt to keep us focused. In fact, some energy drinks have played on those names to let people know what they are in for if they drink one.
The radio hosts "shock jocks" that tell dangerously profane stories that cause the FCC to study close what they have said to insure it can be broadcast for the public ear. The host's know, it sells. People clamor for it.
The pulpit, I am afraid is not immune to this type of marketing. Preachers all over this country are adopting a "shock jock" mentality and it draws crowds. I don't know if it draws more sheep or goats. But it draws a crowd.
Many have lost the ability to blush because they have become so innundated with worldliness and crudeness. So, preachers move to more "shocking" words and statements to titillate the crowd.
Jer 6:15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush:
A.W. Tozer said “We should and must learn that we cannot handle holy things carelessly without suffering serious consequences.”
The text from Malachi declares that if God is a father, then where is the honor due fathers? That falls limp on our modern ears, because fatherhood is not honored as it should be. Mocking dad, ignoring his counsel, and pretty much relegating him to just another voice in the crowd is the common thing in society. He is just another person you can choose to agree with or disagree with and do so without any honor. God teaches us that it will NOT be well with the person who does this.
Deu 5:16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
But Malachi even draws the illustration further by God comparing himself to a master, that deserves fear. Again, modern society cringes at the term of "fear" equating it to some poor oppressed person, groveling before a task master bent on whipping the person into obedience.
This is far from the biblical picture of godly fear toward those in authority over us, but we know when something is said long enough and loud enough, it is believed.
May the preachers that mount the pulpit remember, the holy thing that we deal with is to be taken with sobriety: not a comedy night production attitude.
The holy thing we do is godly edification and instruction: not a whipping post for my latest soapbox.
The holy thing we do is for the glory of God: not the promotion of ourselves, our ministries, or favor of men.
May I remember this when I preach this Lord's day.
To God alone be glory.

Flat Toes

In our congregation we have more than one elder, and yesterday, as in typical fashion, Elder Joshua Miller spoke from Galatians 4:11. " I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain."

By the time he was finished with the message, I was convinced I needed to re-examine my calling in the ministry. I was challenged to examine aspects of my shepherding that I had not considered in some time.

I consider myself very careful in my watch-care over the flock that God has entrusted in my care, however, I came to see myself as full of fault, and was convicted over various areas of service.

When I stand before the Lord, I want to hear the words, "Well done thou good and faithful servant..." I must always remember that I am dealing with the Bride of my Saviour Jesus Christ when I deal with each person in the congregation.

I have always said, "I could preach to 10,000, but I could only properly pastor about 200..." After yesterdays message, let us make that 100...To truly feed, to truly care, to truly watch must take my whole being. I don't want a soul to fall through the proverbial cracks at Emmanuel. We do not labor as ministers of the Gospel to see the work be in vain. Let us labor for the Glory of God, the good of the saints and the future reward that awaits the faithful minister of God.
Live Simply. Live Godly

Preaching, Muller Style

When one thinks of preaching, George Muller might not be the first on your list. He admitted he was not so grand a preacher. Those who heard him agreed with him. However, one could not escape the fact that it was evident the man had spent time with God. However simple his messages may have been, they appeared to be filled with power from God. His suggestions on preaching is timeless and very profitable for all who desire to preach, or to understand the preacher. So it is good for everyone. Notice the following from his works:

"That which I have found most beneficial in the public ministry of the Word, is expounding the Scriptures." He goes on to explain that "Expounding the Word of God brings little honour to the preacher from the unenlightened or careless hearer, but it tends much to the benefit of the hearers in general. Simplicity of expression, whilst the truth is set forth is of the utmost importance. It should be the aim of the teacher so to speak, that children, servants, and people who cannot read may be able to understand him, so far as the natural mind can comprehend the things of God."

Muller seemed more desirous that everyone under the sound of his voice might hear a clear trumpet call, rather than be impressed with lofty exhortations of grandeur. He was concerned for every hearer, hoping that when they walked away from his messages, they could take truth that was clearly understood.

When we preach today, we should desire to be a vessel meet for the Master's use, "fit to be employed both in the conversion of sinners and in the edification of the saints."

When Method matches the Message.

When Method Matches the Message


The pulpit was ablaze and one could almost feel the emotions being poured forth from the podium. Bible open, hand uplifted, the message was solid, the words were pure, and no man dared dispute him. When we attend conferences and revivalist meetings, often times we come away with more than a strengthened resolve and encouraged heart, we come away with a false sense of methodology. Here is how this works: The preacher preaches a strong line on the family, the importance of the Scriptures and loyalty to church. We see the size or we perceive that the size, of the ministry he is involved in to be large. One leaves believing that preacher is a family integrationist by the great importance he places on the family unit. He even says, "I am a husband first, a preacher last." That sounds so good, in fact we begin to repeat the mantra, (even though we may have not been living it out in our own lives.) That is the conundrum. When does our method match our message.


For what it is worth, I have committed to making sure the church I pastor does not fall into the trap of fluff. I know, one man's fluff is another man's ministry. What one preacher calls fluff, another calls "useful method". Whether it be preaching, music, bus ministries, awana clubs or basket weaving, we tend to spiritualize the acts and suggest that in and of themselves, they are fine, as long as the end justifies the means. "Hey, the fact of the matter is evident: we are trying to get people to come to church, right?" Wrong. We are trying to preach Christ and Him crucified. Those who come to church ought to be the ones who Christ has already called to himself. Only the Saved can worship in Spirit and Truth. Yes, the world can worship, no doubt. But they cannot enter into the holy of holies and worship the one true God. Without the Spirit of God, there is no true worship. Yet, we bend all we do in the church many times to accommodate those "without the Spirit." We put fluff in place to make them comfortable, and hope they stick around long enough to "get saved." The church no longer goes, but rather sends out invitations.


What am I wanting in Worship? I am wanting what God wants in worship. Not what I want. If I got what I wanted, and if I were pleased with what I had, without regard to God's direct desires, I am only worshipping my own self-interests.


It is a hard thing for a preacher who loves to preach, to know that he could amp up the music just a bit, change the format to be a bit more man centered, and provide a few more "community based" activities to draw in a crowd. "Hey, I have never stopped preaching the same message!" But when, dear preacher, does the "Method match the Message". If you say you love families, why do you divide them? If you say you love the Word, why does it get supplanted by the emotionalism of the music ministry? If you say that Preaching is the primary activity in a church, why then is the pulpit secondary, or even further down the list of what is promoted in the church? Because we know, the lost world will not say, "Hey, I hear that they have a great pulpit ministry down there at Emmanuel, lets go check it out!"


Dr. Bruce Bickel states in his book Light and Heat"With the increase of communication equipment and an emphasis on communication skills, Bible studies, small groups and sharing are increasingly sought as the route to revitalizing the church, while faith in the pulpit fades and grows dim. Consequently, more emphasis is being placed on methodology and less on the message." Again, When does the Method match the Message? The answer is clear, "When it brings people in, and not before."


So, preachers fill their pulpits each week and proclaim, "I will not compromise the message from this pulpit, you can boot me out, but I am standing on the word!" The congregation shouts "AMEN!, but don't you dare allow your message to affect the methodology we practice here." The message, some suppose belongs in the pulpit, along with the messenger, but the method belongs to us, the people, "Why, that is the whole reason we are here!" I know Emmanuel has not arrived, but I want to be on the correct train, heading in the right direction.


Let us have a strong defense of the Word of God, but let us be careful not to diminish that with a low esteem of the message. We show a disregard and low esteem of the message, when it does not translate from out of the pulpit, to the methods practiced in the church. Crowds or not.

To go where no man has gone before...

The scary part of this title is that while it is a throw back to an old TV show, it almost describes most believers concerning the work of Evangelistic outreach. One would almost wonder how the lost will hear without believers carrying the gospel. Yet some do. I am thankful for the one who reached out to me and gave a clear understanding of salvation from the Scriptures. When are we going to "go where we have not gone before?" Sadly, many have never gone into the realms of evangelism. What would prevent it? Not enough government funding? Soul-winning program was canceled at your church? Your new testament was left in the other car? So many empty excuses, and so, no one goes! Think about it...are you glad your pastor left the comforts of home and came to your house, or, climbed into the pulpit and proclaimed the message of salvation into your ears? Or was it simply that prayer warrior that kept taking your name before the throne of God? Either way, are not you thankful? I know I am...