Machine Gun Preaching

I love to hear the Word of God preached. Looking back, I now realize that for many years, I was more impressed with how a preacher preached more so than what the preacher was preaching! I find that many Christians are the same way.

A preacher can be as ignorant as a mule, but as long and he can stir up a shout or "pump and prime" the crowd, he will get a great response and probably end up as some sort of superstar preacher -at least in some Christian circles...

I'm not so interested in a preacher's theatrics anymore. I want to hear sermons that take me deeper into the truths of Scripture regardless of the man's theatrics. Some people get very excited about superstar preachers who lack substance -yet have a gift for getting people worked-up emotionally. Personally, I'd rather hear a man who simply teaches from God's Word how to better serve the Lord. Emotions are good, but emotions will not last: God's Word is Eternal!

I don't want you to think I am against passion in the pulpit. Not at all! There are some people who need a swift kick in the seat for boring people to death! I hope you see that my aim here is for balance. There's nothing wrong with passion, zeal, and some theatrics, just so long as they do not eclipse the Word of God.

Please consider the following statement by Ray Comfort:

"Some preachers are like a loud gun that misses the target. It may sound effective, but if the bullet misses the target, the exercise is in vain. He may be the largest-lunged, chandelier-swinging, pulpit-pounding preacher this side of the book of Acts. He may have great teaching on faith, and everyone he touches may fall over, but if the sinner leaves the meeting failing to understand his desperate need of God's forgiveness, then the preacher has failed. He has missed the target, which is the understanding of the sinner. Sinners will not flee from the wrath to come until they understand that they are guilty and under condemnation".

Admittedly, Ray is speaking in the context of evangelistic preaching, but I think his point can be applied to all types of preaching and teaching. Our message needs to be clear, it needs to be Biblical, and it needs to be able to hit it's target!

So what about you preacher? Do you fire off like a machine gun while totally missing your target? There's nothing wrong with firing a few good volleys, but let us be sure we take time to see that our shots are hitting their target!