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ever heard of anything like this?

Discussion in '2003 Archive' started by timothy 1769, Apr 1, 2003.

  1. timothy 1769

    timothy 1769 New Member

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    last sunday i visited an IFB church where the pastor was preaching on ephesians 6 when suddenly he took out a knife and started stabbing himself in the chest! turns out he had a metal plate under his shirt. [​IMG] i think there's no chance of me ever forgetting about the breastplate of righteousness after that, lol.
     
  2. Daniel David

    Daniel David New Member

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    That is exactly the kind of foolishness that happens when people depart from the clear exposition of Scripture.

    How pathetic.
     
  3. Helen

    Helen <img src =/Helen2.gif>

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    Timothy, I don't think it was pathetic. Unusual, to be sure, but very effective! Jesus also used physical pictures of spiritual truths. Sowing seed, grapevines, looking for pearls... not to mention that God carved physical pictures into history, using the Israelites, to give a graphic picture of the spiritual truths He would be presenting later during the Incarnation and ministry.

    I bet there is not one teenager, especially, in that church who will ever forget that message. God's protection for us is imperative if we are to keep standing in the face of everything that besets us.

    I must admit, however, I am hoping this pastor does not get this dramatic every Sunday, or it could lose its impact at the least.

    But every once in awhile waking up a congregation to something of the imperative nature of obedience to God and following Him closely is really important.
     
  4. Barnabas H.

    Barnabas H. <b>Oldtimer</b>

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    For the sake of conveying a deep spiritual truth, preachers sometime resort to various type of illustrations. Unless it is a routine occurrence, I would not wave it off as meaningless. Now, I would start worrying if this would happen every time the preacher steps up the podium... [​IMG]

    When I served in the US Armed Forces and participated in a religious retreat, for Evangelical Christians, which was held in Berchtesgaden, Germany (Hitler's Eagle's Nest was there). During the first hour we assembled, the chaplain had a Bible in his hand and suddenly dropped it on the floor. We were all shocked, and the silence was so thick you could cut it. But immediately thereafter the chaplain wanted to know the reason of our reaction, and he called out individuals to tell him so.

    From then on he gave us an hour of deep Bible exegesis, not based on a printed book (be it large or small, red lettering or black), but based on the living and pulsating Word of God. We did reflect upon the dropping of the good book though, and re-examined ourselves if we treasured the book for what it stood for (as a symbol of religion) or if we treasure the good book because it was the source of our daily feeding? [​IMG]
     
  5. C.S. Murphy

    C.S. Murphy New Member

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    I am just curious as to how this act departed from the clear exposition of scripture, a person may or may not agree with this but I don't understand what you are saying here.
    Murph
     
  6. Molly

    Molly New Member

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    This is a gimmicky ploy to try to *get* people's attention. Just like pastors who show movie clips,pass out food,or get drama to take the place of expository preaching. He may have been preaching expositorally,though...I don't know...but I do believe that scripture can stand alone and one who is sold out to preaching it does not need extra fluff attention getters. Those who love and hunger after God's word will be satisfied with the in depth and sometimes simple teaching of God's Word.

    Oh,and please do not misunderstand me...I do think there is a time and place for some drama and/or other illustration kind of things....maybe a youth retreat,a special event....etc. ;)

    People have become so uninterested in the things of God,men are having to resort to this to make it more exciting. So sad. [​IMG]
     
  7. All about Grace

    All about Grace New Member

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    Sounds like the preacher wanted to communicate a biblical truth in an understandable and memorable fashion. Evidently he accomplished his task. Illustrations that engage the eye gate are lasting.

    Evidently Preach and Molly attend churches where the pastor never uses illustrations otherwise they would be deciding which illustrations are appropriate and which are not, and we know that neither one of them would ever think their preference is the only correct one :rolleyes: :D [​IMG]
     
  8. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    I'm really surprised at how many people think our pastors should be nothing more than talking heads behind a pulpit.

    Well, they ain't. A pastor's primary objective is to teach, not talk. If a pastor uses some drama to teach, then bon apetit. Jesus did the same thing from time to time. When someone asked if it was lawful to pay taxes, he ask for someone to show him a denarius coin. He very well could have made his point with words alone, but using a teaching tool like a coin helped people remember understand what he was saying.
     
  9. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    Can't wait to see what he does with the "helmet of salvation".
     
  10. Thankful

    Thankful <img src=/BettyE.gif>

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    I am surprised that he would do something like that in this day and time when people are so on edge about weapons anywhere, and we have had so much violence in churches and schools.

    I disagree that this was a good demonstation in a church service. I hope there were no small children in this service.
     
  11. Daniel David

    Daniel David New Member

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    Thankful, exactly.

    I hope he isn't in charge of drug education somewhere. Here kids, this is a needle...
     
  12. Helen

    Helen <img src =/Helen2.gif>

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    Oh, come on, Preach! He was demonstrating a SPIRITUAL truth! How you can translate that into using a needle for drug education is not logical.

    (By the way, needles are easily obtained at any feed and supply store; all the kids -- around here, anyway -- already know that!)

    Thankful: you have a point (forgive the pun!). Maybe it was a butter knife??? There were, perhaps, a number of objects he could have used to bonk himself on the chest to get the message across without using a knife.

    However I still think that the occasional use of visual aids is to be commended. It sure keeps the kids' attention!
     
  13. Terry_Herrington

    Terry_Herrington New Member

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    This is very unusual, to say the least.

    Many years ago I heard about a preacher who used a pistol loaded with a blank to make a point. Unfortunately, when he put the gun up to his head an pulled the trigger, the pressure of the blank firing fractured his skull and he died.

    I would worry that this preacher with the knife accidental missing the plate under his shirt and doing serious harm to himself.

    In my opinion, I would rather not be exposed to antics such as this. Not that they are wrong, just not my cup of tea.
     
  14. timothy 1769

    timothy 1769 New Member

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    just wanted to add that this was a half minute of an otherwise straightforward hour and 20 minute sermon. my 11 year old daughter sat enraptured the whole time, and remembers all his main points. not too shabby [​IMG]

    also wanted to note, i've never heard such convicting preaching during my year and 3 months in the local sbc church. perhaps this sermon wasn't particularly deep, but it was an excellent call to personal holiness that i'm glad that i and my family had a chance to hear.
     
  15. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    Saw a similar thing myself once. Guy would hold on to each side of the pulpit and kick his legs backwards in the air.

    Don't remember a thing about his sermon, but I'll probably never forget those legs kicking in the air....
     
  16. Wisdom Seeker

    Wisdom Seeker New Member

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    P.T.W....there are many things that I.F.B. Pastors do to keep their congregation tuned in. If you are going to get behind that pulpit...you might want to think about this... They can't get the preaching, if they are sleeping!

    My Pastor uses visuals and voice inflections. And He's hardly pathetic. And furthermore...I resent your statement that Pastors that do this "depart from the clear exposition of Scripture." It is not true.

    Laurenda
     
  17. Daniel David

    Daniel David New Member

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    I disagree but will leave it at that.
     
  18. Wisdom Seeker

    Wisdom Seeker New Member

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    Too bad you live on the opposite side of the U.S.. I would love for you to visit my church so you could have a chance to change your opinion.

    Laurenda
     
  19. Daniel David

    Daniel David New Member

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    It isn't about seeing one church or another. My theology of preaching excludes such behavior (posted for clarification so no one would think anything was personal or about calvinism).
     
  20. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    I have used visual aids and antics on occasion as the situation warranted. Would never have done that from the pulpit as I see it as demeaning preaching into "showmanship" or "pulpiteering".

    We have too much of that nonsense. Reminds me of Jim Vineyard pulling at AK-47 and firing it in the middle of a service. Right.

    Serious question since posts are about split on appropriateness of this: Where do we draw the line between biblical exposition and pulpiteering?

    I have a dream . . .
     
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