Where have all the Preachers gone?

Those who are most eager to learn are the most appreciative. That goes for pastors and congregation.

Where do you think preachers come from? They come right out of congregations. I met so many in seminary that had never shared their faith with anyone. That is not the fault of the seminary.That is the churchh's job to get them on the road and going.

You need to read Jonathan Edwards and John Wesley to know that congregations were the same then as they are now. Those two preachers were run off by their congregations. Congregations want someone who "will stay."

There are men who have lots of backbone in America. The problem is that the churches do not want them because they are too hard on them. They "expect too much." They just don't "feel loved."

When I started preaching I had just left student work. Was I ever shocked at the complacency of those in the congregation and what little knowledge they had. But we got past that hump and I taught them to disciple others, lead Bible studies and the share their faith. I knocked on 75 to 200 doors each month. Some of them began to go with me. Eventually we formed some teams.

Why wait for the preacher? Whatever happened to the congregation getting to work. Why do you need a pastor to lead people to Christ and disciple them. It is about your personal responsibility. If the pastor won't lead don't wait for him. Get out there and win people to Christ.

If every person discipled one person every two years the church would double.

There is a local church where I live that has never had a pastor. Many men in the congregation have been to Bible school. The older teach the younger. It is growing and has tremendous commitment to doing ministry and its obedience to scripture.

 

Thank you. I too was in 'la-la land' about this until I read a spiritual history of our nation. Well documented and well written. Some will discount the man's book or even the man himself for his KJV views but one must admit the truth he writes. The book is "What hath God wrought" by William Grady. He tells in no uncertain terms about the SPIRIT in which this nation was born and of the many 'spirits' attacking it. The problem with this nation has been, is now and always will be spiritual, and that INCLUDES our pulpits. We need men in our pulpits who are not AFRAID of offending somebody and who will prepare the next generation of men to PREACH that hell is hot, sin is wicked, and heaven is sweet. Until this is addressed with fire in our pulpits, the problem will just get worse and worse. As I said, we are gauranteed it will get worse. So what do we do? STAND BY THE STUFF. We preachers who believe the old ways were the best ways simply keep on keeping on and let God sort out the results. Thanks again for your kind comment.
Jim

 

Neil is speaking at our camp this year. I've heard him before, and he's incredible. He tells it like it is.

On a side note, I told our young people that if they weren't going to be about "Jesus business" during our Wednesday night worship, then there were many other Wednesday services around our city that they would be more thna welcomed at. The place was quiet, but more than a few people afterward thanked me for that comment. I believe that our preaching must be ancient-future - that is, having a firm foundation on the Truth that has been preached and shared for the last 2,000 years, but presented in a modern way. You don't have to forsake what has happened for cultural relevances sake. For an example, check out the Passion movement for college students. Louie, Chris, David, Charlie, and Matt are at the forefront of making the Word relevant without compromising one single iota of Truth. Their worship often consists of old hymns that are theologically deep, using modern instrumentation and rhythms. Those who listen to it are drawn to worship, much more than some of today's praise and worship music that is as generic as it possibly could be.

SEC

 

A quick question, regarding your definition of "preacher":

Are you using the term in reference to one who stands for God, expounding the Scriptures? Or for one who reads a verse or two, then launches into a thirty-minute tirade of personal opinion?

I have found that most who pine for a "Spirit-filled" preacher are looking for the second. They think that if he doesn't shout himself hoarse, fling spit at least three pews deep, thump three or four bibles to pieces each year, or run up and down the aisles/jump off the stage/'run the pews', then "He just ain't got no Spirit in his spirit, ain't got no Holy Ghost fire in his bones."

In Christ,
Trotter

 

To those who believe the "old ways are the best ways":

Does your church building have padded pews or air conditioning?

Do your people drive to church in cars/vans/trucks or do they still prefer horses/mules/walking?

Does your pastor use a PA system?


The point is this: we prefer those "old ways" that allow us to feel spiritually superior, those things that demarcate us from those who are doing things differently. Most of those screaming go back to the "old ways" are simply referring to those things that fall within their own set of preferences. It is hard to recognize the necessity of stepping outside one's comfort zone to make the message relevant.

The sad reality is that many of the great preachers of the past would not even be allowed to stand in the pulpit of the average IFB church whose pastor is constantly harping about returning to the old ways.

The world is not looking at the church as irrelevent b/c pastors are not preaching on sin. The world sees the church as irrelevant b/c the church is more concerned about keeping her preferred traditions than reaching people with the gospel.

"We have kept our traditions and lost our children." Erwin McManus

 

Actually, no, we don't have those finer things you mentioned. And the church we fellowship with at Campmeetings has outhouses too! It's absolutely wonderful.

The open air is our meeting hall and other days it's a simple room. All preaching...no fluff, no programs such as sunday school, etc. Just plain ol'teaching straight from the Bible.

"And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom.12:2

 

CR: "You are being very silly.

when I say "OLD WAYS" I'm talking good old fashion preaching...that talks about...
ssss....ssss...SIN! (THERE i said it) and
hhhheeeell...ooooh...grrrrr... HELL!"

Thank you for proving my observation.


CR: "I give him about has much weight as Benny Hinn."

Which reveals your own lack of knowledge.

CR: "but just don't change the word of God to make it something that will pack the pew and neuter (sp) the gospel"

If you can show where the gospel has been tainted, go for it.


If we are searching for evidence of why the church is irrelevant and ineffective, we need to look no further than your posts. Thankfully your opinions represent the minority or else the modern church would dwindle even faster.

 

God wants all of us, not just a little change.

I have never seen a church do well if the congregation was not willing to be a voice and do ministry in the community where they live. We give money to missions to send other people while we neglect to pray for and get to know our neighbors. Missions begins at home in our backyard.

The first church I pastored was near death. They had all kinds of ineffective good activities. The people were busy, busy and not producing. They were tired and fruitless. I stopped almost everything. At first they were not happy. I told them we were going to start praying for people by name. We were going to knock on doors and begin to invite our neighbors over for meals. We sat around the table in my living room and I asked each person top tell me about their neighbors. I was shocked at how little they knew about them. We did away with the Wednesday night service. I started leading them in a home Bible study. They learned to lead others and share their faith. I taught them the historical background of the OT and NT. I took them through a study on how to interpret scripture. Early on I told each of them that I would not give them anything to lead until they proved it by starting their own first. Eventually everyone of them started a Bible study in the community. The women started what they called a “Tea Time”. It was a time open to anyone who wanted to come. It was a way ti get to know other ladies in the community. They had a fellowship time and a speaker. The church went from much like walking into a funeral to people who enjoyed being there. It went from a near death to growing well.

Too often churches that are dying want quick results. But training takes time and a lot of patience and effort. But the reward are so great.

 

How about fighting against all the slander against one another in the SBC right now? Ever read a state paper? Ever see the placards at the universitites to honor those who give large sums of money. Ever read The Scroll and see who gives large sums of money to the seminary? Ever see who Jesus commended in the scripture who gave? Ever read online or in the state papers who the top ten or top 50 churches were in giving and baptisms? They honor people and churches. Where is God exalted in this?

 

SBC;
Obviously, we who appreciate 'old-time' fire and brimstone preaching to reach the lost world, are not going to convince you it is the right, proven way to reach sinners with the Gospel of Christ. Perhaps scripture will. 1 Cor 1:18-25. (esp. vs 18)
In the KJV, we see that PREACHING THE CROSS is foolishness to them who are perishing. In the NIV, NAS, TLB, BECK, AND WILLIAMS, (the only 5 'bibles' I have for comparison) PREACHING is gone! This explains why you SEEM to be against preaching and perhaps, your version of scripture does not encourage you to preach. (sigh)
As I said, PREACHING is the only way to change this nation.
No, my friend, the evidence for why the world sees the church as inneffective and irrelevant is not in some 'chat-board' comments. It is in the pulpits.
I heard just last night that KOREAN pastors are going to Iraq to PREACH the gospel to Muslims and some, (no..many) are getting killed, maimed, jailed for it, while here we AMERKINS sit in our comfy pews listening to some wimp tell us how to 'live the gospel so the world will ask you about it'.
When the PULPITS of America get back to the old paths and "bring down fire from Heaven", perhaps we AMERKINS will make a difference in this nation and in the rest of the world.
Jim

 

A friend of mine who returned recently from a former communist country told me what they did, and it was not preaching. Many are living for Christ today because of his life. A number of those are pastors and laypeople living for Jesus and discipling others. They risked their lives to witness to others when it was illegal. There were several underground Bible studies.

How does that what you wrote fit in with 2 Chron 7:13,14, "If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

 

This is an interesting concept, but I've seen it NOT work because everyone in the congregation had different ideas and chaos was the order of the day. God is not the author of chaos. Therefore, I find it works best when a pastor is called to lead the congregation.