Bold Preaching

“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”

If you were to ask me the greatest change I have seen in churches in my fifty-five year ministry, my answer would be one word: “preaching.” We today, as Paul foretold us, have gone from preaching to teaching. It is important to realize, men are called to preach, then gifted as teachers, pastors, evangelists, etc. No man can hide behind his gift as an excuse for neglecting bold preaching!

A pastor friend in Canada, who is also a veterinarian, told me they now have a procedure where they cut a dog’s vocal cord to keep them from barking and bothering neighbors. The Old prophet spoke of this kind of preacher. He described them as, “dumb dogs [that] cannot bark.” Dumb, not as in intellectually, but as in audibly. Years ago, a preacher said to my home pastor, “I wish I could preach to my people the way you do to yours.” He could, it’s just that he wouldn’t.

We no longer hear fiery messages on Bible topics such as: judgment, sin, wrath, sodomy, death, sowing and reaping, etc. When we stopped preaching on hell from the pulpits they started living like it in the pews. I think, to hear some preachers preach, they believe the word apologetics (concerned with the defense or proof of Christianity), means to apologize for their preaching.

The norm today is that love is all that counts. No! Truth is what counts. Paul tells us love rejoices in truth. Dr. Bob Jones used to have a message to preachers who trimmed their messages in the pretense of love. The text he used was, “Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love?” God help those preachers who, so to speak, tiptoe through the tulips.

Some preachers, before preaching ask, “Who is out there?” Then load or unload their gun. Others go to the pulpit and shoot, and then ask, “Who’d I hit?”

Richard. D. Sandlin