I have a great pastor friend that I follow on Facebook and I
have talked about before. He has the
heart of God and really has some great Biblical insight. I know God has put him in my life to
stimulate my thought process. Yesterday
he posted an article about pastors preaching Biblical errors from the
pulpit. I had to comment because I have
had some trouble with this in the past, I have told you before I have even had
a pastor tell me he would rather preach blasphemy if it brought souls to
Christ. There is just so much wrong with
that I do not even know where to start. However,
I digress. My friend and I talked back
and forth on how to solve this. Since I am
a seminary professor, I think that these errors could be prevented with more Biblical
knowledge and training through a seminary.
My friend, who came from a different background before entering into
ministry, said two things that really got to the heart of the matter and I now believe
they have more to do with these errors. The
first is laziness on the part of the pastors in their study of the Bible, they
are more in to the showmanship of preaching and the tickling of the ears of the
people they do not preach the Bible. I
know some who preach more popular psychology than Bible. In fact the Bible even says this.
2
Timothy 4:2-4
King James Version (KJV)
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned unto fables.
We as pastors are to preach God’s word. No matter what time. We are to reprove and rebuke. When is the
last time you heard a pastor do either of these from a pulpit. The third verse is what I am talking about,
pastors are not giving sound doctrine and congregations want pastors who give
them what they want to tickle their itching ears. They will turn away from the Bible or truth,
for fables or lies.
The other thing my friend said is if the pastor truly were
called to preach, he would study to preach correctly. I agree with my friend that many pastors view
being a pastor as a job to make ends meet, not a call to ministry. I have seen men in seminary who I have really
doubted the call of God on their life.
This is worse than the first. The
Bible says is better to die than to lead one of His children astray.
Matthew
18:5-7
King James Version (KJV)
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name
receiveth me.
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which
believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his
neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 Woe unto the world because of offences! For it must needs be
that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
These men really need to examine their motives for being a
pastor because I would not want to be them come judgment day. I will be honest; something I pray each time
I preach is that I do nothing to harm His gospel.
I cannot say all of this without also saying that you as the
congregation need to hold the Pastor accountable. That means you need to study God’s Word and
know what it says so that you will know the truth and be able to recognize if the
pastor errs when he preaches. You need realize
that the pastor is a man, and a sinner just like you. Yes, you must respect and honor your pastor, but
he must not be put upon a pedestal as if he is incapable of errors because this
action will surly lead to his fall.
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