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The “Baskin-Robbins” Days Of Preaching

I once heard of a preacher who was asked, “What kind of a preacher are you?” He replied, “A good one!” I dare say that the person asking the question did not expect such an answer. The only drawback to such a reply is that different people have different standards of good preaching. One preacher, apparently wanting to be accepted by a congregation, when asked how he felt on certain issues replied that he could preach it either way. Obviously, this man’s standard of good preaching was whether it was popular or not.

We live in what I would call the “Baskin-Robbins” days of preaching. While faithful gospel preachers have different styles, some can present lessons in more positive ways and others tend to be more negative. I believe there are some who are selling out the gospel.

Allow me give you some personal observations of different “flavors” of preaching:

1) Elevator Preaching — Have you ever been in an elevator? Most of us have and most of us have listened to the music being played in these elevators. It is easy to listen to because it is just background noise. It does not stay with you and is not very descriptive. The Bible speaks of those who preach smooth and flattering words in Isaiah 30:10.

Some lessons go down well but simply lack much substance. There are a lot of subjects that people in denominations could listen to me preach and agree with what I say. However, if after a number of lessons they still see no difference, then something is wrong.

Some lessons contain only “milk” and not any “meat”. There is surely a place for both, but some preachers and some Christians only want the “milk” lessons. Any lesson with any depth immediately turns them off.

2) Health and Wealth Preaching — Most of the time this kind of preaching can be heard on the television. Men such as Jimmy Bakker, Robert Tilton, and of course Oral Roberts have made people believe that God will reward His people monetarily. To hear some of these men, you would think that for every dollar put into the collection plate, He will give you back $100 or $1000. The term “seed faith” was coined by Oral Roberts.

This philosophy will attract followers. Why is it that just a few years after Jimmy Bakker was exposed as a fraud, Robert Tilton became popular? Because this is what some people want to hear!

Many of these followers are just like those in John 6:26, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.”

While some faithful followers may be blessed materially, that should not be the reason to become a Christian. “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man, will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him” (John 6:27).

3) Storytime Preaching — There are some preachers who want to speculate on every subject. For centuries men have read the book of Revelation or Matthew twenty-four and other passages and speculated about the second coming of Christ. Jesus plainly states that the day or hour no one will know (Matthew 24:36-42). Read Acts 1:6-7. Men will speak of the signs and nations and earthquakes and the battle of Armageddon. They will develop great theories and then be proven wrong.

Other men address areas that we are told to avoid. “But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and striving about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless” (Titus 3:9). Not every question deserves a response. In fact, only a fool will try to answer a foolish question (Proverbs 12:23; Proverbs 15:2,14). There are some things we are told to simply leave alone.

Brethren, we need to listen and have a desire to hear what the Bible does say and leave the other alone. Moses told Israel, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29).

4) Entertainment Tonight Preaching — The apostle Paul stated, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 2:3-4). Lessons where the preacher will read a passage or two only as a pretense and not the text which fits into his lesson.

Men will tell stories, quote poems, give some jokes and never really deal with God’s word. I know there are men in the Lord’s church who have well developed speaking abilities, but they need to make sure that they are preaching Christ and not just displaying their talents.

5) Gospel Preaching — This kind of preaching is based upon God’s word. It is committed to a study of the scriptures and how it applies to us.

“If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11). This preaching is simple and bold. Its effectiveness is in God’s power and not the speaker. “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” ( 1 Corinthians 2:4). It will edify the saint and rebuke him if he is in error. “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2).

Finally, this preaching will teach us of God’s grace in His Son and how we are to be saved. “And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32).