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The Evolving View of Evangelism

We can remember when young men were desiring to “make preachers,” as it was expressed among brethren, especially in the rural South where I grew up, and when a congregation was “looking for a preacher,” the process was much less complicated than what has evolved over the years.

“Making a preacher” consisted of getting oneself into a position where he could devote the time, he would otherwise use to “make a living,” to studying, preaching, and teaching the word to saint and sinner alike while receiving wages from the church.

Otherwise, because the fire burned within him to spread the word and save souls, he would look for work to provide for himself and his family, and “preach on the side” as he had time and opportunity.

A congregation’s “looking for a preacher” consisted of seeking out a man of conviction who was willing to devote full-time, as described above, while receiving wages from the church. What did the church expect of such a one, other than an upright life? They expected him to be “apt to teach” (2 Tim. 2:24) and follow the Pauline pattern for doing the work of an evangelist – studying (or giving diligence to) the word and then preaching it – which includes making application of it to the hearer by convincing, rebuking and exhorting. (2 Tim. 4:1-5). For the most part all understood that he was not “working for the church” but for the Lord.

Now a days, often men, looking to become preachers, are really seeking to become professionals comparable to the fields of higher education, psychology, social work, corporate management, etc. They are looking to taking their places of prestige in the community along side medical, educational, social, theological and other professionals. They seek formal training and degrees in one or more of these fields to put on their resumes to help them climb the ladder of success in their chosen “professions” and be able to get “positions” with the “better churches” among us – or maybe other firms in their field.

Unfortunately, a good many churches, “looking for a preacher,” desire to employ such a professional to work with them – if they can afford him. Then, they help him “hang out his shingle” and set up his “office hours” and he and they are in business. He is now the CEO or “manager” of this church. This occupies much of his time. Way too much time is spent on enhancing the prestige of the preacher and congregation in the community at large. He is also a social worker and guidance counselor who stays abreast of all the latest trends in these fields – including the latest fads in theology and church work. Also, he spends much time counseling folks about their temporal activities and relationships.

If asked about this work, both the preacher and the congregation, would likely say that the man is a full-time preacher or evangelist – when is reality very little of his time and emphasis is upon “preaching the word” and all that goes with it. All too often the old “topical sermons” have given way to motivational talks rooted in pop psychology. “Expository sermons” pretty much now are restricted to what the scripture passage meant to those who first heard it and how it applied to them, making little or no connections to present day hearers. This may enhance the reputation of being a Bible student, but does little to establish one as a good “handler of the word.”

(One preacher I knew, when asked about his counseling abilities, replied, “When asked about something I say, ‘If the Bible teaches it, do it and if the Bible does not teach it, don’t do it. That’s about it.’”)

Brothers and Sisters that is my rant.. err, I mean post for today.

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