Foolishness?

 "For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe." I Corinthians 1:21....."The land abounds with sermons, yet its spiritual condition continues to deteriorate." Richard Blackaby

The Apostle Paul made clear that the intent of the Father was that His message of salvation through Christ was to be transmitted first and foremost through the preaching of that gospel message. I think we have gotten far from that place in the church. Blackaby's above quote can't be dismissed. On any given week, tens of thousands of sermons are preached in the churches of this nation. Yet, stretching back more than a century, we have seen a steady deterioration of the spiritual condition of this nation. Indeed, the acceleration of this deterioration has been frightening over the last 50 years in particular. Do we dare to allow the microscope of His Holy Spirit to search us as to what part of that lies with the failure of those called to and given the task of proclaiming that message?

I will never forget the charge I received upon my ordination by the great General Superintendent of my denomination, Dr. Charles Strickland. I remember him laying his hands upon me, looking me in the eye, and saying, "My brother, there are strange winds blowing through the church. Preach the Word!" I have never forgotten that charge, and have sought to the fullest of my calling to do just that. I know that I will answer for how well, or how poorly I have done so.

I believe throughout the church, preaching is more and more becoming a secondary aspect of being a pastor. As we have more and more adopted the corporate approach to ministry, pastors have become more the CEO's of an organization than they have Prophets of the Lord. The spiritual deterioration that Blackaby speaks of gives weighty evidence to that, and I think there will be an accounting for it. Preachers have become in too many cases, promoters of their own agendas and kingdoms rather than proclaimers of His. It's an easy ditch to fall into, I have myself, and sadly, too often, denominational structures can pave the way to that ditch. We need Him to raise up a generation of preachers who refuse the way to that ditch.

The prophet Jeremiah shared a trait with every true prophet who went before and came after him. He said that he could not keep silent about the message God had given him, that if he tried to do so, he would literally explode from within. This is the kind of fervor, zeal, and fire that must return to the pulpits of this land and every land. The need is desperate. It's beyond desperate. Yet I carry great hope that it will. That it is.

Recently I was talking with a young man in our fellowship who is a pastor on staff, and who is the son and nephew of preachers. I asked him if he felt that his ministry would lead him to a full time place in a pulpit provided by the Father. He said he thought that might be where God was leading him. I then asked if he felt that the things that he believed the Lord was sharing with Him, putting into his heart and mind were such that he had to proclaim them, that he couldn't keep them in, that he must tell of what they were. He said that he did feel that way. I told him that it surely seemed to me that the Father had called him to be one of His prophets. Only God and he can know for sure, but in him, I see the traits of a true proclaimer of the Kingdom.

There is so much more I could say, and some may think I've said too much, but I'll close with this question from Blackaby that he says every preacher should ask himself; "Am I about to deliver a sermon I prepared or a message that God has inspired." There is an eternity of difference between the two, and the difference is being seen in our culture and in our churches. If you have been called to a pulpit, what is your answer to the question? If you're a member of the Body of Christ, from which do you want to hear?

Blessings,

Pastor O