Popularity is a Clue
Recently I have been hearing about those who are attending
Bible college to be leaders in their local church. Might I say that God never
told men to ordain other men who are called to ministry.
Our culture of training preachers how to be preachers, while
encouraging men to think with their own mind, rather than spending much time in
prayer learning how to hear the Holy Spirit, has created men who think of
ministry more in terms of a job rather than a calling of God. They think of
ministry as a safe place to be where they can get the people to like them, a
sort of glorified social club. If they keep the people happy they can have a
salary from the donations that come in until they retire.
This is the reason we have so many in the pulpit today who
are there to entertain the people, rather than bringing a strong message that
convicts of sin, trains others in righteousness and encourages the assembly to
evaluate their own hearts in light of the Scriptures.
A true preacher of the word will lose people rather than
people being drawn to them. Those who are popular tend to be those who "follow
the rules" about wining friends and influencing people.
The gospel is not very important to them, they are fixated
on popularity rather than caring for the spiritual needs of the flock. The
sermons in these churches are one long joke fest, laughing throughout the
services shows us the mentality of the preacher and the believers who attend
these gatherings.
The mentality that pervades the modern church gathering are
the same principles that run Hollywood,
keep the people happy, through entertainment, even if it is in the form of
continual joking throughout the sermon.
I have looked at the face books of these stand up comedians,
they focus mostly on sports, politics and fun mission trips.
When they speak of the mission trips they show pictures of
young people engaged in laughing and amusement. They speak about the place they
are, the fun things they did and the friends they made, very little about the
gospel if anything is mentioned.
There is no mention of Bible studies and their content nor
is there mention of anyone becoming born again or growing in the Lord.
I see no mention of prayer meetings or the content of prayer
meetings.
Of course this is not all that I see, there are some
dedicated preachers that are not acting like this, but they are few compared to
the number that exist.
What we need is for those who have entered the profession of
Pastor, to repent, get on their knees before God and ask for deliverance from
wrong attitudes that take them away from Christ.
2 Timothy 4:1-8
"1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ
Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his
kingdom:
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season;
reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound
teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers
to suit their own passions,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander
off into myths.
5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do
the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and
the time of my departure has come.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I
have kept the faith.
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that
Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing"
