Kindness or Book, Chapter, Verse
Class is going great so far. It is always a honor to learn and be with some great guys. But this post is about a article I read at the in-laws. It was in a publication that was dealing with preaching. The guy was telling elders to watch young preachers because they are bringing liberalism into congregations. This really hurts me because I am a young preacher but being “liberalism” is not the intent of my preaching or ministry. I would perfer older preachers not causing conflict with elders and young preachers. This is a unhealthy dynamic because the elders will not be hyper-critical of a young preacher. This causes trust issues between the elders and the preacher. Older preachers should not label all young preachers as liberal. I am not, and I have great relationships with all of the elders I have worked with from Gallatin to Castle Rock, with Waynesboro in between. Also, the writer dealt with preachers needing to preach Book, chapter, and verse and not sermons on kindness. I believe in preaching all of the Bible which includes Kindness as a quality of a disciple of Jesus. Sermons on kindness are part of the Bible too, and to preach I kindness I would use book, chapter, and verses to bring the Bible point home to the people. There is enough conflict in the brotherhood without older preachers labeling all young preachers and stating that we are not preaching the Word because we preach sermons on kindness. The last time I checked, kindness was in the Bible.
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- Writing a Book On Being a Godly Minister
- Read “The Complete Book of Chess Strategy”
- How To Motivate Through Preaching
- Thankful for Castle Rock
About The Author
I agree with you. We have so many splinters in the church that it seems we are always sticking someone. Most older preachers I believe have more sense than cause elders or anyone to look suspicious at a younger preacher. There are older preachers and younger preachers that bring a bad light to each other. I read every day from what we call “liberals to legalist” I know with some I fit in with both and I have trouble sticking brethren with “my” opinions too. May we do better. Love God and all people and keep in the book.
Biblical Preaching is not the same thing as being able to reference book, chapter, and verse. Even Satan was able to quote book, chapter, and verse. I wish some people would recognize that but because of their faulty understanding on what constitutes being biblical, they lump in the catagory of “liberal” what is actually quite biblical. Further, I have witnessed first hand some who claim to be faithful, citing book, chapter, and verse, be quite the opposite in the way they love their neighbor (which has everything to do with loving God). So as Sonny alluded to, let’s focus on the great commands and listening to God speak in his Word… and when we get all that down, then perhaps we can carry on with labeling others.
Grace and peace,
Rex
The logical response to the article, “Give me book chapter and verse for preaching and practicing unkindness.”
Matthew,
Good thoughts! I pray that when I become an “older preacher” that I will seek to encourage young men to be ministers instead of blast them for what they do.
By the way, Sonny and I met in Gatlinburg this weekend. He told me what you did to him at the restaurant that one day. All I could say is that I wasn’t surprised and after meeting Sonny, it couldn’t have happened to a greater guy! Thanks Sonny for all your hard work at CYC, it was an awesome experience.
We shouldn’t have to apologize for not conforming to attitudes or practices of others of which, bottom line, they need to repent and out of which they need to grow. Some people criticize someone preaching something that sounds “new”–as though the church is flawlessly perfect and pristine just as it is! What about John telling us that if we say we have no sin, the truth is not in us?
if people want to label you some derogatory term for doing the right thing, then so be it. Jesus was called far worse, i’m sure.
i think the real trick will be when we’re the “older” preachers–will we look with cynical disdain on the younger generation then? It’s scary to think we might in our old age be forced to eat our own words from today.
I guess I am an older preacher (over fifty years of it). I wish I had preached more on kindness and similar matters when I was younger. I think the danger in those days and now is to seek balance remembering there is a time to reprove and rebuke and also a time to exhort and encourage. I suppose there will always be at least to some degree “a generation gap”. The basic for young or old is to “Preach the word”. The biggest problem I have had as an older preacher in dealing with the younger is some of the younger, certainly not all, seeking to oust the older preacher or to sort of “flex his muscles” before he has “paid his dues”. There is room in the kingdom for all. There was a place for Timothy and there was a place for Paul. I think we older preachers need to do more encouraging of the younger. I surely doubt I would have preached over fifty years if I had not received lots of help and encouragement from those who were in my early years older preachers.
Where I serve now, I have been very blessed by an older retired preacher named Glenn Bettenhausen. Glenn is in his early 90′s, helped plant this church and several others in addition to preaching for several established churches. He also helped with several other to begin York College. Glenn has been very supportive of me and often speaks to me in very flattering compliments. He is a very humble Christian man and if I live to be 90, I hope I will be to some young minister what Glenn has been to me.
Grace and peace,
Rex
“Liberalism” is a scare-word. Most folks who use it in a religious/Christian/Protestant context don’t have a clue what it really means, and never define what they mean by it.
American Heritage Dictionary: “A 19th-century Protestant movement that favored free intellectual inquiry, stressed the ethical and humanitarian content of Christianity, and de-emphasized dogmatic theology.”
Good def from A.H.D. When I used the liberal word I used in the way we understand what we are saying. It doesn’t go along with A.H.D. When I used liberal and legalist I was meaning those who (are accused) to go beyond scripture and those who (are accused) to not go far enough with scripture.
bad def’s aren’t they?