Comments on: Should Preaching Be The #1 Priority Of The Church? http://sbcvoices.com/should-preaching-the-1-priority-of-the-church/ Connecting Southern Baptist: 516 Blogs + 246 Twitter Accounts Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:14:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Dr. James Willingham http://sbcvoices.com/should-preaching-the-1-priority-of-the-church/#comment-2808 Dr. James Willingham Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:34:27 +0000 http://sbcvoices.com/?p=640#comment-2808 Church History is a great help. It adds insight to discussions of problems of theology. We ought to really put our heads together(hopefully not heads stuffed with straw leaning together as T. S. Eliot mentioned) and seek to gain some understanding of what God is doing by his diverse and apparently and in some cases clearly contradictory statements. Consider how Ev. George Whitefield spoke of God saving the Devil's castaways and how some criticized him for so saying and how he received a written message from two wayward women who had found hope in his statement. As to preaching this stuff, our Lord did. Surely the woman of Canaan could be considered as the one of the devil's but Jesus took her upon her wonderful argument about dogs eating the crumbs. Also another woman of like situation, in Jn 4, living with a man who was not her husband, and it was for her sake as well as others in her village that Jesus must needs go through Samaria. Most people simply do not sunderstand that there are those who need jolting preaching as well as the most sweetly winsome kind, too. People tho' they have in common their falling natures yet vary in what aspects of the Gospel to which they respond. We are not tied to patterns; we are tied to a Sovereign God who knows every individual, and who demands of us that we be flexible...after all He has given us teachings that will enable us to be so, if we take them rightly. Ideologically, we have the winning hand. Intellectually, we must win, if we follow the leadership of an omniscient God which the Triune God whom we worship is. Contrary to what most prachers today think, logic and reason, the mind and the intellect, are far more prominent in the Gopel and salvation than most people think. And this is true regardless of the influence of those people in our past who set the church off on an emotional bent by yelping too much about the heart. God even had Paul use the word in Roms. 12:1 which could practically be translated and transliterated by the word logical, "Your logical service." Repentance as it was taught in the days of the Great Awakenings was not simply a matter of turning around; it was then defined more closely according to the NT pattern of a change of mind based upon reflection, based upon thinking through the matter of God's message and seeing our sins as He sees them and why we should be sent to Hell and why we must turn from them as a result of agreeing with Him after seeing them as He sees them. Faith is hard wired to repentance, and, while they are graces that we exercise, they are nevertheless gifts of God bestowed according as He chooses. Did any one note what I said in the post above about te Jewish fellow preaching Christ on C-Span at San Diego State Univ., telling about getting a bear hug from a converted terrorist. Will you folks lift up your heads and start lookin for signs that the Great Awakening might be coming like a flood or a summer thunderstorm in Arkansas. You hear sounds of thunder, see lightening flashes, smell the rain coming, and could it be that the Lord might give us some hints that such might be about to happen???? <abbr><em><abbr><em>Dr. James Willinghams last blog post..<a href="http://thirdgreatawakeningcom.blogspot.com/2009/02/climax-of-reformation.html" rel="nofollow">The Climax of the Reformation</a></em></abbr></abbr></em> Church History is a great help. It adds insight to discussions of problems of theology. We ought to really put our heads together(hopefully not heads stuffed with straw leaning together as T. S. Eliot mentioned) and seek to gain some understanding of what God is doing by his diverse and apparently and in some cases clearly contradictory statements. Consider how Ev. George Whitefield spoke of God saving the Devil’s castaways and how some criticized him for so saying and how he received a written message from two wayward women who had found hope in his statement. As to preaching this stuff, our Lord did. Surely the woman of Canaan could be considered as the one of the devil’s but Jesus took her upon her wonderful argument about dogs eating the crumbs. Also another woman of like situation, in Jn 4, living with a man who was not her husband, and it was for her sake as well as others in her village that Jesus must needs go through Samaria. Most people simply do not sunderstand that there are those who need jolting preaching as well as the most sweetly winsome kind, too. People tho’ they have in common their falling natures yet vary in what aspects of the Gospel to which they respond. We are not tied to patterns; we are tied to a Sovereign God who knows every individual, and who demands of us that we be flexible…after all He has given us teachings that will enable us to be so, if we take them rightly. Ideologically, we have the winning hand. Intellectually, we must win, if we follow the leadership of an omniscient God which the Triune God whom we worship is. Contrary to what most prachers today think, logic and reason, the mind and the intellect, are far more prominent in the Gopel and salvation than most people think. And this is true regardless of the influence of those people in our past who set the church off on an emotional bent by yelping too much about the heart.
God even had Paul use the word in Roms. 12:1 which could practically be translated and transliterated by the word logical, “Your logical service.” Repentance as it was taught in the days of the Great Awakenings was not simply a matter of turning around; it was then defined more closely according to the NT pattern of a change of mind based upon reflection, based upon thinking through the matter of God’s message and seeing our sins as He sees them and why we should be sent to Hell and why we must turn from them as a result of agreeing with Him after seeing them as He sees them. Faith is hard wired to repentance, and, while they are graces that we exercise, they are nevertheless gifts of God bestowed according as He chooses. Did any one note what I said in the post above about te Jewish fellow preaching Christ on C-Span at San Diego State Univ., telling about getting a bear hug from a converted terrorist. Will you folks lift up your heads and start lookin for signs that the Great Awakening might be coming like a flood or a summer thunderstorm in Arkansas. You hear sounds of thunder, see lightening flashes, smell the rain coming, and could it be that the Lord might give us some hints that such might be about to happen????

Dr. James Willinghams last blog post..The Climax of the Reformation

]]> By: Gary Wearne http://sbcvoices.com/should-preaching-the-1-priority-of-the-church/#comment-2801 Gary Wearne Sun, 19 Apr 2009 03:53:19 +0000 http://sbcvoices.com/?p=640#comment-2801 I would concur heartily with Dr Foltz' comment #34. and would add what we presently label "preaching" is more what the New Testament likens to teaching God's Word for edifying the saints for the work of ministry etc. Eph 4. When the Bible talks of "preaching" it usually has to do with "declaring the gospel message", more like what we presently call evangelism. I find it sad we tend to confuse these things. but be that as it may "preaching" as used on this blog has to be the number one priority of the pastor for starters as it is how he feeds the flock and also protects them. To be pasoral is to preach the Word of God! As to it being the number one priority of the Church as a body, what we are to be doing I prefer to think of what the New Testament spells out as a number of priorities. We are all called to contend for the faith [ Sciptures teachings ] Jude 3. We are all told as we are going about our lives, to make disciples and teach them to obey! [ which requires accountability ] everything Jesus has commanded. And we are called thus to evangelise. And there's more. What a great calling! A daunting and uplifting calling. In Christ, Gary <abbr><em><abbr><em>Gary Wearnes last blog post..<a href="http://thechristianworldview.blogspot.com/2009/04/pastors-and-christians-wake-up-call-dr.html" rel="nofollow">Pastors and Christians wake up call - Dr Akin's talk at BIT</a></em></abbr></abbr></em> I would concur heartily with Dr Foltz’ comment #34. and would add
what we presently label “preaching” is more what the New Testament likens to teaching God’s Word for edifying the saints for the work of ministry etc. Eph 4. When the Bible talks of “preaching” it usually has to do with “declaring the gospel message”, more like what we presently call evangelism. I find it sad we tend to confuse these things. but be that as it may “preaching” as used on this blog has to be the number one priority of the pastor for starters as it is how he feeds the flock and also protects them. To be pasoral is to preach the Word of God!

As to it being the number one priority of the Church as a body, what we are to be doing I prefer to think of what the New Testament spells out as a number of priorities.
We are all called to contend for the faith [ Sciptures teachings ] Jude 3. We are all told as we are going about our lives, to make disciples and teach them to obey! [ which requires accountability ] everything Jesus has commanded. And we are called thus to evangelise.
And there’s more.

What a great calling! A daunting and uplifting calling.

In Christ,
Gary

Gary Wearnes last blog post..Pastors and Christians wake up call – Dr Akin’s talk at BIT

]]> By: Dr. James Willingham http://sbcvoices.com/should-preaching-the-1-priority-of-the-church/#comment-2800 Dr. James Willingham Sun, 19 Apr 2009 03:50:27 +0000 http://sbcvoices.com/?p=640#comment-2800 When I said that it was not necessary for a preacher to love the people to whom he was sent, I was thinking of Jonah and Judas and people like them who obviously care not. God is free to use whomsoever He pleases. I was not referring to the duty to love the people which is obvious and evident. As to loving others, I must dissent with Dr. Foltz on this issue. God hates some, but He treats them wth love. Dr. John Gill stated that "GOD TREATS THE WICKED SO WELL THAT NO ONE IN HIS RIGHT MIND WOULD CONDEMN GOD FOR SENDING THEM TO HELL." His rain comes upon the just and the unjust. In my natural state God had to hate me as I as a sinner by nature and practice, and yet He treated me with love and He won me. The greatest display of Sovereign Grace comes, when God's people love their enemies (which is a command and God does what he commands - proof: he loved me when I was most definitely His enemy and hated and despised Him). Brethren, I might be wrong, but I feel like we might be on the verge of the Greatest Awakning the world has ever seen. Tonight on C-Span on the booktv, I saw a converted Jew preaching Jesus at San Diego State University, telling about a former Jihad terrorist in Iraq (?) who had been converted by a vision of Jesus and who gave him a bear hug. I think I have seen ever thing. this thing might well be upon us. I have been praying for millions of Moslems to be converted, and there was a Jew on television telling me about converted Moslems preaching Jesus to millions of Moslem. I remember that for Aug.8 & Dec.24, in His Evening Devotions Mr. Spurgeon who believed in particular redemption (limited atonement) recorded his petition for every soul on the face of the earth and for their conversion. It seems like this thing is beginning to happen. Today, I was reading B.H. Carroll stating that he believed in the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation, and that he also believed that this did not give one cause for passivity. He even specified that one must agonize to enter in, citing our Lord's, "Strive to enter in." That is the theological essence of the preaching of a great awakening; it retains the mystery that it is God who must make known to the individual His will in that person's salvation. As Truett and others hae said, "Calvinism thrusts down upon the brow of man the reality (?) of personal responsibility." Some of the most responsible people on earth, people who would hang in there until Hell freezes over, were the believers in predestination, the Pilgrims and Puritans who settled America. Even the Intellectual Historians whom I studied in graduate school made statements about this fact. Glory in excelsis Deo When I said that it was not necessary for a preacher to love the people to whom he was sent, I was thinking of Jonah and Judas and people like them who obviously care not. God is free to use whomsoever He pleases. I was not referring to the duty to love the people which is obvious and evident. As to loving others, I must dissent with Dr. Foltz on this issue. God hates some, but He treats them wth love. Dr. John Gill stated that “GOD TREATS THE WICKED SO WELL THAT NO ONE IN HIS RIGHT MIND WOULD CONDEMN GOD FOR SENDING THEM TO HELL.” His rain comes upon the just and the unjust. In my natural state God had to hate me as I as a sinner by nature and practice, and yet He treated me with love and He won me. The greatest display of Sovereign Grace comes, when God’s people love their enemies (which is a command and God does what he commands – proof: he loved me when I was most definitely His enemy and hated and despised Him). Brethren, I might be wrong, but I feel like we might be on the verge of the Greatest Awakning the world has ever seen. Tonight on C-Span on the booktv, I saw a converted Jew preaching Jesus at San Diego State University, telling about a former Jihad terrorist in Iraq (?) who had been converted by a vision of Jesus and who gave him a bear hug. I think I have seen ever thing. this thing might well be upon us. I have been praying for millions of Moslems to be converted, and there was a Jew on television telling me about converted Moslems preaching Jesus to millions of Moslem. I remember that for Aug.8 & Dec.24, in His Evening Devotions Mr. Spurgeon who believed in particular redemption (limited atonement) recorded his petition for every soul on the face of the earth and for their conversion. It seems like this thing is beginning to happen. Today, I was reading B.H. Carroll stating that he believed in the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation, and that he also believed that this did not give one cause for passivity. He even specified that one must agonize to enter in, citing our Lord’s, “Strive to enter in.” That is the theological essence of the preaching of a great awakening; it retains the mystery that it is God who must make known to the individual His will in that person’s salvation. As Truett and others hae said, “Calvinism thrusts down upon the brow of man the reality (?) of personal responsibility.” Some of the most responsible people on earth, people who would hang in there until Hell freezes over, were the believers in predestination, the Pilgrims and Puritans who settled America. Even the Intellectual Historians whom I studied in graduate school made statements about this fact. Glory in excelsis Deo

]]> By: Matt Svoboda http://sbcvoices.com/should-preaching-the-1-priority-of-the-church/#comment-2784 Matt Svoboda Sat, 18 Apr 2009 18:49:09 +0000 http://sbcvoices.com/?p=640#comment-2784 Bradley, Dr. Foltz said that God does not love some people and we should not love the people God does not love and say first that isnt true and if it were true we woul dnot have the wisdom to say, 'oh God doesnt love them so I wont.' <abbr><em><abbr><em>Matt Svobodas last blog post..<a href="http://evangelicalvillage.com/2009/04/18/why-i-am-a-calvinist/" rel="nofollow">Why I Am A Calvinist</a></em></abbr></abbr></em> Bradley,

Dr. Foltz said that God does not love some people and we should not love the people God does not love and say first that isnt true and if it were true we woul dnot have the wisdom to say, ‘oh God doesnt love them so I wont.’

Matt Svobodas last blog post..Why I Am A Calvinist

]]> By: Bradley Cochran http://sbcvoices.com/should-preaching-the-1-priority-of-the-church/#comment-2783 Bradley Cochran Sat, 18 Apr 2009 18:25:59 +0000 http://sbcvoices.com/?p=640#comment-2783 Matt, What do you mean by your claim that we don't have the "wisdom" to know who God loves? Bradley <abbr><em><abbr><em>Bradley Cochrans last blog post..<a href="http://theophilogue.wordpress.com/2009/04/17/book-review-king-david-a-biography-by-mckenzie/" rel="nofollow">Book Review :: King David: A Biography by McKenzie</a></em></abbr></abbr></em> Matt,

What do you mean by your claim that we don’t have the “wisdom” to know who God loves?

Bradley

Bradley Cochrans last blog post..Book Review :: King David: A Biography by McKenzie

]]> By: mike http://sbcvoices.com/should-preaching-the-1-priority-of-the-church/#comment-2782 mike Sat, 18 Apr 2009 17:12:04 +0000 http://sbcvoices.com/?p=640#comment-2782 i think evangelism should be the top priority of the church. if you mean "preaching" to include proclamation of the gospel outside the church, then yes. but if you are talking about the preaching that happens in the church, then no. prayer is up there too. but, when you read acts, notice how much they pray about evangelism! they pray for boldness to speak, and for opportunities to speak. but the emphasized activity in acts is evangelism. it's a continuation of luke, where Jesus prophesied that the disciples would preach to many nations and rulers, would be persecuted, but the Spirit would provide the words. also take the old testament into consideration. ultimately israel existed to reach the nations with the knowledge of God. that's why they are a "nation of priests" (priests mediate God to people) in exod 19. it's also why the prophets came down hard on israel - by breaking covenant, israel was in no shape to reach the nations (isaiah 2:1-4; mal 1:11, 14; etc.). my take on it? evangelism is the number one task, but we must be careful in ranking our duties. really we should be totally dedicated to bearing witness, prayer, transformation, and teaching/preaching within the church. still, i think we're here to reach the world with the message of Christ. good post <abbr><em><abbr><em>mikes last blog post..<a href="http://foxswanderings.blogspot.com/2009/04/boom-farewell-to-best-john-madden.html" rel="nofollow">BOOM! farewell to the best, john madden</a></em></abbr></abbr></em> i think evangelism should be the top priority of the church. if you mean “preaching” to include proclamation of the gospel outside the church, then yes. but if you are talking about the preaching that happens in the church, then no.

prayer is up there too. but, when you read acts, notice how much they pray about evangelism! they pray for boldness to speak, and for opportunities to speak. but the emphasized activity in acts is evangelism. it’s a continuation of luke, where Jesus prophesied that the disciples would preach to many nations and rulers, would be persecuted, but the Spirit would provide the words.

also take the old testament into consideration. ultimately israel existed to reach the nations with the knowledge of God. that’s why they are a “nation of priests” (priests mediate God to people) in exod 19. it’s also why the prophets came down hard on israel – by breaking covenant, israel was in no shape to reach the nations (isaiah 2:1-4; mal 1:11, 14; etc.).

my take on it? evangelism is the number one task, but we must be careful in ranking our duties. really we should be totally dedicated to bearing witness, prayer, transformation, and teaching/preaching within the church. still, i think we’re here to reach the world with the message of Christ.

good post

mikes last blog post..BOOM! farewell to the best, john madden

]]> By: Jim Pemberton http://sbcvoices.com/should-preaching-the-1-priority-of-the-church/#comment-2781 Jim Pemberton Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:42:50 +0000 http://sbcvoices.com/?p=640#comment-2781 It's the quality of love that is at stake, not the presence of love. Consider that hatred is not the opposite of love, but apathy. Hatred is hardly apathetic. God hates in that he is concerned for his glory and cannot look on evil. Therefore he forsakes or hates many because he would destroy them otherwise. As his agents, members of the church of Christ, we must understand this quality of love in our relationships. It's not that we must hate, as in be angry and desire the destruction of, those who reject God. But we must rightly judge their sin and not include them in our fellowship as Christians so that we might be holy and they might recognize that which defines us as the true and living God and come to true faith in him. Regarding love and prophesy. While we are called to love, love is not required in order for prophesy to be true. The one who prophesies the truth but doesn't have love may only be a clanging cymbal, but even that doesn't mean that they can't be effective, such as Jonah. So, if love is greater, would it have been better if Jonah had not prophesied? No, because love being greater is something we as Christians must consider, but "all things work together for good..." Therefore, God can purpose in those without love to accomplish his love. One other thing. Do any of you think that you have perfect love? Yet having true love as we are commanded is something to be pursued diligently. If our love isn't perfect, can any of us preach? Can any of us prophesy? Are we better than Jonah? Yet we must proclaim the truth. Thanks be to God that he loved us perfectly on the cross or none of us would be acceptable even on the basis of our love. <abbr><em><abbr><em>Jim Pembertons last blog post..<a href="http://timelessfaith.blogspot.com/2009/04/why-hybrids-cant-reproduce-creationists.html" rel="nofollow">Why Hybrids Can't Reproduce - A Creationist's Observation</a></em></abbr></abbr></em> It’s the quality of love that is at stake, not the presence of love. Consider that hatred is not the opposite of love, but apathy. Hatred is hardly apathetic. God hates in that he is concerned for his glory and cannot look on evil. Therefore he forsakes or hates many because he would destroy them otherwise. As his agents, members of the church of Christ, we must understand this quality of love in our relationships. It’s not that we must hate, as in be angry and desire the destruction of, those who reject God. But we must rightly judge their sin and not include them in our fellowship as Christians so that we might be holy and they might recognize that which defines us as the true and living God and come to true faith in him.

Regarding love and prophesy. While we are called to love, love is not required in order for prophesy to be true. The one who prophesies the truth but doesn’t have love may only be a clanging cymbal, but even that doesn’t mean that they can’t be effective, such as Jonah. So, if love is greater, would it have been better if Jonah had not prophesied? No, because love being greater is something we as Christians must consider, but “all things work together for good…” Therefore, God can purpose in those without love to accomplish his love.

One other thing. Do any of you think that you have perfect love? Yet having true love as we are commanded is something to be pursued diligently. If our love isn’t perfect, can any of us preach? Can any of us prophesy? Are we better than Jonah? Yet we must proclaim the truth. Thanks be to God that he loved us perfectly on the cross or none of us would be acceptable even on the basis of our love.

Jim Pembertons last blog post..Why Hybrids Can’t Reproduce – A Creationist’s Observation

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