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Hellfire and Brimstone preaching............

thegospelgeek

New Member
Our evangelist (sp) at our revival this week rants, turns red, screams, runs, sits down, spits, and just about everything else that the folks have complained about. But he also stays in the word, expounds on what he's preaching, and delivers the gospel with love. I like him a lot. His name is Chris Russell from Olive Hill Ky.

Our pastor is very quite calm and peaceful. I like him also.

I, the Assistant Pastor, have been accused of being extremly loud. I move, but do not run. I talk with my hands way too much. Other times I am quiet and peacful.

The people of the church enjoy all 3. People are being saved under the preaching of all 3. Guess that means it's not the messanger but the message.
 

Shortandy

New Member
Ive been reading through some of the post and I am a little confused. How are we defining hell-fire and brimstone preaching? Some think its the delivery (loud, red in the face, lots of movement) while others seem to think it means the content (literally hell, turn or burn, etc..)

So which is it?
 

Havensdad

New Member
As the title says, what do you guys and gals think about "hellfire and brimstone" sermons.

It needs to be done here and there. But I'm talking about when its done all the time. Growing up in 'southern' Baptist churches it seemed like every sermon always turned into this no matter what the original topic was.

Even a typical Easter or Christmas sermon would stick to the topic for maybe 10 minutes then change to the 134,573,452 ways to go to Hell.

I guess for me its just overload, when you hear the same things over and over and over again. No matter what the sermons about when I would hear the word hell I would zone out and start reading something else or just plain veg out.


So whats everyone opinion on 'hard preaching'

Needed every sermon?

Needed often but not all the time?

Needed some?

Needed little to none?



Tell me,

If there was a man sitting in your congregation that was literally on fire, would you spend time telling him cute little stories about dogs and Grandmas, or would you yell at him "You're on fire!"

The fact is, that in most of the worldly assemblies we call "Churches" today, the vast majority are probably (note that I said "probably", my Matthew 13:29 quoting little friends) lost. And it is absolutely ridiculous to waste time teaching a bunch of Goats to act like sheep.

If you have a congregation of believers that give generously, desire to serve, witness regularly, and refrain from gossip and backbiting, then by all means, avoid hell fire preaching. Otherwise preach Hell fire, until the people in the Church are either converted, or go somewhere else.

We have far too few Jonathan Edwards and Charles Spurgeons today, and far too many of the "smooth talking slick city preachers" your dad always warned you about...
 

Alcott

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
This subject reminds me of the time I was in a small college/career class and was asked to read Psalm 1. It occured to me on the spur of the moment to do a little 'experiment.' Knowing it's a short psalm and set up just for a calm, quiet first half, then a hell-fire turn:

[Very softly]
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.

[At this point the other 5 or 6 were almost soothed with gentle words]

4THE WICKED ARE NOT SO!

[They all jumped]

BUT THEY ARE LIKE CHAFF WHICH THE WINNND DRIVES AWAY!

[Complete shock that I was reading it like this]

5THEREFORE THE WICKED WILL NOT STAND IN THE JUDGMENT, NOR SINNERS IN THE ASSEMMMMMBLY OF THE RIGHTEOUS!
[By this time they were starting to laugh]

6FOR THE LORRRD WATCHES OVER THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS--
BUT THE WAAAAY OF THE WICKED WILL PERISH!


At the end there was a real guffaw. One of the guys said "AAAA-MENNN!- Brotha ___!" I meant to check the shock value of this, but I didn't really expect it to come out like I was being a comedian mocking that kind of preaching. The next time I was called on to read, another guy remembered that and said, "And don't scare us this time," to which there were only a few chuckles.
 

HankD

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
It is often noted by church historians that many of the leaders in the Great Awakenings weren't firey, loud preachers but soft and compelling in their tone.

As mentioned, Jonathan Edwards spoke in a soft voice but had people clinging to the support posts of his church as he read his Holy Spirit annointed sermon. Several of the other prominent preachers in that day were not known to yell and holler.

In many revivals across the world there have been multiple styles of preaching used. The compelling point is how the preachers and congregations allowed the Holy Spirit to be used to annoint their gatherings. :)
For the most part preach, a revival is started by human activity, praying for it, preaching for repentance and revival, etc.

An "awakening" is different in that for no apparent reason either the quality and quantity of the preaching or the hearing of the listeners or both change and salvation abounds with a great harvest.

Obviously, the children of God know that it is the because of the moving of the Spirit among the people and preachers.

Here is a couple of exerpts of an account of the Great American Awakening (1730 - 1745):

[SIZE=-1]Between 1730 and 1745 there swept over the American colonies from Maine to Georgia a religious revival known as the Great Awakening. The revival movement, unlike the earlier doctrine of the Puritans, promised the grace of God to all who could experience a desire for it. An account of the second wave of the Great Awakening in Northampton, Massachusetts, is given in the following letter of December 12, 1743, addressed by Jonathan Edwards to the Reverend Thomas Prince in Boston. The Mr. Whitefield mentioned by Edwards was the Reverend George Whitefield, an English evangelist who traveled the American colonies in 1740 preaching to massive revival meetings.[/SIZE]

And an exerpt of a letter by Jonathan Edwards:

And there soon appeared a very great effect of their conversation; the affection was quickly propagated through the room; many of the young people and children that were professors appeared to be overcome with a sense of the greatness and glory of divine things, and with admiration, love, joy and praise, and compassion to others that looked upon themselves as in a state of nature. And many others at the same time were overcome with distress about their sinful and miserable state and condition; so that the whole room was full of nothing but outcries, faintings, and suchlike.
Others soon heard of it, in several parts of the town, and came to them; and what they saw and heard there was greatly affecting to them; so that many of them were overpowered in like manner. And it continued thus for some hours, the time spent in prayer, singing, counseling, and conferring. There seemed to be a consequent happy effect of that meeting to several particular persons, and in the state of religion in the town in general. After this were meetings from time to time attended with like appearances.

Found online in the Public Domain at http://www.nhinet.org/ccs/docs/awaken.htm
The Great American Awakening endured from 1730 - 1745.

Christians are always praying for a harvest but the point is that an "awakening", for the most part is spontaneous and an astonishment to the people with multitudes being saved.

Another unusual circumstance of the Great Awakening was that in a given town it would start with children (pre-teens) and then move on into the adult sector and in some cases with virtually the whole town being saved.

HankD
 

gb93433

Active Member
Site Supporter
Christians are always praying for a harvest but the point is that an "awakening", for the most part is spontaneous and an astonishment to the people with multitudes being saved.
The Bible says the harvest is plentiful. No need to pray for a harvest.

That is much like praying for rain while it is raining.
 

gb93433

Active Member
Site Supporter
If you have a congregation of believers that give generously, desire to serve, witness regularly, and refrain from gossip and backbiting, then by all means, avoid hell fire preaching. Otherwise preach Hell fire, until the people in the Church are either converted, or go somewhere else.
Sometimes things will happen like what has happened to some on the BB. Sometimes the people choose to stay and force the pastor to leave.
 

HankD

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
The Bible says the harvest is plentiful. No need to pray for a harvest.

That is much like praying for rain while it is raining.
OK amend that to pray for laborers. The harvest is great but without the laborers nothing get harvestED.


HankD
 

HankD

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Seems like a cult like the JW's get there stuff out alot....we need to do better.
Matthew 9
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.


Roman 10
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!​

HankD​
 
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