1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

I Have Said It All In The Pulpit

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by Rippon, May 26, 2006.

Top Posters
  1. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2005
    Messages:
    19,715
    Likes Received:
    585
    Faith:
    Baptist
    According to J.C.Ryle , William Romaine ( 1714-1795 ) had a unique attitude regarding his preaching and the issue of inquirers . Ryle said of Romaine :

    It was not uncommon for him to tell those who came to him with cases of conscience and questions of spiritual concern , that he said all he had to say in the pulpit .


    Ryle's words about Romaine are thought-provoking . What is your opinion ? There are many diferent kinds of preachers . I guess all of them would not be in the pastoral mold . Rather they labor in the Word and doctrine . Most of these men have large congregations . It doesn't necessarily mean that they were anti-social .Other pastors in the church did the pastoral work . Men are gifted in different areas .

    Jonathan Edwards supposedly studied 13 hours per day in sermon prep , John Cotton 12 hours a day for the same purpose . But Increase Mather ( 1639-1723 ) holds what seems to be a record 16 hours of study per day .

    I had mentioned in another thread that Richard Baxter's sermons were very long -- with one particular message lasting to the point of fleshing-out 66 main points . Yet he also took the time to personally instruct his church members house-to-house . That was all done by the most prolific Puritan writer ( when so many wrote very extensively . ) And many of these men and others not from the Puritan era preached 10-14 times per week !
     
    #1 Rippon, May 26, 2006
  2. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2000
    Messages:
    11,170
    Likes Received:
    0
    Can you clarify your question, please? Thanks!
     
    #2 TomVols, May 26, 2006
  3. bapmom

    bapmom New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2005
    Messages:
    3,091
    Likes Received:
    0
    I think that just because some people had that response from Romaine does not mean that ALL did. I mean it doesn't indicate that he did not pastor his people outside of the pulpit.
    However, I have often heard my own preacher express frustration that people will come and ask him about things that he very clearly preached on within the last couple weeks. ANd he knows those same people were in the congregation to hear it.

    It must be discouraging to feel as if your people are not even listening when you preach, and yet they obviously could have been helped with their problem if they had only paid attention to the message. Preachers work hard at their messages, and I should think they would like to know that they are doing some good through them.
     
    #3 bapmom, May 26, 2006
  4. whatever

    whatever New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2004
    Messages:
    2,088
    Likes Received:
    1
    bapmom,

    Is your pastor married? If so then surely he isn't the only husband in the US who hears and remembers all that his wife says to him, and surely if he doesn't hear and remember everything his wife says to him then he shouldn't be surprised that his listeners miss things in his sermons. [​IMG]

    Seriously, it shouldn't be a surprise that people miss much of what a pastor says. As for the OP, I think it is strange that a pastor wouldn't want to have any follow up conversations after a sermon. Maybe there is more to it than was reported here but that seems unreasonable to me.

    Sometimes after teaching Sunday School I find that the points that I thought were clearest are the ones that cause the most confusion. It may be a case where I understand what I meant to say so I assume that everyone else should have understood it too, and maybe I didn't make it as clear as I intended. Just a thought.
     
    #4 whatever, May 27, 2006
  5. bapmom

    bapmom New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2005
    Messages:
    3,091
    Likes Received:
    0
    whatever,
    I understand your point. I was just trying to point out an alternate view.

    Then again, the man being talked about died over 210 years ago.......so maybe something got "lost in the translation" too.
     
    #5 bapmom, May 27, 2006
  6. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2005
    Messages:
    19,715
    Likes Received:
    585
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I just picked up Tim Shenton's book ' An Iron Pillar ' : The Life And Times Of William Romaine . On page 371 he goes into more detail regarding Ryle's words and the ministry of Romaine .

    One excuse for Romaine's hasty manner was the value he placed on time -- there was little more precious to him and , in his view , not a moment should be wasted . He reasoned that the more time he spent counselling , the less time he had for reading , meditation and prayer ; thus he strenously avoided all unnecessary interruptions . He could not tolerate idle , godless chatter , but demanded honesty and plain speaking from all who visited him . ' It was not uncommon for him to tell all who came to him with cases of conscience and questions of spiritual concern , that he said all that he had to say in the pulpit . ' [ JC Ryle ] These people may have felt rebuffed at first , but when they attended his preaching at the next opportunity , they found that their difficulties had impressed him as much as themselves , and been the subject of prayer and careful consideration . His sermons in this regard were particularly useful , as they not only explained the text , but applied it to the case and condition of every hearer .
     
    #6 Rippon, Jun 1, 2006
  7. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2005
    Messages:
    19,715
    Likes Received:
    585
    Faith:
    Baptist
    This deserves a bump . I would heartily recommend this book .
     
    #7 Rippon, Aug 25, 2007
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Loading...