Pastors, do you preach or teach?

[Gina B]

This requires you to go by MY definitions of the words.
Preach: rant and rave, pound the pulpit, generally considered "good" if people cry and flood the alters feeling guilty over the subject presented.

Teach: give out useful information and lessons Christians can remember and apply, and/or teach about salvation for non-Christians in attendance, generally considered "good" if people respond by changing actions or applying new principals to their Christian lives.

Just as a sidenote, I can't HEAR pastors who yell! I cry when I break a plate, scream at me and I'll get scared and hit you if you're standing too close!

Gina

 

[USN2Pulpit]

In answer to your question, yes I certainly do.

 

[Major B]

Originally posted by USN2Pulpit:
In answer to your question, yes I certainly do.

Concur. My teachin' preaches and my preachin' teaches.

Reminds me of a story. Two old boys walked in the back door of a church at "revival time", and they got there just as the evangelist cranked 'er up. The preacher was stompin' and spittin' and poundin' the pulpit and rantin' and ravin'. One old boy leaned over to the other one and said, "What's he sayin? I can't understand him atall." His buddy said back to him, "I don't know, but he sure can preach!"

 

[ScottEmerson]

Originally posted by Gina:
This requires you to go by MY definitions of the words.
Preach: rant and rave, pound the pulpit, generally considered "good" if people cry and flood the alters feeling guilty over the subject presented.

Teach: give out useful information and lessons Christians can remember and apply, and/or teach about salvation for non-Christians in attendance, generally considered "good" if people respond by changing actions or applying new principals to their Christian lives.

Just as a sidenote, I can't HEAR pastors who yell! I cry when I break a plate, scream at me and I'll get scared and hit you if you're standing too close!

Gina

I'm a teacher. I don't yell, because I never see that Christ did that. I don't pound on the pulpit, because I never see that Christ did that. And I never make people feel guilty so I can get a response from them, because I never see that Christ did that.

I teach my students.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Pulpiteering is a sad caricature of real preaching. Preaching involves communicating truth.

When someone's preaching style is the "stomp and spit and blow" (and yes, I know that is a hyperbole stereotype but we all know exactly what is meant) I will not sit still for it. Someone yells at me, I walk out. Or punch.

Perhaps someone should mention that the gift of "pastor/teacher" is ONE gift to the NT church. Not "pastor/pulpiteer". Not "preacher" (as some are so fond to call the Pastor).

Will be interesting to see how the different "sides" on the BB come down on this issue!

 

[Pastor Larry]

I preach and teach both, but not by the definition of preaching you give above. Preaching does not involve those things. That is shameless racketeering and amusement. It should go the way of one of its most famous practitioners (Jack Hyles).

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

Welllll, those definitions sounded like caricatures to me.

Some people are qualified and 'called' to preach. Others are not, but can be wonderful teachers.

I thank God every day that I have a Pastor who does both and very well, I might add.

I could not sit under a Pastor every week who just stood there and talked in a monotone. Well, maybe I COULD, but I would fall

Lovin' my Preacher,
Sue

 

[Artimaeus]

Someone once told me that yelling to make a point is like driving your car by blowing the horn. (They actually said that discipling your children by yelling at them was like driving your car by blowing the horn) but the principle applies. It seems to be a matter of degree. Nobody wants a monotone but nobody wants a stark raving lunatic either. On a scale of one to ten with "1" being the monotone, I would prefer a lower number like 3 or 4. A little emotion, enough to show entusiasm and conviction but not enough so that what I respond to is the emotion and not the message.

 

[j_barner2000]

I tend not to spit and jump around.... but i have gotten excited about the word... I would say I am a teacher who gets excited. I don't normally pound the pulpet, But my voice has gone up a decibel or two when I feel a point is very important.

 

[Gina B]

I'm gonna have to find a way to link you guys to this certain Ohio preacher on the radio. He does nothing but scream the whole time. The first time I heard him I thought at first something horrible happened on the air when I heard him finish a sentence and gasp, and the kids asked me "what in the world??" He goes something like AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE THIS YOU ARE GOING STRRRRAAAAIGHT TO HAYYYEEELLL then gasps HUUUUYYYAAAAAHHHEEEE trying to get in air for the next sentence. We handle it for about 2 minutes for the amusement then turn it off.
I learned at one church not to sit in the front rows or be spit on. I gagged and choked the first time it happened.
Sometimes a bit of passion is ok though. On a daily basis I find it annoying to have to listen to yelling though. I get this cartoon image in my head of everyone leaning back in the pews with big eyes and their hair standing straight up in shock as they try to keep from getting blown backwards.
Gina

 

[Jim1999]

Does losing your false teeth whilst preaching count? Just kidding, but I have thought about it.

Pound the pulpit and shout, argument is weak.

I am English and learned early on to reply on words, expressions and opportunities. The English language can be very expressive without shouting. There is a difference between an elevated voice and shouting. Certainly modulation is important.

In the famous Westminister Chapel, a whisper can be heard throughout the snactuary without benefit of microphone...now that is a hall built for preaching. Far too many modern churches are not built for preaching.

I did have one bloke tell me he could not hear me preaching because of my beard....oh, he was hearing impaired and couldn't read my lips. I learned to shave around my lip area and keep the moustache trimmed, and clearly enunciate my words. He said I got much louder the following Sunday.

Preachers, listen to the people in the pews, and benefit.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[blackbird]

Golly, Gina! Blackbird has never considered the question---he just studies real hard--gets up on Sunday and tells the folks what it was he studied--

I don't waste my listener's time between 11: 30am and 12: 20pm on Sunday morning nor at nite nor on Wednesday!!

Your buddy,
Blackbird

 

[MissAbbyIFBaptist]

My pastor is a wonderful teacher and preacher, and I'm not saying that biasbly {my bias would be saying he's the best preacher in the world, and although I beleive it, others might disagree!}, because I've visited other churches, and there have been times the sermon was as clear as mud.
My pastor is straight forward, dosn't beat around the bush. There have been times he's definatly raised his voice, but he really gets into it. He's a Bible teacher, but he's also a Bible preacher. And I thank the Lord for it very often. If I hadn't had years and years of his teaching, I wouldn't know too much about the Bible. And if he didn't drive in a sermon hard on the need of repentance, I might not be saved.
But let me specify there is a big diffrence between hard preaching and mean preaching. I love hard preaching, even though I sometimes get convicted, but I can't stand mean preaching. Tearing people up over and over isn't helping them. In fact some people get bitter...I know quite a few. Sure a preacher ought to have some emotion. He ought to be mad about sin, and broken hearted for the sinner. I once heard a preacher say "How many sheep must be slaghtered to train one sheperd?", and this came from the mouth of one firey preacher! Sure he got into his messages, and shouted a little, and he preached on what some people would call "controversal topics" {And thank you Lord he does!} but he also had enough spiritual discernment to know the diffrence between getting into a sermon, and scaring off half the congregation!
And I just want to say "Thankyou precious Lord, for my wonderful pastor, who stands firm, without compromise, and preaches and teaches hard, but who loves and cares for his church. Thankyou Lord you blessed us with him!"
~Miss Abby

 

[blackbird]

Sister Abby--you keep believeing what you believe---I love you just for you lovin' your pastor and saying what it is you say about him! God bless your heart!

Your Southern Baptist preachin' buddy,
Blackbird

 

[Pastor Larry]

Originally posted by I Am Blessed 16:
I could not sit under a Pastor every week who just stood there and talked in a monotone.

I don't think this qualifies for good teaching or good preaching. There is no excuse for a monotone, whether you are an algebra teacher or a pastor. Variety of voice, pace, etc is a very easy thing to develop and is the single most effective teaching tool. A voice can command that people listen to you and emphasis and variety can hold their attention. Don't confuse monotone with teaching; it is boring.

 

[gb93433]

I wouldn't shout, stomp, or spit, at my best friend. But I would talk with them as a friend.

 

[Kathy]

I prefer teaching (there is a word for the type of preaching, but I can't think of it)...I sat under a wonderful teaching preacher, who got a little loud at times, but never over the top. Then I moved to another state and was there for 2 years and got an extremely over the top Hyles preacher until I could no longer take it. I recently moved back to the state I moved away from (long story), altho not in the same area as before and I've been searching since March for a teaching preacher...I have visited many Baptist churches in the area. I never visited the one So. Baptist church right next door to my apartment cuz it looked small and kinda old...but today I went and I think I found a church home (altho I won't make that decision for a while - learned some hard lessons). The Pastor totally impressed me by teaching from Revelation 20 and re-igniting my insatiable desire to study the Word of God...it even brought me back here to this site! Well, enough rambling...just wanted to share my thoughts...I don't think one way of preaching or teaching is better than the other, it is my personal desire to be taught rather than to be given life lessons...others are different, and there is nothing wrong with that...we all learn at different levels...enough said (shut up Kathy..yeah I hear ya'll! hehe)

Kathy

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[Karen]

Hi, Kathy!!
Great to hear from you.

Karen

 

[Bartimaeus]

Isa 58:1
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

Eccl 9:17
The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

Room for both, looks like to me.
Thanks ------Bart

 

[Trotter]

As to the original query, I am a teacher first and foremost.

To stand behind the pulpit and bring forth that which God has entrusted to me is awesome enough without trying to whip myself into a rip-snortin' frenzy (which would be a lie, because I'm not a snorter!). I stand before the people to open the Scriptures, to shed light on the words and their meaning, to bring the mysteries of faith to light, to "put the cookies on the bottom shelf". I do not attempt to show how much I know (it would be a very short sermon), but I try to let God speak through my lips that which He has shown me.

I have sat under both types of preacher. I must admit that I enjoy a fiery sermon, but only if it is Scriptural. Too many that I have heard read a verse or two, close the Bible, and proceed to rant and rave for 20-30 minutes about nothing but their opinion on America, moral decay, the length of shorts and skirts, etc.. That is not preaching.

To "preach" is to bring the Scriptures to the people in a way that opens their understanding. Without understanding what the Word has to say, people hear noise, not truth. We all need to stand firm on the foundation of God's revealed Truth, not our personal opinions.

In Christ,
Trotter