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why is this?
- Thread starter nodak
- Start date
My neighbor at one time, a smoker, had been invited to our local Baptist church several years before we moved in next door. Unfortunately, the preacher chose to spend the entire sermon ranting about smoking, how it was evil, smokers were evil and surely hellbound. AFAIK, my neighbor never again walked thru a church door.
Fast forward about 10 years to when my piano-playing daughter was a teenager. Our neighbor loved to hear her practicing, with her preference for fortissimo adding to his enjoyment. She finished HS at a Christian boarding school which each year developed a biblical-themed chorale/drama program, which they would present to selected churches. They came to our church and I invited our neighbor, telling him that our daughter would be doing most of the piano accompaniment plus a speaking part. I could tell he wanted to go, but he declined - that major-on-the-minors blast from the past had so poisoned him against anything "church" that he would not go, even for something he knew he'd enjoy.
How many others are so repelled by that kind of message that they become hardened to the Gospel? It's true that some are saved after hearing such messages, but Satan is always willing to allow one to be saved if by so doing he can retain his grip on two others.
Fast forward about 10 years to when my piano-playing daughter was a teenager. Our neighbor loved to hear her practicing, with her preference for fortissimo adding to his enjoyment. She finished HS at a Christian boarding school which each year developed a biblical-themed chorale/drama program, which they would present to selected churches. They came to our church and I invited our neighbor, telling him that our daughter would be doing most of the piano accompaniment plus a speaking part. I could tell he wanted to go, but he declined - that major-on-the-minors blast from the past had so poisoned him against anything "church" that he would not go, even for something he knew he'd enjoy.
How many others are so repelled by that kind of message that they become hardened to the Gospel? It's true that some are saved after hearing such messages, but Satan is always willing to allow one to be saved if by so doing he can retain his grip on two others.
Two kinds of preachers, remind me of a story I heard sometime ago.We seem to have 2 kinds of conservative preachers around here. The first kind I would describe as cultural warriors fighting sin tooth and nail, fighting falsehood the same way. They seem to have few converts and those that they win don't seem to have a true change in lifestyle.
The other type are not soft on sin or liberal by any means, but focus on preaching the truth about Jesus Christ. They seem to lead more to faith and when someone comes to faith under this Christ centered preaching you see lives changed.
In short, the opposite effect of what many Christian leaders seem to teach.
Why would this be??
Two men who had not seen one another in a while met and were discussing their churches. One asked the other how his church was doing and he replied, much better since we got a new pastor and the second gentleman said Oh, you got a new pastor, what happened to the one who was there before.? To which he replied, He kept telling us we were going to hell. And what does the new pastor say? Oh, he tells us the same thing but he doesn't seem to enjoy it as much.
Quick point of fact: the 5 preachers I was speaking of are all pre trib pre mil dispensationalists, all ultra conservative.
Main difference is whether they see their job as to preach Christ (which of course will include defining sin and its consequences) or fighting sin (which of course only MAY include preaching Christ.)
Main difference is whether they see their job as to preach Christ (which of course will include defining sin and its consequences) or fighting sin (which of course only MAY include preaching Christ.)