The Word
The late Christian rocker of the ’70s and ’80s, Keith Green, in his aptly named song: “No One Believes in Me Anymore (Satan’s Boast),” wrote the lyrics (Satan speaking), “I put some truth in every lie to tickle-itchin’ ears. You know I'm drawing people just like flies 'cause they like what they hear.” The devil is perfectly happy with the Word being presented in ways that never convict, always sidestep sin, and give the evil one a long leash to continue his wicked ways.
As preaching pastors, we are given the task each week of coming up with something to teach the flock. We’re presented with a nice slab of Scripture and challenged with the awesome responsibility of chiseling it into something that will adequately communicate the truth contained therein. It is a daunting, frustrating, fun, exhausting process. One issue with which we must grapple has to do with balancing what people like to hear and what people need to hear.
Those who are preparing to preach quickly realize that there is a whole lot between the covers of the Bible that people don’t necessarily like to hear, but they need to hear it. The problem becomes communicating what people need to hear without all of them disliking it so much that they never want to hear anything like it again! What’s a pastor to do?
Many today, even some of the most well-known, simply avoid the hard-to-hear truths of Scripture. In doing what they believe is necessary to maintain an impressive weekend attendance, they permanently set aside the offensive and controversial parts of the gospel message. This is becoming a nearly impossible task considering there is a rapidly diminishing amount of biblical truth that the world does not find offensive.
One famous incident happened on a popular TV talk show, when a megachurch pastor told the host that he didn’t like to talk about those apart from Christ being “condemned” because “the gospel is called ‘the good news.’” What that pastor leaves out is the fact that it is the bad news that makes the good news good! The bad news is right there in the Bible: condemnation without Christ. Don’t you think we pastors have an obligation to tell people that—even on Sunday morning? Not that pastor. Not his audience.
Good news is relative. There used to be a series of Geico insurance commercials that focused on that fact. On the various ads, in the midst of some tense circumstance (like a baseball manager telling the pitcher he’s being replaced by the reliever), the manager says, “But I have some really good news! I just saved a ton of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico!” The puzzled look on the face of the pitcher receiving this “good news” says it all: If it’s not related to the bad news at hand, it makes no sense!
At Living Oaks, we seek to craft our messages in such a way that the good news and life-changing power of Christ are emphasized. We’ll leave the results to the Holy Spirit. But we are committed to the whole truth; the Word of God, without compromise. That may offend some from time to time. But as Paul wrote to young pastor Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”
Mere ear-tickling or entertaining didn’t make Paul’s list of preaching essentials. Nor should they be on ours at LOC. The pastor of one church said his goal was to give people “a boost for the week.” That didn’t make Paul’s list either. Our job is to speak the truth in love, controversial or not, offensive or not, boost or no boost. We do it as a mandate from Christ and as a core value of our church: Biblical Teaching. So please pray for your pastors who to do just that, without compromise.
“‘For, All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, And the flower falls off, But the word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word which was preached to you.” ─1 Peter 1:24-25