But even if we, or an angle from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you that what you have received, let him be accursed. For now do I persuade men, or God? Or do I speak to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
Galatians 1: 8 - 10 NKJV
I recall a pastor some time ago relating in a interview how it was that he kept his flock engaged in his sermons each week. His response? "Well, I just find new and more interesting things to tell them." I refer to such thinking as drive be ministry in honor of our news media. The late Rush Limbaugh nicknamed the media "Drive by" for good reason. For all too often a news crew will come into the scene of a news story, put their unique spin on the events and then bail before the dust has settled. Has anyone ever witnessed a drive by ministry? I have. These are ministries that will tell people what they want to hear regardless of it it's scriptural or not. I have known more than a few pastors in my life who spoke not to the gospel but to what people wanted to hear. Being a pastor is a tough gig, I get it. You're expected to mind the family business (church doctrine) all the while towing the line of traditional teaching. Yet every now and then you need something "extra" to keep your audience interested. I've seen everything from pastors riding motorcycles into the morning service to putting their own spin on the gospel. All in the name of, as the apostle Paul claimed, 'speaking to please men' {Galatians 1:10}. Now, I also admit to sleeping through my share of Sunday sermons as well. What is it about the bible that makes us yawn in boredom? Perhaps it is all of the "Thou shalt" stuff from the old testament? For me, the old testament always seemed kind of mundane, almost dreary. It was guaranteed that if pastor was preaching a series of sermons on the old testament that I would get a free nap during the service. Then something incredible happens. All of that prophesy which was spoken of in the old testament by a pastor whose sermon we slept through suddenly comes to life. The new testament brings us new and exciting news.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers. And they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
2 Timothy 4: 3 - 4 NKJV
It is Paul, in a letter to his counterpart Timothy, who warns us of those who will turn the gospel from food for our soul to something the masses desire to hear. Are you bored of hearing of how God hates sin? Well, just hire a pastor who won't speak to it. Tired of hearing of those lame ten commandments? Yep, hire a pastor who doesn't talk about it. If you fall into any of these groups of people, then you indeed have itching ears. You want to hear the preacher talk about stuff you care about. About how God blesses people who go to church and don't sleep through sermons. About how God favors those who pray the right way and tithe when their supposed to. Yeah, let's have more of that. If this is your preference, I bet there's a out of work pastor out there who's more than willing to earn a steady paycheck speaking to whatever it is that you want to hear. Not my thing. It is my belief that the scriptures are there for a reason, and that reason is not to earn the satisfaction of man. I don't have itching ears, I have yearning ears. Except if you're a pastor doing a hour long sermon on the parting of the Red Sea. In that case, wake me when you're finished.
~Scott~
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