What I have to say about this will concern the "Primitive Baptists" and other groups as well. It pertains to many churches and preachers, to many who are adopting what is called "expository" preaching or teaching. Their sermons have become dry as dust. This is an opposite extreme to those churches and preachers who simply entertain by playing on the emotions.
I liked the old time Baptist preachers who could teach and exposit scripture and at the same time preach with some pleading and deep emotion. This lecture type of preaching has its place, but so too does enthusiastic preaching, singing, and worship. Too many PB churches and other Baptist churches have too many "professorial" preachers who give lectures. Again, I do not say that this type of teaching does not have its place; I do say that it has totally eclipsed the other.
Over the past several years I have listened to many sermons by my PB brothers as well as those by other able Baptist ministers, such as John MacArthur, John Piper, James White, etc. Among the PBs I have listened to are Lasserre Bradley, Ben Winslett, Bernard Gowens, Sonny Pyles, David Pyles, etc. From these men I rarely hear a "shouting" sermon, one where the people are mightily stirred and shout amen and hallelujah, and who raise theirs hands in praise, and where the people are laughing with joy unspeakable.
When I was with the PBs I heard a lot of their older preachers and many of them not only taught the word of God but did it with some excitement. No stoical preaching here! But, today, the PBs seem to want to go to the dry and dusty way of only giving "lessons" (ironically, as in a "Sunday School" or seminary class!). I hear few amens and shouts of praise among today's Hardshells.
My advice? We need to model the great Spurgeon in this regard. He certainly expounded scripture but he spoke with emphasis when needed, urging people with warm appeals, and so kept himself from preaching sermons that are "dry as dust."
Just my thoughts, for whatever they are worth.
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. If the first part of this verse is true in nature and in the spiritual and across the board I am aloud to use it in this application and the PB have a lot to say about "a dead man cant do nothing" then this scripture applies, the manifestation of the Spirit is Gods witness that He is with us, Preach with the Spirit; Quench not the Spirit of God.
ReplyDeleteYou do realize that the Holy Ghost manifesting Himself as a dove. The dove is not known for being loud and boisterous.
ReplyDeleteAlso, how do you know how men in the New Testament preached. People despised Paul’s physical presence.