 
WORTHLESS PREACHERS
A church with a capable, faithful man of God to preach for them is blest indeed. Sad to say, not all preachers are beneficial to the churches they serve. Some are mediocre, some are poor, some are worthless, some do great harm. Isaiah described some of his contemporary prophets as dumb dogs that could not bark (Is. 56:10). A watchdog that cannot or will not bark is useless. He is also dangerous as he gives a false sense of security to those who assume, "I have a watchdog, who will warn me if danger approaches." If the watch dog fails to warn them they can be overrun by an enemy. Like the worthless watchdog is the preacher who does not speak the needed warnings to his hearers.
Job described his counselors as "worthless physicians" (Job 13:4). It was their duty to help him in his misery and sorrow. Not understanding the situation, the advise they gave was of no value. In fact they increased the poor fellow's misery and suffering. It can be painful if not deadly to find you have a doctor who is a quack, unskilled, unprepared, or disinterested. Such physicians are obviously in the wrong profession. So is the preacher who is filling his vital leadership post but is not prepared to do so.
Some preachers are distracted and preoccupied. We sometimes encounter capable, well-trained men who, although employed as ministers, are ineffective in their work. Their churches languish under their leadership. The reasons for their distraction are many and varied. Some are too busy pursuing advanced education to be effective in their work. Some are busy pursuing careers in other fields so that preaching only get the leftover scraps of their time and interest. Some are too busy playing. It may be golfing or fishing or some other past time, but it hinders them from doing their needed work to make the church grown. Some end up baby sitters for their children while their wives pursues employment or education. Some are absorbed in subjects unrelated to their preaching responsibilities. I have known preachers who used their time to become excellent historians, hypnotists, counselors, auctioneers, while neglecting the churches that paid their salaries.
Some men are worthless because they neglect to indoctrinate their hearers in the foundational principles of the faith. They may teach no error but they leave their flocks weak, spiritually anemic and vulnerable to error.
Others are worthless because they raise questions about the faith which they do not answer. They unsettled the faith of their hearers by discrediting the teachers, beliefs and practices of past generations. These unfounded criticisms tend to shatter the line of continuity between past and present generations, making the present group more vulnerable to those who would lead them astray.
There are those who waste their time in the pulpits on frivolous jokes, stories and asides, that are unrelated to the sacred lessons folks have come to hear. Entertaining? Maybe. Worthwhile? Not at all. think of the wasted time and opportunity, not only on his part, but he has squandered the half hour each of his auditors has given him.
What kind of preacher are you? Paul urged the young minister Timothy to conduct himself as a good soldier of Christ (II Tim. 2:3). Are you prepared to answer to God for the stewardship he has intrusted to your hands (I Pet. 4:10). JHW |
