Preaching That Hinders Revival
By Richard Owen Roberts
Repentance must always begin in the house of God. Doubtless the best place for it to start is with those who preach. Let us examine some errors of preaching that stand in the way of revival.
Preaching That is Man-Centered.
All of us, by our very own natures, are lovers of self more than lovers of righteousness. True gospel preaching exposes the wickedness of this self-orientation and calls its hearers to radical conversion. It is only through a genuine Christian conversion that a thorough change of heart and life occurs, enabling one to keep the great commandments of Christ: loving God with all ones heart, soul, mind and strength and one's neighbor as oneself (Mark 12:29-31).
Man-centered preaching cannot result in radical conversion. Tragically, the preaching which characterizes much of today's pulpit activity wallows in the weakness of pandering to perceived needs - needs which are ordinarily dramatically different from true needs. For instance, many of those who are clamoring for acceptance really need repentance, and multitudes who come to church for comfort need to ne severly discomforted and awakened out of their lethal slumbering.
In a day when multitudes have overloaded on self-love, man-centered preaching only fortifies man in his lostness. It may be add a modicum of religion to his life, even a proof-text assurance of faith to which he vainly clings, but it does not bring those who hear into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
Every preacher is in danger of telling his people what they want to hear. The motives for doing so are numerous, including larger paychecks, greater applause, easier circumstances. If the preacher is called by men, he may sensibly give those who called him what they want, but what if the preacher os called by God? How can he dare speak less than all the truth of God?
Every genuine revival constitutes a return of the people of God. Thus, any preaching that is not God-centered - that does not life up and exalt the God of the Bible above all else, calling all to return to Him - will prove to be a distinct hindrance to revival. May God deliver each of us from this hindrance.
Preaching That is Timid
What ever happened ti the fearless preachers whose fiery denunciations of sin and awesome warnings of impending doom used to grip the land? Are we too advanced a culture to be affected by prophets of God or are the men who think themselves called of God too timid to tell the truth?
I remember that old Sunday School song: "Dare to be Daniel to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known!"
Do you dare to be Daniel? Are you prepared to face your den of lions unafraid? Are you boldly standing, even if all alone? Are your purposes firmly set? Do all who you know to what you are unhesitatingly and compromisingly committed?
Do you dare to resist the clock-watchers who are vastly more committed to keeping the services short than to the prosperity of Christ's Kingdom?
Do you dare to stand against the unregenerate leaders in your church, calling them to repentance and faith, even when they are scheming your departure?
Do you dare to insist that the wealthy and prestigious must follow the same path of surrender and devotion to Jesus Christ as the poor and down-trodden?
Do you dare to preach against the favorite sins of your congregation or is you preaching fashionable and acceptable to the unrepentant Christ-haters among your people?
Do you dare to live a life of godly simplicity and open holiness before your watching world?
Does the daring of Daniel mark your daily devotions? Does the courage of Christ characterize your Christian walk? Does the fearless passion of a post-Pentecost Peter power your preaching?
Christians without courage are a strange and pathetic contradiction and a constant hindrance to revival.
Preaching That Evokes Strange Fire
In Leviticus ten the disturbing story is told of Nadam and Abihu who introduced "strange fire" into the midst of the work of God. This incident occurred at the time of the inauguration of the Aaronic priesthood and at a time when fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering. Prompted by pride and lack of self-control, these brothers grievously offended the Lord with their "strange fire" and were themselves consumed by fire from the same source that burned up the sacrifice.
"Strange fire" represents all those acts and activities of men in ministry that emanate from their own proud hearts and undisciplined spirits. The worship and service of God is under the control and authority of God Himself. The scriptures guide and govern the entire life and ministry of the church. God has spoken and men are not at liberty to introduce their ideas and ways into His work. True men of God spend their primary time and energy finding and following God's desires as He has revealed them in the Bible. Proud and undisciplined men think they do God service by introducing new ways and means and means into the life of the church. In recent years an almost unbelievable host of novelties have appeared. Many of them are now accepted as if they they were a part of divine revelation.
Face the fact! Every arrogant act in the church and every undisciplined addition to its ways is a hindrance to revival. God may yet send His fire to consume these men, but how much better would it be for them to repent and return to the Lord now.
Preaching That is Self-Exalting
Some preachers love fine-tuned words and phrases more than divine truth, and symmetry of sermon construction more than the welfare of their auditors. What a tragedy that preaching, which was devised bu God as an instrument of salvation for those who believe, should be one of the greatest possible hindrances to the progress of the gospel in ordinary times and to revival in times of great apostasy.
Certainly there is beauty in carefully arranged words - the Beatitudes of Matthew file are an outstanding example of this as is the love chapter of First Corinthians thirteen - but beauty is turned into ugliness when the motive is impression rather than the glory of God.
Sir, does the way you prepare and preach hinder revival? Which receives the greatest attention: the ornamentation of your words and phrases, or prayer for empowerment from the Holy Spirit? Which is your greater focus: exciting pleasure in the people and praise for the preacher, or reducing the impenitent to tears of contrition and repentance? After which does your heart clamor: the pleasure of knowing that your sermons have been remarkably good, or joy in seeing your people radically affected by the truth of God?
Preaching That is Non-Doctrinal
A pathetic wave of biblical ignorance has swept through the contemporary church. Much if the wind behind the wave is generated by the grossly erroneous preachers who frown on doctrinal preaching and from whose unsanctified lips emerge such impious frothing as, "Don't preach doctrine! It divides!" Of course it divides! It is intended to divide! It was never God's plan to have more goats than sheep in Hid flock! And yet that is precisely what has happened in multitudes of parishes.
While the scriptures clearly indicate that there will be tares scattered throughout the fields of grain, and some goats lurking amidst the flocks of sheep, the biblical picture is not the prevailing image of this day. Instead, the tares vastly outnumber the wheat and the goats far more prevalent than lambs.
The direct result of non-doctrinal preaching is millions pf persons in the churches who believe that they are Christians as a result of something they have done, and whose claim to faith would have been denounced in a saner age as nothing more than mere mental assent.
Shame on the preacher who is too graceless to preach the sovereignty of God, the depravity of man, the wrath of the Almighty, the eternal condemnation of the unbeliever, the atonement of Christ, the mandatory nature of regeneration, the necessity of repentance, the justification of sinners by true faith, and all the other sobering and convicting doctrines of the Word of God.
Preaching That is Either Irrelevant or of Minor Consequence
Some sermons, which might have had a measure of usefulness fifty years ago when preached to a biblically literate congregation, are completely insignificant today when heard by generation of pagans unschooled in Bible basics.
What a strange phenomenon it is for preachers to boast that their preaching has not changed for half a century when society itself has changed so radically. My preaching has changed immensely. When I began preaching, people knew there was a God big enough to have created them, who had the authority to command their lives and control their futures. Today, multitudes who claim to believe in God know almost nothing of the God of the Bible and are often worshiping and serving a god no bigger than their own imaginations.
When we send missionaries to pagan lands we do not expect them to begin their proclamation to the heathen with statements about grace and forgiveness. We expect them to begin at the beginning, introducing their hearers to the God of the Bible. Indeed, the most effective missionaries take months in establishing the truth of God and His rights of authority before speaking of salvation.
A colossal hindrance to revival occurs when pearls are cast before swine. Jesus taught us that "They that are whole need not a physician but they that are sick" (Mark 9:12). The generations that preceded us preached the law, thus enabling people to feel their illness, long before the preached the grace that heals. Preaching grace to those who have never felt the sting of the law is a major infraction of God's ways. Preaching truth that cannot be appreciated and received by its auditors is ever a hindrance to spiritual awakening.
By Richard Owen Roberts
Repentance must always begin in the house of God. Doubtless the best place for it to start is with those who preach. Let us examine some errors of preaching that stand in the way of revival.
Preaching That is Man-Centered.
All of us, by our very own natures, are lovers of self more than lovers of righteousness. True gospel preaching exposes the wickedness of this self-orientation and calls its hearers to radical conversion. It is only through a genuine Christian conversion that a thorough change of heart and life occurs, enabling one to keep the great commandments of Christ: loving God with all ones heart, soul, mind and strength and one's neighbor as oneself (Mark 12:29-31).
Man-centered preaching cannot result in radical conversion. Tragically, the preaching which characterizes much of today's pulpit activity wallows in the weakness of pandering to perceived needs - needs which are ordinarily dramatically different from true needs. For instance, many of those who are clamoring for acceptance really need repentance, and multitudes who come to church for comfort need to ne severly discomforted and awakened out of their lethal slumbering.
In a day when multitudes have overloaded on self-love, man-centered preaching only fortifies man in his lostness. It may be add a modicum of religion to his life, even a proof-text assurance of faith to which he vainly clings, but it does not bring those who hear into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
Every preacher is in danger of telling his people what they want to hear. The motives for doing so are numerous, including larger paychecks, greater applause, easier circumstances. If the preacher is called by men, he may sensibly give those who called him what they want, but what if the preacher os called by God? How can he dare speak less than all the truth of God?
Every genuine revival constitutes a return of the people of God. Thus, any preaching that is not God-centered - that does not life up and exalt the God of the Bible above all else, calling all to return to Him - will prove to be a distinct hindrance to revival. May God deliver each of us from this hindrance.
Preaching That is Timid
What ever happened ti the fearless preachers whose fiery denunciations of sin and awesome warnings of impending doom used to grip the land? Are we too advanced a culture to be affected by prophets of God or are the men who think themselves called of God too timid to tell the truth?
I remember that old Sunday School song: "Dare to be Daniel to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known!"
Do you dare to be Daniel? Are you prepared to face your den of lions unafraid? Are you boldly standing, even if all alone? Are your purposes firmly set? Do all who you know to what you are unhesitatingly and compromisingly committed?
Do you dare to resist the clock-watchers who are vastly more committed to keeping the services short than to the prosperity of Christ's Kingdom?
Do you dare to stand against the unregenerate leaders in your church, calling them to repentance and faith, even when they are scheming your departure?
Do you dare to insist that the wealthy and prestigious must follow the same path of surrender and devotion to Jesus Christ as the poor and down-trodden?
Do you dare to preach against the favorite sins of your congregation or is you preaching fashionable and acceptable to the unrepentant Christ-haters among your people?
Do you dare to live a life of godly simplicity and open holiness before your watching world?
Does the daring of Daniel mark your daily devotions? Does the courage of Christ characterize your Christian walk? Does the fearless passion of a post-Pentecost Peter power your preaching?
Christians without courage are a strange and pathetic contradiction and a constant hindrance to revival.
Preaching That Evokes Strange Fire
In Leviticus ten the disturbing story is told of Nadam and Abihu who introduced "strange fire" into the midst of the work of God. This incident occurred at the time of the inauguration of the Aaronic priesthood and at a time when fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering. Prompted by pride and lack of self-control, these brothers grievously offended the Lord with their "strange fire" and were themselves consumed by fire from the same source that burned up the sacrifice.
"Strange fire" represents all those acts and activities of men in ministry that emanate from their own proud hearts and undisciplined spirits. The worship and service of God is under the control and authority of God Himself. The scriptures guide and govern the entire life and ministry of the church. God has spoken and men are not at liberty to introduce their ideas and ways into His work. True men of God spend their primary time and energy finding and following God's desires as He has revealed them in the Bible. Proud and undisciplined men think they do God service by introducing new ways and means and means into the life of the church. In recent years an almost unbelievable host of novelties have appeared. Many of them are now accepted as if they they were a part of divine revelation.
Face the fact! Every arrogant act in the church and every undisciplined addition to its ways is a hindrance to revival. God may yet send His fire to consume these men, but how much better would it be for them to repent and return to the Lord now.
Preaching That is Self-Exalting
Some preachers love fine-tuned words and phrases more than divine truth, and symmetry of sermon construction more than the welfare of their auditors. What a tragedy that preaching, which was devised bu God as an instrument of salvation for those who believe, should be one of the greatest possible hindrances to the progress of the gospel in ordinary times and to revival in times of great apostasy.
Certainly there is beauty in carefully arranged words - the Beatitudes of Matthew file are an outstanding example of this as is the love chapter of First Corinthians thirteen - but beauty is turned into ugliness when the motive is impression rather than the glory of God.
Sir, does the way you prepare and preach hinder revival? Which receives the greatest attention: the ornamentation of your words and phrases, or prayer for empowerment from the Holy Spirit? Which is your greater focus: exciting pleasure in the people and praise for the preacher, or reducing the impenitent to tears of contrition and repentance? After which does your heart clamor: the pleasure of knowing that your sermons have been remarkably good, or joy in seeing your people radically affected by the truth of God?
Preaching That is Non-Doctrinal
A pathetic wave of biblical ignorance has swept through the contemporary church. Much if the wind behind the wave is generated by the grossly erroneous preachers who frown on doctrinal preaching and from whose unsanctified lips emerge such impious frothing as, "Don't preach doctrine! It divides!" Of course it divides! It is intended to divide! It was never God's plan to have more goats than sheep in Hid flock! And yet that is precisely what has happened in multitudes of parishes.
While the scriptures clearly indicate that there will be tares scattered throughout the fields of grain, and some goats lurking amidst the flocks of sheep, the biblical picture is not the prevailing image of this day. Instead, the tares vastly outnumber the wheat and the goats far more prevalent than lambs.
The direct result of non-doctrinal preaching is millions pf persons in the churches who believe that they are Christians as a result of something they have done, and whose claim to faith would have been denounced in a saner age as nothing more than mere mental assent.
Shame on the preacher who is too graceless to preach the sovereignty of God, the depravity of man, the wrath of the Almighty, the eternal condemnation of the unbeliever, the atonement of Christ, the mandatory nature of regeneration, the necessity of repentance, the justification of sinners by true faith, and all the other sobering and convicting doctrines of the Word of God.
Preaching That is Either Irrelevant or of Minor Consequence
Some sermons, which might have had a measure of usefulness fifty years ago when preached to a biblically literate congregation, are completely insignificant today when heard by generation of pagans unschooled in Bible basics.
What a strange phenomenon it is for preachers to boast that their preaching has not changed for half a century when society itself has changed so radically. My preaching has changed immensely. When I began preaching, people knew there was a God big enough to have created them, who had the authority to command their lives and control their futures. Today, multitudes who claim to believe in God know almost nothing of the God of the Bible and are often worshiping and serving a god no bigger than their own imaginations.
When we send missionaries to pagan lands we do not expect them to begin their proclamation to the heathen with statements about grace and forgiveness. We expect them to begin at the beginning, introducing their hearers to the God of the Bible. Indeed, the most effective missionaries take months in establishing the truth of God and His rights of authority before speaking of salvation.
A colossal hindrance to revival occurs when pearls are cast before swine. Jesus taught us that "They that are whole need not a physician but they that are sick" (Mark 9:12). The generations that preceded us preached the law, thus enabling people to feel their illness, long before the preached the grace that heals. Preaching grace to those who have never felt the sting of the law is a major infraction of God's ways. Preaching truth that cannot be appreciated and received by its auditors is ever a hindrance to spiritual awakening.
Last edited:
