"The Preacher Doesn't Have the Right To Tell Me What To Do" ?

[(° ͡ ͜ ͡ʖ ͡ °) (ᵔᴥᵔʋ)]

Greetings,

I just had a conversation with a friend over the topic of the messages that are preached at the pulpit. I made the statement that application is a essential element to the sermon being preached. Although biblical literacy is an issue for many Christians, I believe that the problem isn't that people don't know the Bible, rather, they don't do what it says. Someone can preach a very informative sermon and still leave the congregation thinking "That's great. So what am I supposed to do with this information?" Yet I was surprised when my friend told me "It is not the responsibility of the Preacher to tell the congregation what to do or not to do." Is the role of the preacher merely to feed the congregation and let them figure it out for themselves?

Now, for clarification, when I say application I am not saying that the pastor start giving commands from the pulpit. Rather, the pastor provides a eternal truth from the scripture and then gives an example of how this can be practiced in you daily lives. Does anyone else have a problem with pastors giving suggestions or recommendations to holy living? Should the pastor merely teach an exegetical course on a passage and leave it up to the congregation to figure out what to do with it?

 

[Tree of Life]

If biblical truth has not been applied then exegesis has not fully occurred.

The pastor has a right and responsibility to tell the congregation what God says that they should do. The pastor may not issue commands or give advice that has no foundation in Scripture. But so long as a pastor can demonstrate that a certain application is supported by Scripture, he speaks with the authority of God.

 

[W2L]

If you have a bible you dont need a teacher to command you, the bible teaches us God's commands.

 

[Rescued One]

Christians have the Holy Spirit and the Bible. A lot of people let sermons go in one ear and out the other.

2 Timothy 3
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The non-Christians don't care what he says and don't open their Bibles at home.

 

[rockytopva]

I believe a true man of God depends on the second voice.... His voice to the ears... The Holy Spirit’s voice to the heart.

 

[Arcangl86]

The role of the sermon is to educate the assembly, and Christian ethics is a proper subject of that education.

 

[W2L]

The role of the sermon is to educate the assembly, and Christian ethics is a proper subject of that education.

Perhaps before the printing press an educator was needed, but we now have bibles and read as well. Preachers should be teaching that truth.

1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, [a]you abide in Him.

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

The role of the preacher is to tell the congregation what thus saith the Lord, whatever that may be.

 

[W2L]

whatever that may be.

Read your bible and you will know

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

Read your bible and you will know

Most Christians do not read their Bibles.

 

[W2L]

Most Christians do not read their Bibles.

Neither will they learn from a preacher then.

 

[St_Worm2]

"The Preacher Doesn't Have the Right To Tell Me What To Do" ?

Hi No Username Found, a preacher, who is the Lord's underservant, telling his congregation what to do (according to Biblical truth and, of course, as the Lord is leading him to do), is a big part of his job as a preacher.

In fact, if a preacher is not presenting the truth of God in his sermons, particularly in those areas that his congregation is struggling with and most needs to hear, then I don't believe that he's preaching what the Lord would want him to preach (because among other things, that actually amounts to him using his sermons to tickle his congregation's ears, rather than bringing the parts of God's truth that they most need to hear to bear in their lives).

That said, just because a pastor tells his congregation what they need to do, that doesn't mean that they will/have to listen to him! However, it would be "unprofitable" for them not to do so (as the verse below points out).

--David

Hebrews 13
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.​

.

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

Neither will they learn from a preacher then.

Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:13
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

 

[W2L]

Romans 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:13
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

You are using scripture now. Just as i said, scripture teaches us.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Greetings,

I just had a conversation with a friend over the topic of the messages that are preached at the pulpit. I made the statement that application is a essential element to the sermon being preached. Although biblical literacy is an issue for many Christians, I believe that the problem isn't that people don't know the Bible, rather, they don't do what it says. Someone can preach a very informative sermon and still leave the congregation thinking "That's great. So what am I supposed to do with this information?" Yet I was surprised when my friend told me "It is not the responsibility of the Preacher to tell the congregation what to do or not to do." Is the role of the preacher merely to feed the congregation and let them figure it out for themselves?

Now, for clarification, when I say application I am not saying that the pastor start giving commands from the pulpit. Rather, the pastor provides a eternal truth from the scripture and then gives an example of how this can be practiced in you daily lives. Does anyone else have a problem with pastors giving suggestions or recommendations to holy living? Should the pastor merely teach an exegetical course on a passage and leave it up to the congregation to figure out what to do with it?

Jesus has given believers authority over sickness, disease, and demons, but there is no reference in the gospels or Acts where He gave authority to one believer over another.
This is where the Shepherding/Discipleship movement was in error, and caused much harm and defections from the Christian faith. It got to the stage where a guy couldn't go to the store and buy a pair of pants without his discipler's permission! It had pastors excommunicating members from the pulpit in Sunday services. It also gave rise to false accusations against women under this "Jezebel spirit" nonsense.

A pastor's and elder's role in the church is to lead by example, and teach the Word of God and facilitate greater understanding and application of it. Members are to be subject to their pastor and elders, but not allow themselves to be controlled by them. A controlling spirit is a spirit of witchcraft, and controlling pastors and elders are coming from a spirit of witchcraft instead of the Holy Spirit, who never controls, manipulates, or intimidates anyone.

The real demonic side to control is the misuse of prophecy, word of knowledge and discernment of spirits to control people. This nonsense of "I have a word from the Lord for you" and then to use the Lord's name to personally control a member cames straight from the pit and any believer subject to something like that should resist it with all his might. The Scripture gives freedom for any believer to reprove or rebuke a pastor or elder publicly before the whole congregation if that leader is in error or manifesting a spirit that is not of God.

"Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses. But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin. I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality" (1 Timothy 5:19-21).

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

You are using scripture now. Just as i said, scripture teaches us.

Scripture does teach brother and the preacher imparts it to the ears of those who do not read or cannot read it.

 

[royal priest]

Hebrews 13:17
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

 

[RDKirk]

One of the interesting and sad things about Westerners is that we have been thoroughly indoctrinated into "doing what is right in our own eyes," just as Adam and Eve sought to do.

Despite that the scripture constantly points out how disastrous that always is.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. -- Hebrews 13

One of the themes resonating through the New Testament is the concept of submission. Essentially, every Christian should be in acknowledged submission to some specific one else, and that's not just lip-service or intellectual submission, but actual obedience.

If you love me, keep my commands. -- John 14
For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?--1 John 4

So a man says, "I submit only to God." But the indication of scripture is that if you don't submit to anyone you can see, how can you submit to God who you can't see? The fact is, if there is no person a man will obey, then he doesn't even know how to obey. He has never practiced obedience.

This is something we see in military basic training. Young Americans simply do not know how to be obey--even when they are trying.

"Why didn't you follow instructions?"
"I did follow instructions!"
"Look, these are the instructions. This is what you did. What you did does not look like the instructions."
"Oh."

Most of military basic training is teaching the kids how to follow instructions. Obedience does not come natural to people--not since Adam and Eve. It must be taught, it must be practiced.

Obey your leaders and submit to them --- Hebrews 13

Just for practice. So when God does give us instructions, we know how to follow them because we've been practicing.

 

[W2L]

One of the interesting and sad things about Westerners is that we have been thoroughly indoctrinated into "doing what is right in our own eyes," just as Adam and Eve sought to do.

Despite that the scripture constantly points out how disastrous that always is.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. -- Hebrews 13

One of the themes resonating through the New Testament is the concept of submission. Essentially, every Christian should be in acknowledged submission to some specific one else, and that's not just lip-service or intellectual submission, but actual obedience.

If you love me, keep my commands. -- John 14
For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?--1 John 4

So a man says, "I submit only to God." But the indication of scripture is that if you don't submit to anyone you can see, how can you submit to God who you can't see? The fact is, if there is no person a man will obey, then he doesn't even know how to obey. He has never practiced obedience.

This is something we see in military basic training. Young Americans simply do not know how to be obey--even when they are trying.

"Why didn't you follow instructions?"
"I did follow instructions!"
"Look, these are the instructions. This is what you did. What you did does not look like the instructions."
"Oh."

Most of military basic training is teaching the kids how to follow instructions. Obedience does not come natural to people--not since Adam and Eve. It must be taught, it must be practiced.

Obey your leaders and submit to them --- Hebrews 13

Just for practice. So when God does give us instructions, we know how to follow them because we've been practicing.

Following the bible is doing whats right in your own eyes?

 

[W2L]

1 Corinthians 2:15 New King James Version (NKJV)
15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.