HOW TO PREACH WITHOUT RESULTS

By Charles G. Finney

Let your supreme motive be to increase your own popularity -- then, of course, your preaching will be suited for that purpose, and not to convert souls to Christ.
Avoid preaching doctrines that are offensive to the carnal mind, lest they should say to you, as they did to Christ, "This is a hard saying, who can hear it?"
Make no distinct points, and do not disturb the consciences of your hearers, lest they become alarmed about their souls.
Avoid all illustrations, repetitions, and emphatic sentences that may compel your people to remember what you say.
Avoid all heat and earnestness in your delivery, lest you make the impression that you really believe what you say.
Address the emotions, and not the conscience, of your hearers.
Be careful not to testify from your own experiences of the power of the Gospel, lest you should produce the conviction upon your hearers that you have something which they need.
Do not awaken uncomfortable memories by reminding your listeners of their past sins.
Denounce sin in general, but make no reference to the specific sins of your present audience.
Do not make the impression that God commands your listeners here and now to obey the truth. Do not let them think that you expect them to commit themselves right on the spot to give their hearts to God.
Leave the impression that they are expected to go away in their sins, and to consider the matter at their convenience.
Dwell much upon their inability to obey, and leave the impression that they must wait for God to change their natures.
Preach salvation by grace, but ignore the condemned and lost condition of the sinner, lest he should understand what you mean by grace, and feel his need of it.
Preach the Gospel as a remedy, but conceal or ignore the fatal disease of the sinner.
Do not speak of the spirituality of God's holy law (by which comes the knowledge of sin), lest the sinner should see his lost condition and flee from the wrath to come.
Make no appeals to the fears of sinners, but leave the impression that they have no reason to fear.
Preach Christ as an infinite amiable and good-natured being, but ignore those scathing rebukes of sinners and hypocrites which so often made his hearers tremble.
Admit, either obviously or casually, that all men have some moral goodness in them, lest sinners should understand that they need a radical change of heart, from sin to holiness.
Say so little of hell that your people will think that you do not believe in its existence yourself.
Make the impression that, if God is as good as you are, He could not send anyone to hell.
Make no disagreeable references to the teachings of self denial, cross bearing, and crucifixion to the world, lest you should convict and convert some of your church members.
Do not rebuke the worldly tendencies of the church, lest you should hurt their feelings, and finally convert some of them.
Do not rebuke extravagance in dress, lest you should make an uncomfortable impression on your vain and worldly church members.
Encourage lots of church socials, and attend them yourself.
Make it your great aim to be personally popular with all classes of your hearers.
Aim to make your hearers pleased with themselves and pleased with you, and be careful especially not to wound the feelings of anyone.
Especially avoid preaching to those who are present. Preach about sinners, but not to them. Say "they," and not "you," lest anyone should take your subject personally and apply it to their own life, securing the salvation of their soul.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

You... Diligent Preachers?

Proverbs 27:23-27 says: Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation? The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered. The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.

I like these verses as they tell me of farming, the farmer, what he owns and how he endures. It tells me how diligent and persistent he is in tending his livestock and in his care of them. He looks to his herds with much delight and satisfaction as he knows they will be protected under his watchful eye. He knows, too, that his riches may not last long because sooner or later he will sell all his flocks, earn from them, but may not use the income on good purpose. When he will squander it all, then he has nothing - not even the flocks that he once had.

The same is true with the Preacher. He looks to the state of the flock (the congregation) and realizes that when he looks too well to the “status” of the herd in the church (income from the people), he soon finds out that his “payment” will not last forever. The following generations may give less than what the previous generation so willingly once gave. The giving will not last forever.

I will break down the rest of the verses to help you understand how l perceive what is going on here, in a Biblical sense, with the help of the Holy Spirit. l believe this may be right. Here they are:

The hay appeareth is the LORD Himself in all His glory revealing Himself to us through His Holy Word, convicting us thru the Holy Spirit, humbling us and allowing us to see our need for Him.
The tender grass sheweth itself, ass sheweth itself, l believe are new Christians and babes in Christ Jesus, who just received salvation and have been born again by the Spirit of God.
The herbs of the mountain are gathered l believe are those Christians who were once backslidden, have run back in the arms of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to be sheltered once again and kept in safety till He comes again, that blessed hope we look forward to so much.
The lambs are for thy clothing l feel is the precious blood of Jesus Christ that clothes us each day from sin, protects and preserves us, and keeps us safe from the snares of Satan.

Verse 27 tells me of the lost who will have enough to sustain their needs and have nothing in the end. But, that verse tells me of the saved that he will have enough milk (Word of God) to last. The saved (the sheep), too, will be supplied by the goats (unsaved) in ways they don't realize or fully understand. The household and maidens (those who are saved) will receive enough to live off from the unsaved that may live in the same house with other maidens who may be unsaved. Not all are saved in each household.

These are just my thoughts on the mentioned verses of the Scripture. Friends, especially the preachers, l pray the Lord will bless you all and keep you in safety. With a reliance and dependence on HIM, you will not go wrong. Your life is a never ending battle as the Devil is against you and hates you, so be wary and let your thoughts and heart be of one accord with GOD Almighty. He will sustain you each day till you see Him face to face.

(c) October 2, 2010, Michael Carey