Much of the preaching predominantly found in fundamentalism is nothing more than entertainment these days in my opinion. Of course fundamentalism hasn’t cornered the market on the kind of preaching I’m talking about; it can be found in many other circles too. I’m talking about the kind of preaching that is defined by screaming stomping tirades, where the “preacher” tears down every kind of sin and sinner that the audience has already separated themselves from; preaching against abortion to a Wednesday night crowd; preaching against immodest dress standards to men and women who are not dressed immodestly. Why would a preacher feel led to preach in this manner? Why preach to the choir?

It seems to me that these particular preachers have lost the vision of what the preacher’s role in the Church is. They seem to think they are some sort of ‘rock star’, and the end of their preaching is to appease the fans… to entertain…Now, I certainly understand the need for certain sins to be called out in a Church by the Pastor of that Church… but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the overall shallowness of preaching in some circles (especially fundamentalist circles) where sermons are designed to be entertaining instead of truly edifying to the children of God. We’ve all seem the young, immature, inexperienced preacher get up in front of a Sunday night crowd and preach against rape, murder, drunkeness and homosexuality; and we seem to chalk up the shallowness of the content to inexperience. But what causes a young preacher to think this is acceptable? Could it be that this is what he is aspiring to be? Could it be that the young preacher is trying to be entertaining because that’s what he has seen by the “big shot” preachers and evangelists? It seems to me, if entertainment is the primary goal of the preacher, then there is a much deeper problem than just shallow teaching on the part of the preachers, or simplicity on the part of the congregation.

The definition of a Charlatan is: “One who attracts customers with tricks or jokes”… or, “a person practicing quackery or some similar confidence trick in order to obtain money, fame“. Now, if a so-called “preacher” is entertaining Church members for the purpose of benefiting himself either financially or for approval, then that person, by definition is a ‘charlatan’ because they have either intentionally or unintentionally set aside the intended purpose of preaching, to use the pulpit for selfish reasons.

If you have been around preaching for very long, you have no doubt encountered some kind of charlatan. Charlatan preachers can be found everywhere, even on TBN (gasp). As serious as this problem is, it is nothing new… charlatans have been around since the fall of man, and they will continue to pervert the pulpit as long as man is allowed to continue on Earth. But the more serious problem is that there has always been “congregations” to listen to charlatans. Some “Christians” can’t seem to get enough of them. At a meeting I recently attended where a popular preacher named Tony Hutson was preaching, I was absolutely appalled after the (over an hour) of shallow entertainment based on one single obscure verse. There was nothing edifying about that sermon… it was simply entertainment. But when I was outside the Church building with my family apologizing to my children for taking them to that meeting, a friend of mine came to me and said “brother John, wasn’t that a tremendous message”? I was speechless. And to be honest with you all… I am still astonished that God’s children can be so gullible.

Can a child of God really be so easily duped by a guy with a loud voice and confident aire? Or could the problem be that Christians have become so accustomed to shallow preaching that they don’t expect anything more? Are these Chrisians even capable of hearing the ‘meat’ of the word of God? I would really like to read your comments on this.

Source

I agree with u bro....
In recent times preaching has been all about entertainment rather than dishing out Gods word as it is and in details....

Its all about wearing the best suits and shoes,holdin an msc or a phd....speaking phonetics and with style.......just to drag praise from people and also to be famous....

U see a pastor quoting just 1 or 2 verses on d pullpit, revolves around it till church closes and that's all....then tithe and offering time comes after....

Its all about style and competition....

Let every man face his own calling. If you're busy for the lord ,you don't poke into someone else's .

Romans 14:10
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

What's wrong with people getting excited ith the word of God. What is edification? Is it sadness? The gospel is good news. My dominion over the devil,Sin ,sickness ,death and poverty. Why should I not get excited. I am the light of the world , I am the righteousness of God. Greater is he that is in me. Is that something to be sad about ? No, it's something to shout about!

1 Thessalonians 1:6
And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

Joagbaje: Let every man face his own calling. If you're busy for the lord ,you don't poke into someone else's .

Romans 14:10
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

What's wrong with people getting excited ith the word of God. What is edification? Is it sadness? The gospel is good news. My dominion over the devil,Sin ,sickness ,death and poverty. Why should I not get excited. I am the light of the world , I am the righteousness of God. Greater is he that is in me. Is that something to be sad about ? No, it's something to shout about!

1 Thessalonians 1:6
And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

Now I see why people now dance makkosa and break dance in d church..or sometimes bring comedians to d church.....now I see!!!

Dance is dance , it goes along with music. And music is part of worship.

Psalms 150:4-5
Praise him with the timbrel and dance:
praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals:
praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

Joagbaje:
Dance is dance , it goes along with music. And music is part of worship.

Psalms 150:4-5
Praise him with the timbrel and dance:
praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals:
praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

Lol....dance is dance abi??....
Even tango too....now adays churches even have dance groups that even go for competitions....a guy and a girl dancing tango together,just like what we watch on movie magic(step up,stump da yard)....I believe that's all part of d holy spirit working ba

And please can u just get me a quote in d new testament where d 1st century christians danced in d church or where d isrealites danced right in d temple.....I'll appreciate that....!!!!

U never made any comment about comedians been invited to d church....

Oboy na serious entertainment dey go on for church o.....no seriousness again.....

ijawkid:


Lol....dance is dance abi??....
Even tango too....now adays churches even have dance groups that even go for competitions....a guy and a girl dancing tango together,just like what we watch on movie magic(step up,stump da yard)....I believe that's all part of d holy spirit working ba

And please can u just get me a quote in d new testament where d 1st century christians danced in d church or where d isrealites danced right in d temple.....I'll appreciate that....!!!!

U never made any comment about comedians been invited to d church....

Oboy na serious entertainment dey go on for church o.....no seriousness again.....

. We dance in praise and worship before our God . I know some church stand in attention like national anthem when worshiping ,they don't believe in dance. It's not a problem. Those who dance should do it to Gods glory and those who don't want to dance shoukd keep standing attention. But stop judging thy brother.

There are different dances for different occasions .theres time for everything God is not against pleasure or entertainment. there's time for entertainment and refreshment. Everything in our lives. it is not prayer prayer. Jesus himself had times of resort and refreshment.

Mark 6:31
And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

John 18:1-2
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where was a garden, into which he entered, himself and his disciples. 2 Now Judas also, who betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus oft- times resorted thither with his disciples.

But everything has its place. There'are some things that may suite certain christian gathering but certainly not in a church service. But Entertsinment has its place.

The poster has only copied and pasted from a western website but does that underline the veracity of the write up ? Poster that stuff up there is nothing but judging your fellow man. Who are you to know which preaching is standard and which is not Moses was a stamerer yet God still used him. Do you remenber the harlot by the well, she was credited with saving a whole town. So stop condemning what does not make sense to you God work's in diverse way's and he sure does not owe you any apology for that. And by the way could you please define Standard preaching or better still.
Who authorized the act of preaching in the christian gathering did jesu ever preach ? No he actually only taught. There is a difference so I am telling you that pastor's should not preach to their congregation they should rather teach them so that when they are making mistake's they would have been pointed out before misleading the congregation just like paul did to peter. Now go and search your scripture's and come back to agree with me.

@joe....this is my point...
There is time for everything...
Entertainment should have its place and done wholesomely....but should it be merged with church activitiesthat's d question.....

I can dance to Gods glory @ home or some other wholesome gathering ,but should it be right inside d house of God where seriousness shuld be d order of d day??

Jesus did have recreational times but where those times spent when he got into d synagogue to discuss serious issues frm d scriptures?

Imagine if d isrealites after going into d temple,spend there time dancing makkosa all in d name of praising Yahweh,? U ofcus knw d thunder that will strike them that minute....

I'm not against christians having wholesome fun,but when shuld that be done

Is it during that 2hrs they are to sit down and learn about God in d church

I passed by a church 1 day and heard makkosa beats and d next thing I saw were d members dancing makkosa and shaking there yanshes.......is that worship any longer??

@ijawkid you are sounding like that blind man that Jesus healed and asked him what can you see that responded he could see men like tree's. True he could see but not properly.
Ok, note this point's and maybe they could shape your view, the word church does not in any way connote the building. It refer's to the person cos Jesus will come back to rapture his church which does not include the building does it. So wether he dance's in a 'building(church as far you are concerned) or his bedroom' it's actually his church dancing.
The act of dancing is purely physical and it is a response to a stimulus just like you would spread your carpet in the sun if water poured on it.Dancing is also a strong and physical expression of our faith sometime's in a bid to reinforce the actual abstract faith. We dance to physically to gain control in our spirit for example most churches sing praises after a prayer session. It only help's to strengthen the feeble faith's by riding on the back of their physical expression into their mental condition and this tool has always proven to be effective and without replacement.(i hope you understand this part cos it's quite a spiritual bone)
David was credited with dancing before the lord although he was not in the temple(meditate on that) Now if you were alive then you most definitely would have supported his wife who was later punished with barreness.David dancing was not the issue the issue is that he felt something inside of him which he could not control and the best way to let it out was to jump up, take some regular and iiregular step's, shake sideway's and then dance.
The gospel of work's is buried and the gospel of grace rose up the third day.
What exactly is makossa dance and what is christian dance could you please elaborate? Since the budhists and judaists also wear suit's can we stop wearing them because it's sinful.
Paul said everything is pure only we make them impure. I understand we have a culture of self pontification in Nigeria but as genuine christian's we should spend more time praying that God will take away the veil of heresy rather than praying to God to perform magic on our finance's. If you find yourself focusing on women's backside when they are dancing and praising God then be humble enough to admit you therapy(cos to me it's a kind of perversion rather than a spiritual situation). I still wonder how you get to cope when women are walking briskly because they also tend to 'shake' their 'accesories' in the process. I hope you are himble enough to understand that the argument your church as peddled against dancing and praising God does not hold water. I only don't know how you will convince them that we are not all pervert's like they want to make us out to be.

@guitar....Jesus won't rapture a building but he did flog some maniacs who were buying and selling and extorting individuals in his Fathers house....abi

When I say church I mean the house of God....
And mind u I don't attend churches were people dance breakdances and makossa's all in the name of praising God....so the yanshes of people aint my problem.....

I'm only saying what is right @ d right time.....

It seems these days everytin goes in modern christianity...that's why u always have more empty headed people than those who rili wanna learn about God.....

I'm happy u culd say david never danced in d temple.....
D early christians did sing praises to God decently and by arrangements when ever they had a spiritual gathering,but dancing more or else wild dancing all in d name Óf praisiÑg God was never part of there agenda.......

U can call me blind but I'm serious.....

D churches and many persons are loosing sight of d seriousness of serving God today,because entertainment which ordinarily they could get during there leisure times has been dragged into Gods house.....

Even comedians come to crack jokes in churches today..SMH!

@ijaw look I was not expecting you to throw in the towel easily but if you could be sincere with yourself you are just whipping up sentiment's. I already knew you don't attend a church that they encourage dancing and you are saying exactly what you have been fed with here but, I am trying to make you understand that there argument against dancing does not hold water.
Ok, where is the house of God the 'church'? Please stop showing just how deeply rooted in the word of God you are. It 's indictive on your part. Maybe you will just force me to school you through the bible a little. Now, the death of Jesus christ marked a new dispensation in the order of worship. Before he died the temple was the house of God but after his death the temple ceased to be of any significance and quote me 'NO significance'. Because God migrated from the temple into our heart and the physical evidence for this is the tearing of the veil separating the holy of holies. Yes! What I am saying is that your 'church' is just a building no different from a train station. Remember the girl that asked jesus whether jerusalem was the place for true worship. Jesus said a time was coming when man would no longer worship him in building's but in spirit and in truth. So the reason Jesus whiped the trader's in the temple was because as at that time God was still limited to the temple. And the issue of david that you have misinterpreted, David was not in the temple yet he had the priviledge of being in the presence of God . It means that he carried God's presence even before that order was initiated, a great priviledge if you ask me but he still danced. So now that we have that order fully established because we now carry God's presence as christians if we dance too we are covered regardless of where it's done but obviously David did it in public.
Listen carefully man, I understand what you are trying to say and you are right the priviledge we have with grace as been bastardized by many but if we must acheive any thing in our quest to rid the body of christ of evil let it be through genuine and correct doctrine's. The propagation of false doctrine like painting the act of dancing in God's gathering as a sin in itself is a great indictment that we must look into even in our zeal to please God. Let us not come across like people who have a zeal for God without knowledge because this is the state of most people who claim to serve God. And remenber that our own holiness is like a filthty rag. I understand how it is trying to be different from the world but be careful lest you fall into a much worse state than you are running away from because your posts reek of somebody who daily shake's his head when he passes by some people and even some christian's. You need to pray that God should deliver you from your work's because you seem to understand so much how to wrk hard at being a christain but what about letting God posses your mind and the whole of you because if that happen's then everything you do will be to the glory of God so, if you dance instead of being attracted by dancing yanche's you'll be blind to it. The thought of you even coming up with that scenario of you or any other person being distracted by people shaking their yanshe's show's just how deeply spiritual you are. And, if your argument is that you were just echoing some other people's sentiment's well, as a christian I expect you to know that they are not truely born again and pray for them. So many people lust by just seeing a woman's face so ehy don't you buy all your women in church a purdah so some who are easily tempted with a lady's gentle face are saved. Now do you see the flaw in your arguement . I do hope you have learnt something today and do pray for me too while you are praying for yourself bcoa I am actually having a raging war with my hormone's now,if you know what I mean.

@ijaw and frosbel I was expecting a feedback but you've gone all silent. Do you think I'm right? I think if you agree you are wrong there is no crime acknowledging that we are all human and we learn everyday but this sudden silence? . . . . .common.

Oh bro......I'v said what I got...

Many persons focus more on entertainment more than d more important things....

Like I said earlier,I don't have no problem wit individuals entertaining themselves(wholesomely),but why drag it to d lil time spent togther to worship God

Dancing wild all in d name of praising God right there in a congregation....

Bringing comedians like its a wedding reception......

Playing makkossa right in a congregation all to praise which God if I may ask

u dnt rili get my point I know but soon u'll get it...

When u see more of unserious persons who claim to be christians and an infinitesimal few who really are true christians then u'll get my point...

@ijaw I do get your point very well infact you are the one missing my point. I am glad you quite agree that dancing may not be wholesomely wrong even in the congregation you are only pissed with the way people have so much abused dancing but tell me one thing that has not been abused. Even your speaking in tongues. I am only saying that in condemming some things we should be careful not to mislead others and not to be misled ourselves. Nothing done in excess is good so even dancing could become a sin if we do not do it to glorify God. But you seem so fixated on dancing which I tried to elucidate upon that it's quite scriptural to dance in contrast to your initial assertion. Ok listen to this story some year's ago the deeper life church called the television the devil's box. It was so condemened that members who had it were disciplined in some branches and we were regaled with stories of how sin would enter our lives if we as much as move near a tv well today every deeper life church not only posses a tv they even have a satellite station which they now encourage their members to buy tvs and tune to. Now, do you know how many students would have shyed away from the mass media career in the thought that it was sinful and now the same church runs a tv station. What I am saying is dancing if it is to the glory of God is not a sin infact everything done to the glory of God be it cracking of joke's too is not a sin but even if you preach to your own glory, may be to show your eloquence you have sinned. This is the point where we depart from the old order(works) to grace. You must understand this fact and it must be clear as a crystal otherwise you are missing the whole point of jesus death. I hope i have clarified my point .

@Frosbel,
On the post you copied and pasted up there, are you saying it is wrong to preach against abortion to a crowd at a wednesday night service?
So because they are in church it means that some amongst them do not commit abortion or do not plan to?

Or you say preaching against immodest derssing to people seated modestl dressed?
Seriously, so because they wore their sunday best to church, it doesn't mean they dress immodestly outside?

Please did you even read what you pasted up there before you even copied it?

So it is you to define what is to be preached in church again?

So left to you, once someone looks like a 'non-sinner', you should just pat him on the back? You look at the outward appearance as I can see as if a church crowd is not made up of saints and sinners.

I am amazed at your piece!

frosbel: Much of the preaching predominantly found in fundamentalism is nothing more than entertainment these days in my opinion. Of course fundamentalism hasn’t cornered the market on the kind of preaching I’m talking about; it can be found in many other circles too. I’m talking about the kind of preaching that is defined by screaming stomping tirades, where the “preacher” tears down every kind of sin and sinner that the audience has already separated themselves from; preaching against abortion to a Wednesday night crowd; preaching against immodest dress standards to men and women who are not dressed immodestly. Why would a preacher feel led to preach in this manner? Why preach to the choir?

It seems to me that these particular preachers have lost the vision of what the preacher’s role in the Church is. They seem to think they are some sort of ‘rock star’, and the end of their preaching is to appease the fans… to entertain…Now, I certainly understand the need for certain sins to be called out in a Church by the Pastor of that Church… but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the overall shallowness of preaching in some circles (especially fundamentalist circles) where sermons are designed to be entertaining instead of truly edifying to the children of God. We’ve all seem the young, immature, inexperienced preacher get up in front of a Sunday night crowd and preach against rape, murder, drunkeness and homosexuality; and we seem to chalk up the shallowness of the content to inexperience. But what causes a young preacher to think this is acceptable? Could it be that this is what he is aspiring to be? Could it be that the young preacher is trying to be entertaining because that’s what he has seen by the “big shot” preachers and evangelists? It seems to me, if entertainment is the primary goal of the preacher, then there is a much deeper problem than just shallow teaching on the part of the preachers, or simplicity on the part of the congregation.

The definition of a Charlatan is: “One who attracts customers with tricks or jokes”… or, “a person practicing quackery or some similar confidence trick in order to obtain money, fame“. Now, if a so-called “preacher” is entertaining Church members for the purpose of benefiting himself either financially or for approval, then that person, by definition is a ‘charlatan’ because they have either intentionally or unintentionally set aside the intended purpose of preaching, to use the pulpit for selfish reasons.

If you have been around preaching for very long, you have no doubt encountered some kind of charlatan. Charlatan preachers can be found everywhere, even on TBN (gasp). As serious as this problem is, it is nothing new… charlatans have been around since the fall of man, and they will continue to pervert the pulpit as long as man is allowed to continue on Earth. But the more serious problem is that there has always been “congregations” to listen to charlatans. Some “Christians” can’t seem to get enough of them. At a meeting I recently attended where a popular preacher named Tony Hutson was preaching, I was absolutely appalled after the (over an hour) of shallow entertainment based on one single obscure verse. There was nothing edifying about that sermon… it was simply entertainment. But when I was outside the Church building with my family apologizing to my children for taking them to that meeting, a friend of mine came to me and said “brother John, wasn’t that a tremendous message”? I was speechless. And to be honest with you all… I am still astonished that God’s children can be so gullible.

Can a child of God really be so easily duped by a guy with a loud voice and confident aire? Or could the problem be that Christians have become so accustomed to shallow preaching that they don’t expect anything more? Are these Chrisians even capable of hearing the ‘meat’ of the word of God? I would really like to read your comments on this.

Source

That kind of preaching has a reason. It is no coincidence ...
They use the regime of terror. For that, the figure of Satan is unbeatable. Everything bad is because of Satan (that eliminates any possibility of self-criticism and thus of reasoning).
They try to minimize the capacity for analysis of the faithful, making speech obedient automatons.
They genran irrational fanatics, capturing new fans, which in turn will increase the "cattle" owned by the pastor.
Repression also plays a role. When you say that criticizing the clothes deemed immoral, abortion ... keep sexual RELATIONS ... is criticized and banned until the thoughts ... it is impossible not to sin, and he who sins is because it is weak against the devil.
In such a situation, the pastor is essential ...
The dependence of the shepherd-believer link is getting stronger ...
The believer is permeable, and thus will be very easy for the pastor to make a financial gain, making the believer in his slave.
Repression + Fear = dependence .
Good deal ...

The only thing i see wrong in it is that, after the excitement which is indeed nescessary after hearing all the promises
of God, we who were excited fail to go back to scripture to examine if these men of God did not drop in some heresy,
which is really common aspecially when they have tatsed the level of our excitement.

It is very important for us christians to examine what we here in churches with the Book of Life as the people of thessalonica did to apostle Paul's
teachings

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.(Acts 17:11).

ijawkid: I agree with u bro....
In recent times preaching has been all about entertainment rather than dishing out Gods word as it is and in details....

Its all about wearing the best suits and shoes,holdin an msc or a phd....speaking phonetics and with style.......just to drag praise from people and also to be famous....

U see a pastor quoting just 1 or 2 verses on d pullpit, revolves around it till church closes and that's all....then tithe and offering time comes after....

Its all about style and competition....

it is true my brother and that is the reason every christian should know what they believed. Many todays pastor are no longer preaching the gospel of our lord Jesus Christ. Some are comedian, sometime you will see the way pastor will be making the congregation laughing,they will be shouting uhuh..yahyahyah etc at the end of pastor preacing they will started clapping for the pastor for telling them the words of God. Is that the words of God? Some years back if you hear a true sermon the fèar of God would grip you.I remember when i was young there was a day that i went to church with our neighbor, at the end of pastor sermon ,he said we should put what he says in our left hand not to use it to eat but i mistakely put it in right hand. When i got home i refuset to eat, for i dont want to sin. It was my mum that later expkained the pastor's prouerb to me.Can this happen to children of nowadays?

Oneday i had a dream in my dream somebody was taken me round the church to see what is going on in our churches.I was taken to three churches, in these churches ,the pastors are just telling the tale of how they travel and what happend on the way, that has nothing to do with salvation.

If pastors of nowadays want to do revival just check there themes.You we be hearing the themes such as Night of Blessing, Miracle Night etc.You can not diffrenciate Some pastors sermon with seminal or counceling.There seminal is always on how to make money,this are kind of churches that youth today like.Where they can showcase their dress up for competition, and met new people.Everybody want to change as the world changes

Above all,what is happening in churches and to pastors today, and to the youth, is the sign of End Time that Bible tells about.I quote

This know also that in the last day perilious times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selve ,conventious,boaster, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parent, unthankful, unholy..... 2 Tim 3 -1

There is nothing like christian entertainment. Preaching does not have any kind of particular format to follow. When we preach the word, only God can confirm with signs and wonders. Glory to God!