Beware!devil At Work

[paid4]

Satan is at work hard in our area the past few months. In our church a member met with the deacons and asked the pastor to step down or be voted out. The reason......he's preaching the same things over and over. This happened 2 weeks ago. He did not step down and we did not vote him out. The member has not been back since.

 

Just this week in a church a few miles up the road a deacon stood before the congregation and demanded that the pastor be removed or step down. His reason.....he's preaching the same thing over and over.

 

BEWARE of this tactic from Satan. I know it's not new but it really hit home this past month. It's like he's going from church to church really hard and fast lately. He's working here in North Carolina now and headed your way. Prepare!!!

 

Be in much prayer that we not become complacent in our service for him.

[John81]

One of the many reasons it's so important that we continually pray for our pastors, church leadership, membership and congregation.

[JimsHelpmeet]

I'm seeing a lot of things lately that are disheartening. Our church just isn't seeing growth. In fact, a lot of key families have left just in the past two years and it's really hurt the church. It's keeping with a sad trend, though. The Southern Baptist Convention reported another record loss in membership and baptisms. It's not just IFB churches being hit hard. It's all churches that aren't liberal laser light rock shows with trampoline rooms for the kids and coffee bars for the grown-ups.

[Bro K]

Not knowing just what "he's preaching the same things over and over" really entails; there could be a prOBlem if the pastor is just preaching the same things over and over.

Maybe he should try teaching; since this is the primarily jOB of a pastor. My

[John81]

There are some pastors who get to the point where they have basically one pet issue and they preach on that over and over again. That would be a prOBlem. There are also a few who want to preach nothing but a "come to Jesus" sermon each time they are behind the pulpit. This is also a prOBlem since the assembling of ourselves together is supposed to be primarily for corporate worship and to be edified and built up in Christ. An assembly of believers don't need to hear a call to salvation sermon over and over again. (to be clear, I'm not saying that a pastor shouldn't include a call to the lost in his sermon, but the primary message of the sermon should be aimed at growing assembly of believers in Christ.

 

Around here there seems to have been an attack of the devil upon marriages over the past couple of years. So many Christian couples have been having marriage prOBlems, beyond the normal, and at times our pastor has almost been overwhelmed by so many couples seeking him out for help.

 

No doubt the devil is always seeking to attack our pastors, ourselves, our marriages, families, children, the congregation. We need to be in constant prayer about these matters and be quick to ask for prayer support when needful.

[Genevanpreacher]

Maybe its not just Satan. Maybe God is doing some 'weeding'?

[paid4]

Not knowing just what "he's preaching the same things over and over" really entails; there could be a prOBlem if the pastor is just preaching the same things over and over.

Maybe he should try teaching; since this is the primarily jOB of a pastor. My

The prOBlem is the accuser cannot specifically give account of what the preacher is preaching over and over. (In our church). When you ask for specifics or a topic they can't give any. I do agree there are preachers that pound one subject on Sunday mornings. Ours will go for a month on a series topic type set of sermons on occasion. The real prOBlem is these people don't come to all the services and then think they have the right to call for the preachers resignation. If you're not an active member then you'll prOBably never have ground to stand on when you want the preacher gone!!!

 

I've said too much but I do hope that clears up the vague description I gave in the opening. I am sorry also, that I cannot comment on the other church. They may or may not be an actual prOBlem with the pastor there. Just thought it was interesting they were going through the exact same thing we were in an area less than 5 miles apart.

[Pastor Matt]

It is sad that this happens. I know pastors have it hard a lot of times because they have a church with people on all different spiritual levels. Some know hardly anything about the Bible while others are very well versed. I've had people come to me and say that they are not getting fed in church. My reply usually is, "How hungry are you?" Because when you are really hungry, anything sounds really good.  

 

I love listening to preaching and according to the Bible His Word will not return void. As long as the Word of God is getting preached and I'm letting God work in me, I will get something out of that message, no matter if a kid is preaching or a seasoned preacher.

[DaveW]

It is sad that this happens. I know pastors have it hard a lot of times because they have a church with people on all different spiritual levels. Some know hardly anything about the Bible while others are very well versed. I've had people come to me and say that they are not getting fed in church. My reply usually is, "How hungry are you?" Because when you are really hungry, anything sounds really good.

I love listening to preaching and according to the Bible His Word will not return void. As long as the Word of God is getting preached and I'm letting God work in me, I will get something out of that message, no matter if a kid is preaching or a seasoned preacher.

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If the preacher is preaching from God's Word and you leave hungry then it is not the preacher's fault.

[John81]

That's not true. If a preacher only preaches a salvation message every time he preaches, how are believers to grow in Christ?

 

Scripture itself says we are to move from milk to meat.

 

I've noticed a skilled pastor, with the help of the Holy Ghost, can preach a sermon that's able to feed the various maturities of the congregation.

 

Also, I've known a few (and heard of many more) who preach each sermon upon the same topic; from things like American patriotism to abortion. These pastors most often either aren't truly preaching the Word of God, or they are preaching the same basic sermon nearly every Sunday. Not much room for growth there.

 

Then there are pastors who preach the Word as the Lord directs, under the power of the Holy Ghost, and they are able to feed their flock and call sinners to repentance as they preach the whole Word of God. Praise God there are still many of these left in our land!!

[DaveW]

I knew a preacher who was not technically a great preacher.
I had reason to sit under his preaching for about 12 months of evenings.
I made the decision that our presence was necessary for their encouragement.

People often said that he always preached the same thing, and that they never got anything out of his preaching.

His preaching was not well structured.
But I always got something out of his preaching.
Those that didn't were simply not paying attention.
His preaching was not easy to follow, but it was always Biblical.

Those starving there were just not eating what was being served.
It was not arranged as it would be in a nice restaurant, and so they rejected it as not good enough for them.
It was however hearty and nourishing. Just not always pretty.

I don't think Matt is talking about a preacher too lazy to work, or one on a hOBby horse.

[John81]

I know one preacher who typically preaches about an hour and you have to be careful to catch the nugget somewhere near the beginning and the other towards the end because that's the only meat in the sermon, the rest is filled with story telling and rabbit trails. One can get a bite of meat, but really, what a waste of an hour that a good preacher, or one willing to prepare better sermons, could have used to such great effect.

 

The point being, there are all kinds of preachers out there, some really good, some really bad, and a whole host in between.

[paid4]

It is sad that this happens. I know pastors have it hard a lot of times because they have a church with people on all different spiritual levels. Some know hardly anything about the Bible while others are very well versed. I've had people come to me and say that they are not getting fed in church. My reply usually is, "How hungry are you?" Because when you are really hungry, anything sounds really good.

 

I love listening to preaching and according to the Bible His Word will not return void. As long as the Word of God is getting preached and I'm letting God work in me, I will get something out of that message, no matter if a kid is preaching or a seasoned preacher.

There is one thing about it. You can't eat meat unless you chew on it for a while first. All congregation members MUST apply their attention and a willingness to learn in order to get something. Most of the prOBlem with bad preachers is bad congregation. If you don't like the preacher you have....pray for the preacher you want. Most cases the change that comes is in you. 

[Pastor Matt]

John, I never said in my post that the preacher preaches the same message, so my post is true.

A missing part of the story of the OP is that we do not know if God was telling him to preach the message over and over. Maybe the members were not listening so God told the pastor to preach it again. God repeats himself in the Bible, so maybe the prOBlem is with us some times.

Yes we are to move from milk to meat, but some Christians are too lazy to learn to eat the meat.

Yes, there are bad pastors, but on the flip slide, there are bad members as well. We all have sinned.

[John81]

Bro Matt, I was not referring to your post. As has been indicated in this thread, whatever specific the OP is referring to, we don't know the details so we can't speak to that specific church/pastor.

 

Without a doubt, the pastor and the congregation must do their part in order to receive the true and full benefit. Pointing back to the original OP, we can't know from the scant information given if the pastor or some in the congregation were right or wrong. Just because we discuss one aspect of an issue doesn't mean we are taking sides or giving one side a pass.

 

If I attend a service and spend my time staring at the ceiling fan, or Bro Ben's new hair cut, or Sister Judy's new hair style, or thinking about the ballgame coming in the afternoon, then I've failed to give my attention to the things of God. Whether the pastor preached a most excellent sermon or a real flat tire I wouldn't know. If I said I got nothing from the sermon, I would be right, but it would be my fault, not the pastor's or anyone else.