Are they 'heroes' if they 'preach it straight' to an audience that WANTS to hear it??

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1

1still_waters

Guest
#1
#1
So I was having this conversation with someone in chat today and it made me think.

Have you ever talked to someone who is just raving and gushing on and on for their favorite 'preacher'? Then they say something like, "Well I like them because they just preach it straight and they don't care what anyone thinks!"

Then these folks say it, as if the person is performing a super courageous heroic act.

But here's the thing that gets me. In most cases, the 'super preacher' is preaching to a massive audience of people who WANT to hear it!!!! In many cases, people are spending money on their books and dvds and tapes. So it's not like the 'preacher' is putting their very soul on the line and making some risk as they 'preach it straight'.

I mean, to me a heroic, 'straight talkin' preacher is someone who is risking something to proclaim 'the truth'. A heroic preacher isn't someone who's saying some tough sounding stuff, to folks who are more than willing to create a market share for stuff he's preaching!

Ok, end of rant...

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N

NoahsMom

Guest
#2
#2
Re: Are they 'heroes' if they 'preach it straight' to an audience that WANTS to hear

most straight -talkin preachers i know, dont have a follwin, cause nobody feels like beatin the flames off when they are done.
 
1

1still_waters

Guest
#3
#3
NoahsMom said:
most straight -talkin preachers i know, dont have a follwin, cause nobody feels like beatin the flames off when they are done.
Click to expand...
Lol amen. And many mistake candy coated words said in a tough tone of voice as 'straight talk'.
 
B

BLC

Banned
#4
Feb 28, 2009
711
4
0
#4
quote: 'I mean, to me a heroic, 'straight talkin' preacher is someone who is risking something to proclaim 'the truth'. A heroic preacher isn't someone who's saying some tough sounding stuff, to folks who are more than willing to create a market share for stuff he's preaching!'

What kinds of things in this 'straight talkin' preacher risking? Reputation, crticism ...?
 
B

Baruch

Guest
#5
#5
1still_waters said:
So I was having this conversation with someone in chat today and it made me think.

Have you ever talked to someone who is just raving and gushing on and on for their favorite 'preacher'? Then they say something like, "Well I like them because they just preach it straight and they don't care what anyone thinks!"

Then these folks say it, as if the person is performing a super courageous heroic act.

But here's the thing that gets me. In most cases, the 'super preacher' is preaching to a massive audience of people who WANT to hear it!!!! In many cases, people are spending money on their books and dvds and tapes. So it's not like the 'preacher' is putting their very soul on the line and making some risk as they 'preach it straight'.

I mean, to me a heroic, 'straight talkin' preacher is someone who is risking something to proclaim 'the truth'. A heroic preacher isn't someone who's saying some tough sounding stuff, to folks who are more than willing to create a market share for stuff he's preaching!

Ok, end of rant...

###
Click to expand...
Isn't this pretty much what you are saying?

Luke 6:26Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
 
M

mcap

Guest
#6
#6
I think a hero is somebody willing to challenge the message as being scriptually correct.
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

Banned
#7
Jan 8, 2009
7,576
23
0
#7
Re: Are they 'heroes' if they 'preach it straight' to an audience that WANTS to hear

I think Jesus preached it straight but in a quirky way, often used shock and awe tactics, with a good dose of humor. Jesus used parables , to the crowd they thought he was a raving lunatic speaking riddles.
 
loveschild

loveschild

Banned
#8
May 21, 2009
3,955
25
0
#8
Re: Are they 'heroes' if they 'preach it straight' to an audience that WANTS to hear

Well we want people to go to heaven and not hell. There are so many preachers that won't mention stop being a horrble person or you'll go to hell.
 
I

iraasuup

Guest
#9
#9
Re: Are they 'heroes' if they 'preach it straight' to an audience that WANTS to hear

Oh I couldn't agree more Stilly!

I have people come into my work all the time and rave on about a particular preacher, and how they think she's so wonderful and amazing because she talks straight, and 'says it like it is'. I wanna scream at these people... 'she's just doing that because she knows you wanna hear it'!

ARRRRGHHH!!!!
 
seoulsearch

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
#10
May 23, 2009
14,943
4,584
113
#10
Re: Are they 'heroes' if they 'preach it straight' to an audience that WANTS to hear

I want to thank you all for this thread... there are several popular preachers (the ones all over even the secular bookstores) whose messages I just never really got much out of and I thought maybe it was because of a problem with my faith... that maybe I was too stubborn or not humbling myself enough to really receive their messages.

Now, I'm sure a little of that is true :) but you've really opened my eyes to the fact that maybe there's a reason why, when someone takes my hand and wants to drag me to such-and-such's big-name conference, I never seem to want to go... I always figured I was just being spiritually lazy for having no interest. I mean, I'm sure they have some legitimate things to say and God wants us to bless people, but I could never seem to work up the "excitement' others had.

I come from a home church where the pastor and his wife are the senior leaders of the congregation and his wife especially has a strong gift for messages of correction and discipline. Many will not even show up if they know she's going to preach because some of her messages leave you feeling truly spiritually spanked and as if you've been put in a corner for a while...

After reading this thread, I can truly say I'm very grateful for that.
 
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NoahsMom

Guest
#11
#11
Re: Are they 'heroes' if they 'preach it straight' to an audience that WANTS to hear

Its been my experience, when you go to a service and you leave there, feelin like you need to beat the flames off when theyre done, maybe YOU needed to hear that, and God put you in that service to read your mail for ya. Feel good is fine, but I myself want someone whos gonna come and tell me like it is, whether i want to hear it or not, BUT because God said i needed to hear it to help me in my walk with him.
 
seoulsearch

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
#12
May 23, 2009
14,943
4,584
113
#12
Re: Are they 'heroes' if they 'preach it straight' to an audience that WANTS to hear

Yup, that's exactly what I was trying to say. I love our pastor's wife dearly--she treats me like a daughter--and I appreciate her sermons and personal counsel, in which she's been just as straight with me as in her preaching. The problem, of course, is that in general, I guess it's very hard for most to hear, and so my home church never seems to grow, and often loses members.
 
N

NoahsMom

Guest
#13
#13
Re: Are they 'heroes' if they 'preach it straight' to an audience that WANTS to hear

I think thats the problem with alot of churches today....you got your churches runnin over and ones cant keep ppl there, now Im not sayin all the ones runnin over are all feel good churches, but the majority around here are, i know, cause i have been .They tickle your ears, make ya feel like you can pretty much get away with anything....in hopes youll keep on commin back, and backin em up, then the ones who truley stick to the word....well folks dont wannna hear it, cause then that means they gotta change some things.Thats not how God rolls, WE have to conform to his WORD and his ways....not the other way around.
 
L

lauriepoo

Guest
#14
#14
Re: Are they 'heroes' if they 'preach it straight' to an audience that WANTS to hear

sometimes people who want to hear it NEED to hear it... it's good to reach people who haven't heard it, but you have to help the body of christ grow and mature too, so preachers are very important in the kingdom just like those who go out and risk their lives proclaiming the truth. it's another job that god uses to glorify his kingdom... think about this. if it weren't for preachers who speak to those who want to hear it, then there wouldn't be people who know the truth and want to tell those who don't know. i mean in america most of us are christians today because of preachers like that.
 
B

Blessed1Process

Guest
#15
#15
We have a church that is held in a parking lot. Its called Street Lights. We have over 100 Homeless and or very very low income people as well as "travelers" attend on a regular weekly basis. The service starts at 7pm but people show at anywhere from an hour to 2 hours early, Believers and non believers alike all together. one homeless man who lived in his car was asked to help with the music every week, he makes play lists on his low end laptop that god blessed him with and plays gods music for all of gods children. The Street minister who is a deacon at a local christian church has a portable battery operated PA with a microphone. He brings both side of the sword and you can almost physically see not only the conviction, but also the joy. Souls are saved every week and hearts melt. The thing I love the most is the abundant love from god that you can not only feel but see at work. Believers and non believers alike but not divided we are all together, greeting each other and a lot of the time hugging one another.Another huge blessing that i have received is that it was easy for me at one time in my life to find myself judging people saying oh hes probably a believer and oh she probably isn't . But now i really feel that you never know who you are talking to or who you are walking by. So always walk in a way that is acceptable to the lord. I pray that more of our brothers and sisters in Christ step off of that ledge and allow the spirit to guide and use them everyday, not only inside of the church, but in everyday life wherever they are in Christ Jesus name.

Blessings of grace, peace, and love in Christ Jesus name.
Mark David
 
B

Blessed1Process

Guest
#16
#16
There are 5 local churches that work together in the outreach end of it after the sermon that provides food, clothing, toiletries, and even free pet care through our local covenant creatures, so there is a reason other then the word that attracts the non-believers however they still show up before the service starts or right when it starts and most of them listen when they could obviously come afterward just for the "free stuff" so thanks be to god for moving their feet:)

( I had forgot to mention how the lord drew the non believers in which i think is a very important aspect for those who wonder how and why)

Praise God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Mark David
 
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