Thursday’s Thought

      A Mid-Week Inspirational Message

    (C) 2003-2008 Ron Adams

Well-Rounded Preaching

     I received a telephone call from a fellow evangelist, asking me to have lunch with him. During our meeting he said there were reports that I was against negative preaching. I replied that was a misrepresentation of what I said. My exact words were “I use negative preaching to tear down erroneous ideas and improper actions. I use positive preaching to build up and edify. But I will not use negative preaching in an attempt to edify; that is, to berate members in order to motivate them. That would be tantamount to spanking your children in order to keep them doing what is right.”

     For a preacher to lambast members as a means to motivate the them is counterproductive. I have known members who were discouraged because no matter how hard they tried, the preacher kept telling them they were still “unprofitable servants.”

     “You’re still not doing enough” discourages. “Hang in there, keep trying, you can do it” encourages.

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Hebrews 3:13

WELL-ROUNDED PREACHING

We urge you, brethren,

admonish the unruly,

encourage the fainthearted,

help the weak,

be patient with everyone.

1 Thessalonians 5:14

Members need to hear well-rounded preaching.

Quotations from NASB

01-31-08