The Best Preacher

[Wildkit]

A person remarked how her parents, when they moved, chose a church ( Methodist, Baptist, Moravian, Prysbeterian) with the best speaker. How might one respond?

 

[JohnDamian]

A person remarked how her parents, when they moved, chose a church ( Methodist, Baptist, Moravian, Prysbeterian) with the best speaker. How might one respond?

Is what is being said less important than how it is said?

Short; and to the point.

 

[FidesSpesCarita]

C.S. Lewis:

[Christianity] is…like a hall out of which doors open into several rooms…it is in the rooms, not in the hall, that there are fires and chairs and meals. The hall is a place to wait in, a place from which to try the various doors, not a place to live in…. [While in the hall] you must keep on praying for light: and, of course, even in the hall, you must obey the rules which are common to the whole house. And above all, you must be asking which door is the true one; not which pleases you best by its paint and panelling. In plain language, the question should never be: “Do I like that kind of service?” but “Are these doctrines true: Is there holiness here? Does my conscience move me towards this? Is my reluctance to knock at this door due to my pride, or my mere taste, or my personal dislike of this particular door-keeper?”

“Above all you must be asking which door is the true one, not which pleases you best…”

That is my (pretty standard) reply in these situations… ALthough people tend to dislike that response because most people do this. And the only ture “door” is Catholicism, which has a peculiar color and panelling which grates on people at first…

FSC

 

[John7]

A person remarked how her parents, when they moved, chose a church ( Methodist, Baptist, Moravian, Prysbeterian) with the best speaker. How might one respond?

I’d just remind them Christ is the best speaker/preacher (see Matt 5-7)
and to keep eyes on him.

 

[SSTeacher]

A person remarked how her parents, when they moved, chose a church ( Methodist, Baptist, Moravian, Prysbeterian) with the best speaker. How might one respond?

I guess one might ask what standard/criterion her parents are using.

Or one might just yawn.

Pragmatically,
Mick

 

[Wildkit]

Is what is being said less important than how it is said?

Short; and to the point.

But some preachers sound so good!!??

 

[Izdaari]

My pastor (Assemblies of God) is a true scholar and outstanding teacher, and his sermons are a joy to listen to, both entertaining and packed full of solid biblical doctrine and historical information. Even when covering a bible story I thought I knew inside and out, he can bring out something in it I hadn’t thought of. He’s one of the main reasons I love my church.

But no matter how good he is, a good speaker isn’t enough reason to pick a church. I agree with the C.S. Lewis quote FSC gave us… though of course I don’t agree the Catholic church is the true door… but I will agree it’s color and paneling are peculiar and off-putting.

 

[benidict]

A person remarked how her parents, when they moved, chose a church ( Methodist, Baptist, Moravian, Prysbeterian) with the best speaker. How might one respond?

oooh i dont know… king herod was also a very eloquent speaker. so much so, that the people exclaimed," he speaks with the voice of a god, and not a man!" filled him with alot of pride. the real God killed him with worms. what a yucky way to go. just because someone speaks with a silver tongue does not mean they speak the whole truth. hope this helps. Peace

 

[Bob_Crowley]

A person remarked how her parents, when they moved, chose a church ( Methodist, Baptist, Moravian, Prysbeterian) with the best speaker. How might one respond?

The best preacher I’ve had was Protestant. Unfortunately it’s a skill all too often lacking in the Catholic Church.

I believe the Catholic Church is closest to the truth. But if other denominations do a better job of preaching and music presentation, it’s a bit pointless arguing they don’t have all the truth. The answer is to do a better job ourselves.

However you could make the point that if people are making the move merely because they want to be entertained by a “better speaker”, then they need to examine what they really believe. Church hopping is a Protestant weakness in my opinion.

 

[benidict]

The best preacher I’ve had was Protestant. Unfortunately it’s a skill all too often lacking in the Catholic Church.

I believe the Catholic Church is closest to the truth. But if other denominations do a better job of preaching and music presentation, it’s a bit pointless arguing they don’t have all the truth. The answer is to do a better job ourselves.

However you could make the point that if people are making the move merely because they want to be entertained by a “better speaker”, then they need to examine what they really believe. Church hopping is a Protestant weakness in my opinion.

you raise a good point here. many do want to be entertained in their parishes and meeting houses. if i want to be entertained, ill go to a rock concert! i actually had to shop around to find a more traditional mass. not a big fan of the contemporary movement. have to admit, my priest is a very good speaker who expounds on the scripture beautifully. Peace

 

[JW55]

A person remarked how her parents, when they moved, chose a church ( Methodist, Baptist, Moravian, Prysbeterian) with the best speaker. How might one respond?

Obviously, a good speaker makes a service more interesting, but we have to remember that our main reason to attend church is to worship God,not to be entertained. The focus of a Catholic Mass leads to the Eucharist.

 

[theoldman]

The best preachers are the ones whose message leads us to the foot of the Cross. I think Baptist preachers do that best.

 

[UniversalistGuy]

The best preachers are the ones whose message leads us to the foot of the Cross.

What does that mean? Can you explain?

I think Baptist preachers do that best.

Why do you think that?

 

[Dokimas]

Is what is being said less important than how it is said?

Short; and to the point.

Is that how you like your movies? or your favorate sports’ teams games (just wait til tommorow for the scores)?

 

[Dokimas]

The best preachers are the ones whose message leads us to the foot of the Cross.

Not bad for an old man.

(Doki wispers): [SIGN]Are you a baptist peacher?[/SIGN]

 

[CWBetts]

A person remarked how her parents, when they moved, chose a church ( Methodist, Baptist, Moravian, Prysbeterian) with the best speaker. How might one respond?

It’s sad, really. But it is what happens when the focus of the service is the sermon instead of the Holy Eucharist.

 

[Dokimas]

oooh i dont know… king herod was also a very eloquent speaker. so much so, that the people exclaimed," he speaks with the voice of a god, and not a man!" filled him with alot of pride. the real God killed him with worms. what a yucky way to go. just because someone speaks with a silver tongue does not mean they speak the whole truth. hope this helps. Peace

Was it the way he spoke or was it his crown and his use of terror that the motivated the people to make their statements?

 

[O.S.Luke]

“I go to church whether the preacher is good or bad, and I advise others to do the same.” - John Wesley

 

[Tide210]

I would respond, “that’s how Hitler go into power”

 

[Delta1]

The best preachers are the ones whose message leads us to the foot of the Cross. I think Baptist preachers do that best.

Not for me. Baptist preachers (And Evangelicals) nearly drove me to Atheism.

-Delta1