Tradition or Christ Jesus?
To the Preacher/Pastors and clergy.
Allow me to pose a question: “How much Wheat is in your church or among those that you are ministering to?” We know from the Scripture that tares grow amongst the wheat.
A preacher/pastor who has been preaching in a church for some time knows who is wheat and who is not! Whether we call them wheat or sheep, we know who is and who isn’t because of their fruit. Some produce little, some a lot, and many none at all. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27
I have had the gift of studying under several very talented teachers and instructors in a variety of disciplines. The greatest of them all was a man who had accomplished so much, most dare not even dream of such ability and knowledge.
After I had been his student for many years, he reminded me that when we become experienced and gain in advancement, from time to time it is most beneficial to return to the very basics, starting at the beginning.
Why do we do what we do? I can only imagine a variety of answers, but I would hope to hear a common answer from most. I ask this question, “Do you feel you could walk away from what you do in the ministry and do something else?” If you answered “yes” to this, chances are you made a choice to do what you are doing instead of having been chosen to do what you are doing.
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. Why did Christ choose some into the Ministry? Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, preachers and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
This is our purpose! At least it is for those that have been chosen!
Let me ask this, “Are you preaching or teaching in Christ Jesus or in tradition???” I watch many sermons throughout the course of a week, and I have been to many churches.
Here is what is most common: preachers standing in the pulpit giving a cookie-cutter sermon in the tradition of the denomination they preside in. In most it is generally a monotone message spoken with absolutely no depth at all—even in the churches that tend toward more energetic preaching.
All the congregation gets is tradition with little depth. I’m telling what I see; this is my eye-witness account. Sure, this doesn’t apply across all churches, but it does in far too many places.
I believe it is beneficial for all those that are in the clergy today to watch a sermon by Richard Owen Roberts titled “The Church That Covers Sin Will Not Prosper”. It is on YouTube and I highly recommend it. It will force you to see who you are.
Let me pose this question to all you that stand in the pulpit, “Would you invite Billy Graham, Richard Owen Roberts, Adrian Rogers, R.C. Sproul, or any like them into your church to deliver a message?” Please give this thought, for it is far too easy to quickly give a resounding “yes!”
Concerning evangelists, I have been told by several preachers, “They get to come in, deliver a message, and leave!” In my mind, this is the saddest and most cowardly statement any preacher/pastor/teacher could ever make!!! I know that sounds like a harsh thing to say, but give it some thought.
There seems to be a bit of confusion as to what we are chosen to do and what we choose to do ourselves. The choosing of God of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Preachers, and Teachers was explained in Ephesians 4. Being a Preacher is a calling from God, but becoming a Pastor is a personal choice. In my understanding of Scripture, the calling to Preach must override the choice of placing yourself in a pastoral role.
From my observance it is the Pastoral mind that will prevent the truth from being spoken. Let me demonstrate with the Word: John 21:15-17
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Jesus did not say feed the wolves, lions, or bears. He said, “feed my sheep!”
In another writing, I wrote a parable of the king’s shepherd. In it, the shepherd saw a starving lion and culled out a sheep for the lion to consume so that it would not die. The lion returned again and another sheep was sacrificed to the health of the lion.
The lion grew stronger until it began to take for itself, and it brought more lions, and the sheep lessened in number until the King called in the shepherd and asked why he had fed his sheep to the lions.
Back in the 1960’s, Satan chose some weak-minded preachers and convinced them to stop preaching on sin and the consequences of sin, and then he convinced even more to not preach the entire Bible, promising to fill their churches, and the Charismatic movement was born.
Only preach the love of God and that all that was needed to be saved was to repeat a prayer led by someone. The churches began to fill and money began to flow. Soon many others, seeing this great influx into churches, followed, and discipline in the church ceased to exist.
Prayer was allowed to be taken out of schools - with little resistance in a twisted concept of compassion - and hell began to fill.
Sure, there were more people in churches, and some are deceived with that, thinking it’s better to have them there than not, but if Christ Jesus’ sheep are not being fed, they will starve and location doesn’t matter. Anyone can find “feel good” speaking, books, and philosophies in the world. These partial teachings in charismatic churches are just as lacking! “It takes a whole Bible to make a whole Christian!”
The point I’m trying to make is if you feed the wolves, then the sheep will be consumed, and if you don’t feed the sheep, they will starve and seek food elsewhere. Just remember that when sheep become weak from lack of food, they become easy prey.
This is exactly what we are seeing today—so many weak Christians with no fear of God and being ignorant of sin and its consequences. One of the great evils is the concept of tolerance, and this has drowned the Church. Tolerance in any form is not taught in the Bible! Compassion is taught, but tolerance is NOT!
If someone claims to be trying to feed the sheep and they are not driving away the wolves, then they are, in fact, sacrificing the sheep to the wolves.
I’ll put it this way—if Satan waltzed into the church and began disrupting the message, would you cast him out, or would you ignore him? This is not so uncommon in many churches, not the actual presence of Satan issue, but his efforts.
Preachers focusing on being a Pastor more than being a Preacher, deacons running the church instead of serving the Preacher and congregation, Sunday school teachers teaching falsehoods and not knowing enough Scripture to teach without quarterlies, youth leaders with no idea how to lead the young folks and focusing more on entertaining them and playing than on relating Godly principles to their lives.
The results are turmoil, with longstanding members of congregations who haven’t grown in their spiritual lives since their salvation experience (if they ever truly had one), youth seeking other avenues to occupy their time, and no one running to God for answers, instead becoming angry and lashing out or ostracizing others because they don’t fit their expected “church” mold.
Here is something to keep in mind: when I was a child, Preachers were preaching against sin and explaining the consequences of sin. Today, many have no real understanding of Heaven or Hell. That alone shows why so few are true followers of Jesus Christ.
I could write a book on this subject; the realization is until Preachers, Teachers, and congregations make the decision and commitment to return to God’s order in obedience, nothing will get better and, in truth, it is inevitable that things will continue to worsen.
Isaiah 55:8-9 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
If the Church is in a state of discord, resolve it, for “a house divided cannot stand.”
Sometimes all it takes is a single prayer.
Kenneth Kellar
A Man Called by God to Teach and Disciple