RIP: The Neutralizing of Preaching Personalities

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

The topic raised here has been one that has concerned me, as a young whippersnapper, for some time.

I am afraid there is an environment among us that has led to there being a lot of echoes and not too many voices.

We are a generation that would rather be in a herd than to endure the times of loneliness and isolation that it takes for God to craft a truly unique ministry.

A passage that has long been dear to me, and has been the launching pad for one of my favorite messages is this one:


Jer 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.


Jer 15:17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

There are times that the Lord will not share His man with anyone. These times when the Spirit calls you apart are invaluable.

We have a lot of young people who love to dance and worship around the altars when there is a crowd to be a part of, but who aren't as excited about the lonely night watches of solitary prayer meetings.

I remember when I was a youngster going to my first Family Camp at the Oklahoma Camp grounds...

Buck Treadway was preaching the night services, and I was so heavily impacted that I couldn't bear to go out and fellowship with my friends. the night guards ran me out of the tabernacle almost every night that week sometime after 1:00 AM because I found a corner to pray in after everybody left.

But I was accustomed to going into the woods for long seasons alone to pray. There weren't many other kids around I could spend time with where i lived.

Elder, at the time you posted this, I was in conversation with a precious Saint of God and we were speaking the same words you posted here.

This is not a night of entertainment and filling time...I am convinced God is speaking tonight.

Thank you, CS, for posting this confirmation and words of sound wisdom...

[Felicity]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

The topic raised here has been one that has concerned me, as a young whippersnapper, for some time.

I am afraid there is an environment among us that has led to there being a lot of echoes and not too many voices.

We are a generation that would rather be in a herd than to endure the times of loneliness and isolation that it takes for God to craft a truly unique ministry.

A passage that has long been dear to me, and has been the launching pad for one of my favorite messages is this one:


Jer 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.


Jer 15:17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

There are times that the Lord will not share His man with anyone. These times when the Spirit calls you apart are invaluable.

We have a lot of young people who love to dance and worship around the altars when there is a crowd to be a part of, but who aren't as excited about the lonely night watches of solitary prayer meetings.

I remember when I was a youngster going to my first Family Camp at the Oklahoma Camp grounds...

Buck Treadway was preaching the night services, and I was so heavily impacted that I couldn't bear to go out and fellowship with my friends. the night guards ran me out of the tabernacle almost every night that week sometime after 1:00 AM because I found a corner to pray in after everybody left.

But I was accustomed to going into the woods for long seasons alone to pray. There weren't many other kids around I could spend time with where i lived.

I can so identify with this post. I wasn't chased out of the prayer room at camp meeting but I was definitely one of the few young people there when most had left.

At church I was most always the last one off my knees and I'd leave the church to walk home service after service because my family had already left and I'd walk home still talking to God and talking in tongues with the tears running down my face.

In Bible School it was the same thing. Almost always the last one off my knees.

I've often wondered why this great desire and great NEED to pray when it seemed others around me didn't have the same desire, but I do know that my roots went deep - real deep as a result - and I came to know God and to learn how to intercede and tap into the Spirit in a way I wouldn't have otherwise.

The only way we can get to know and understand God to any depth at all is by spending time in His presence. We learn yieldedness and submission as a result and are less apt to rebel but yearn to please Him and acquiesce to His demands, commands and will instead.

[Ron]

So true. When I was a young person in Church I was one of the first ones into worship and last ones to finish.
I very often would spend many nights alone with god.

Then a family comes along, and all of a sudden there are competing demands on my time.

Not easy to do but Communing with the king is worth it.

I'm blessed to see the kind of responses that my inquiry has garnered.

Some key attributes, in my opinion, of those who have 'personality' to their preaching are...
* A fear of God more than a fear of the people.
* A desire to do something for God whether they get recognition for it or not.
* It genuinely is a passion and not just a profession.

One thing that most Saints (and some so called 'preachers') fail to consider as it pertains to 'preaching' personalities is the 'solitude' that real ministry seems to demand. A few years ago I was walking in the hall of a General Conference with my Pastor, Bishop Robert Johnson. Suddenly Bishop O. R. Fauss walked up to me unannounced in the hall of a General Conference and grabbed me by my jaws. He stood there and shook my head with tears welling up in his eyes.

He eventually said, "You know what they tell me, son? They tell me that you preach conviction like a young Bro. Fauss." Humbled and totally unworthy of the statement I said, "Elder, I couldn't walk in your shoe leather much less have a ministry like yours."

In time I looked into his tear filled eyes and said, "Bro. Fauss, why isn't there more conviction preaching?" He gave me a few reasons why he thought it wasn't common to hear conviction / strong commitment messages anymore.

One of the answers was this; "Son, it takes a certain kind of life to preach that kind of message. Most preachers today aren't willing to live that kind of a life."

Then he just stood there and cried.

I have to agree with him on two counts: Most preachers aren't willing to live that kind of life and it does make you want to cry.

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

The topic raised here has been one that has concerned me, as a young whippersnapper, for some time.

I am afraid there is an environment among us that has led to there being a lot of echoes and not too many voices.

We are a generation that would rather be in a herd than to endure the times of loneliness and isolation that it takes for God to craft a truly unique ministry.

A passage that has long been dear to me, and has been the launching pad for one of my favorite messages is this one:


Jer 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.


Jer 15:17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

There are times that the Lord will not share His man with anyone. These times when the Spirit calls you apart are invaluable.

We have a lot of young people who love to dance and worship around the altars when there is a crowd to be a part of, but who aren't as excited about the lonely night watches of solitary prayer meetings.

I remember when I was a youngster going to my first Family Camp at the Oklahoma Camp grounds...

Buck Treadway was preaching the night services, and I was so heavily impacted that I couldn't bear to go out and fellowship with my friends. the night guards ran me out of the tabernacle almost every night that week sometime after 1:00 AM because I found a corner to pray in after everybody left.

But I was accustomed to going into the woods for long seasons alone to pray. There weren't many other kids around I could spend time with where i lived.

Beautiful post, CoonBishop. Exactly what I was trying to say in my last post.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Steadfast

I'm blessed to see the kind of responses that my inquiry has garnered.

Some key attributes, in my opinion, of those who have 'personality' to their preaching are...
* A fear of God more than a fear of the people.
* A desire to do something for God whether they get recognition for it or not.
* It genuinely is a passion and not just a profession.

One thing that most Saints (and some so called 'preachers') fail to consider as it pertains to 'preaching' personalities is the 'solitude' that real ministry seems to demand. A few years ago I was walking in the hall of a General Conference with my Pastor, Bishop Robert Johnson. Suddenly Bishop O. R. Fauss walked up to me unannounced in the hall of a General Conference and grabbed me by my jaws. He stood there and shook my head with tears welling up in his eyes.

He eventually said, "You know what they tell me, son? They tell me that you preach conviction like a young Bro. Fauss." Humbled and totally unworthy of the statement I said, "Elder, I couldn't walk in your shoe leather much less have a ministry like yours."

In time I looked into his tear filled eyes and said, "Bro. Fauss, why isn't there more conviction preaching?" He gave me a few reasons why he thought it wasn't common to hear conviction / strong commitment messages anymore.

One of the answers was this; "Son, it takes a certain kind of life to preach that kind of message. Most preachers today aren't willing to live that kind of a life."

Then he just stood there and cried.

I have to agree with him on two counts: Most preachers aren't willing to live that kind of life and it does make you want to cry.

[rrford]

Had an interesting conversation with a Texas District Presbyter today. He had the same conclusion that I have. Many of those letting go of the things you are speaking of are not young men, but older men. That is seriously hurting our movement.

If the elders do not preach it, the younger will not hear it nor will they preach it. Spiritual pablum will not engender revival nor nourish an anemic church.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by rrford

Had an interesting conversation with a Texas District Presbyter today. He had the same conclusion that I have. Many of those letting go of the things you are speaking of are not young men, but older men. That is seriously hurting our movement.

If the elders do not preach it, the younger will not hear it nor will they preach it. Spiritual pablum will not engender revival nor nourish an anemic church.

Our Pastor just spoke on these things this past Sunday.

[stmatthew]

Only my lowly opinion.

When we ministers become hungry enough that nothing else matters, that we would rather walk away from the pulpit than preach "another message". When we become driven into our wilderness of solitude to pray until we find that hidden life in Christ, that secret place of the most high. When our "occupation" becomes the prayer chambers.


But the sad thing thing is that I really find no Prophet in Israel. Many want the title, but few live the title. Without a prophet this nation will continue to plummet, and the church of America will continue to sleep. We have been set on an exceeding high mountain, and have seen the glory of this world's goods, and have desired them.

I believe it was Verbal bean that in the message "Which way went the Spirit from you", talked about those living next to the train tracks, and that they had become so used to the train coming through that they hardly noticed it anymore. America, and the Apostolic church specifically, has heard some of the best of the best preaching. Yet we are not moved to greater depths in God. We still place our tents around the foundation, and do not even realize that there is a temple that is not yet built. I fear that the words of the preacher have become to common that we, like the train track people, no longer hear the voice of the Spirit.

just my ramblings

[Ron]

Originally Posted by stmatthew

Only my lowly opinion.

When we ministers become hungry enough that nothing else matters, that we would rather walk away from the pulpit than preach "another message". When we become driven into our wilderness of solitude to pray until we find that hidden life in Christ, that secret place of the most high. When our "occupation" becomes the prayer chambers.


But the sad thing thing is that I really find no Prophet in Israel. Many want the title, but few live the title. Without a prophet this nation will continue to plummet, and the church of America will continue to sleep. We have been set on an exceeding high mountain, and have seen the glory of this world's goods, and have desired them.

I believe it was Verbal bean that in the message "Which way went the Spirit from you", talked about those living next to the train tracks, and that they had become so used to the train coming through that they hardly noticed it anymore. America, and the Apostolic church specifically, has heard some of the best of the best preaching. Yet we are not moved to greater depths in God. We still place our tents around the foundation, and do not even realize that there is a temple that is not yet built. I fear that the words of the preacher have become to common that we, like the train track people, no longer hear the voice of the Spirit.

just my ramblings

Not ramblings at all St Matt.