Welcome Fellow Christians - Steve Pixler 8/17/14

[Evang.Benincasa]

Different music styles?

Thrash Metal rendition of Jesus my Rock?

[Abiding Now]

"Fear Factor 1 and 2" Steve Pixler at Mile High Conference Denver, CO


http://livestream.cacdenver.org/main/main/20140591

http://livestream.cacdenver.org/main/main/20141059

[Jason B]

Originally Posted by good samaritan

what is wrong with screaming, spitting and sweating. Don't knock it till you try it. I am very passionate about the gospel of Jesus Christ and I think it is judgmental to say that unless we preach or teach a certain way you or wrong. I have heard screamers with no content and I have heard talkers with no content(about the Bible). I have heard screamers with plenty of content and talkers with plenty of content.

I don't think there is a biblical prescription to voice tone that must be followed. I won't judge you if you don't scream and you shouldn't judge me if I do. We should judge the content, but we become like movie critics when we run people down because of their presentation. I liked Pixlar's message over all, but I did get the impression he was getting unity in the church mixed up with unity with the world.

I am fine with different music styles of Christian music, styles of Christian dress, styles of Christian living, but we must not leave off being Christian. I don't know what Pixlar meant by differences, but he is accountable for how he uses his influence. I don't want to make people feel good about ungodliness, but I do believe that people are at different stages in their walk with God and we must be patient. If leadership models and teaches the Bible's teaching we do our part.

I'm not against loud preaching, I just say be real. I'm passionate about the Lord. My whole life is defined by my relationship with Him. I believe the gospel of Jesus Christ to be the power of God to salvation for all men. I believe it is urgent, and needs to be proclaimed urgently. However I am not very animated at all (most sermons I do not even move from behind the pulpit, much less walk all around the platform or church). I despise gimmicks.

But I do believe God uses each of us without violating our personality or individuality, I think thats why we see such a variance of styles and gifts in the church and in the ministry. I recognize that, and I've heard some pretty intense preaching that absolutely blessed my soul (Paul Washer, Leonard Ravenhill, Steve Lawson, Art Azertia) and other that were equally passionate but with a very different method of delivery (John MacArthur, Phil Johnson, etc). I think as preachers we need to be real, not concern ourselves with putting on a show or working the crowd and speak from the heart, allow the burden the Lord laid on us to be present in our preaching, and we can be effective as we follow the Spirit, rather than use red meat phrases, voice inflection, slinging our suit jackets all over the church and working the crowd for amens and applause.

[Abiding Now]

[CC1]

Originally Posted by good samaritan

what is wrong with screaming, spitting and sweating. Don't knock it till you try it. I am very passionate about the gospel of Jesus Christ and I think it is judgmental to say that unless we preach or teach a certain way you or wrong. I have heard screamers with no content and I have heard talkers with no content(about the Bible). I have heard screamers with plenty of content and talkers with plenty of content.

I don't think there is a biblical prescription to voice tone that must be followed. I won't judge you if you don't scream and you shouldn't judge me if I do. We should judge the content, but we become like movie critics when we run people down because of their presentation. I liked Pixlar's message over all, but I did get the impression he was getting unity in the church mixed up with unity with the world.

I am fine with different music styles of Christian music, styles of Christian dress, styles of Christian living, but we must not leave off being Christian. I don't know what Pixlar meant by differences, but he is accountable for how he uses his influence. I don't want to make people feel good about ungodliness, but I do believe that people are at different stages in their walk with God and we must be patient. If leadership models and teaches the Bible's teaching we do our part.

I will be happy to tell you what is wrong with being a screamer. We have been given a mission with the great commission to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ. Screaming and yelling is not effective communication to the vast majority of the unsaved and unchurched.

Many old tie Pentecostals seem to equate sincerity, truth, annointing, etc with how loudly one proclaims the gospel message when that is not the truth from both a logical standpoint and a biblical one. As I mentioned before it seems many preachers want to model their ministries after Old Testament judges and prophets rather than the New Testament example of the ministry of Jesus.

The first part of my life I was in old time Pentecost with all of the hollaring, screaming, holy breath, spinning, twirling, the helicopter, chanting "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus over and over as fast as could be said and on and on.

After that in churches that don't have all of these public extra biblical displays I have seen just as many lives changed, healings, deliverances, etc etc.

I absolutely don't want a boring preacher but I also don't want one who preaches as if he is in a 19th century campmeeting and is trying to make thousands of people hear him without amplification.

This Pentecostal culture of screaming while preaching also lends itself to preachers preaching for response and not results. If they don't get the immeidate gratification of folks whooping and hollaring and jumping around themselves then they are unhappy and accuse the congregation of "being dead" or "not getting it".

[Jason B]

I hear you CC and have agreement with a lot of your post but I don't think you are being balanced. You're creating a caricature that someone who lifts up their voice is a raving mad lunatic preacher, which simply is not always the case. You accurately point out some of the problems in pentecostal sub culture, but then broadly categorize all "screamers" as the same animal. That is simply not the case. And it need not been linked to Pentecost, I have heard some Baptist and Presbyterians flat out preach. Very loud with a gospel presentation and call to repentance.

I also think you are doing the same with Jesus in implying he never raised his voice to preach. The word translated preach implied that of a herald making a proclamation. While this doesn't necessarily include "screaming" (and by screaming I mean lifting up ones voice, loud preaching....NOT screaming like kids fighting with each other)--it no doubt did include that at times. Such as when Jesus came preaching "Repent and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Or when he preached in John 7:37-39, and so on. I'm sure there were many instances Jesus preached and preached strongly (remember some people even thought he was Jeremiah).

Second to that, while Jesus is our ultimate example, I think we do well to remember that Jesus life and ministry were unique. And if we are going to talk about examples of how to preach, while I think we should consider Jesus, I think we do well to consider others.

Not just OT prophets, but John the Baptist (Jesus didn't seem to have a problem with his methods), the Apostle Peter, John & James (sons of thunder), Paul many places in Acts, especially when proclaiming the gospel in open air was no doubt preaching with everything within him. Throughout church history we see the same, look at Luther, Zwingli,Wesley, Whitfield, Edwards, etc.

I'm all for being relevant and connecting with people. But this philosophy that Rob Bell's Bullhorn Guy video is the new standard for reaching people is hocus pocus. I'm not sure you are proclaiming that but certainly others are within american Christianity.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by CC1

Many old tie Pentecostals

I bet those old tie Pentecostals are killer!

You make sure you beat the tin drum on those old tie Pentecostals Mr CC1.

You get'em boy, you go get'em them old tie Pentecostals.

Good grief.

[good samaritan]

All I know is that I am who I am. If I feel to get louder I will, and if I choose to walk off the platform I will. My goal is to minister to the people. I personally feel that it is the anointing that I feel while I am preaching and feel it has been effective. My grandmother when I was a child would dance all over the church even when no else would. I remember her telling me when I was a boy not to quench the Spirit.
My grandma wasn't a theologian, but she was sincere and lived a consecrated life. I know that people like that have shaped who I am today. If I felt like whispering would help reach someone that is lost I would. Many have complimented Pixlar on his message of tolerance, but many seem to be intolerant of the way others may preach.
People today would rather have dim lighting, mood lights, a preacher sitting from a bar stool in blue jeans and you say that screamers our performance based. I'll be honest every person is performance based to a degree. I enjoyed Pixlar's sermon and he didn't scream, but I would do a poor job trying to preach like him. We all are entitled to our opinions, but I think both sides need to open minded. There is going to be people I may reach at my little church that your church may not and their will be those that you may reach that I can not. We all must do our best to be biblically accurate in following God and one day we will find out whether or not God likes southern gospel or contemporary praise and worship.
P.S. EB I wasn't meaning styles of music that is lewd, but I do mean that as long as it gives praise to God than I can care less about the melody or the tempo.

CC I also would let you know that a large number of our church congregation are not 2nd generation Pentecostals and have little church background and we seem to be growing. with the unchurched so I believe being ourselves is the only way to be loud or not.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by good samaritan

P.S. EB I wasn't meaning styles of music that is lewd, but I do mean that as long as it gives praise to God than I can care less about the melody or the tempo.

OK, let's go with that thought.

Then as long as the Thrash Metal is a cover of "I'll fly away" or "Over In The Glory Land" the sound means nothing? If the band Slipknot converted but kept their music the same but just changed the lyrics, you would still view it as worship?

[Lafon]

Steve Pixler .... just listened to him speak & I truly enjoy his style of delivering a message. "Easy listening." Wish there were more Apostolic preachers like him.