September 13, 2022
“If You Don’t Tell Me How To Preach….”
Over the years I have had some fun by using the expression – “I won’t tell you how to (fill in the blank) if you don’t tell me how to preach” It is my way of saying that I will let you do your job without my input or interference. Most of the time it gets a good laugh.
A recent example was we were having some air conditioner work done at the church. The repairman asked me several technical questions about the A/C unit, the compressor, and other various parts. So I asked him if he could explain “The millennial dispensation theory from the book of Obadiah?”
He looked at me all befuddled and said, “I don’t know what that means”. So I told him that I didn’t know the answers to the technical questions that he was asking me about the A/C unit. Then I told him, “If you don’t tell me how to preach, I won’t tell you how to fix air conditioner units”. We both had a good laugh as well as his helper.
It is amazing how many people over the years HAVE tried to tell me how to preach. I have had some say that I preach too long. Some say that I preach too short. Others say that I preach too deep – they don’t understand it. Others say it is too shallow and that it is too simple and I am just tickling the ears.
Some have told me that I never preach from the Old Testament. Some say that I focus too much on the New Testament and lose the truths from the Old. Some say that my style is too formal while others think it is too casual.
I have had people who visited our church not come back because we didn’t speak in tongues or because we didn’t use the King James Version only. Some have not come back because we didn’t have enough children or youth for their family. Others have not come back because we had too many children or youth and it was a distraction.
The point is that you can’t please everyone and sometimes people are looking for excuses to not serve God and get totally committed to Him and His church. The Devil helps to point out all of the flaws and thus help the person find an excuse to not plug in. If you come to church with a chip on your shoulder the Devil will send someone across your path to knock it off.
The Bible says that we are to be “Overcomers”. That means that no matter what excuses and issues that the Devil points out to us we are to overcome them with the love of God. We are to remember that it is NOT ABOUT US (And our personal comfort/choices/ opinions) but it is all about HIM (God) and His Kingdom. We are to love one another and give ourselves to the work of the Lord.
I know that I can use some help in people telling me how to preach and I don’t mind it if they do it in genuine love. But I had much rather here from God through the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to preach through me. That only happens when I die to myself and remove my personal choices and opinions and be obedient to Him in a fully surrendered state of mind.
In love with Jesus – Gary Mimbs