Monday Morning Insights

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    What the?

    What the?

    My friend, Ed Stetzer has a great piece on 'language in the pulpit' over at his EdStetzer.com blog.  Ed writes:  Over the past couple of years there has been a lot of passionate discussion about inappropriate language in the pulpit. Of course some preachers do use language they shouldn't when preaching the word, while others aren't using language they should (maybe we'll make another post on that one).

    He continues:

    I hope we can agree that God does care about the words we use. Positively, we are called to speak the truth with grace, correcting and reproving one another when needed, and encouraging one another as the day of the Lord draws near. On the negative side, God forbids the misuse of words by way of blasphemy, heresy, lies, gossip, slander, and flattery. These are, I think, relatively easy to spot and most of us would agree such speech has no place on the tongues of God's people.

    But, I think more needs to be said. In fact, more has been said. Unfortunately, it has often been little more than spoof texting without real dialog. I'd like us to consider a few of the popular passages that are relevant to this issue and find some direction.

    Read more of Ed's thoughts here...

    QUESTIONS:  What are your guidelines for what is said in the pulpit?  Have you ever said something and then thought to yourself, "I should have NOT said THAT!"

    Comments

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    1. Leonard on Wed, January 13, 2010

      My guidelines for what is said in the pulpit are as follows:
      Is it what God has asked me to say or is it Spirit Filled and directed?
      Is it accurately anchored in scripture?
      Is it well prepared and thus thought through in presentation?
      Is it useful to the hearer without them having to do a bunch of mental gymnastics? (can it be used right away?)
      Is it disciple-making or does it move people another step in the direction of Christ?
      Is God glorified in its preparation, in its presentation and does he ultimately get the credit?

      I never use sexual humor, crude bathroom humor or swearing. 
      I do use some words that others churches or leaders might not like, but in our context would not be considered crude.

    2. Peter Hamm on Wed, January 13, 2010

      Leonard, I’m keeping that.

      That’s awesome!

    3. TexasGator69 on Wed, January 13, 2010

      Ed, my friend, well stated!
      Leonard, Thanks for the guidelines.

    4. Carl Thomas on Wed, January 13, 2010

      I don’t need a dialog to discover what I should and should not say in the pulpit.  My wife does it just fine without any prompting.

    5. Peter Hamm on Wed, January 13, 2010

      Carl, LOL, that’s a separate issue for maybe a counselor…

    6. Gman on Wed, January 13, 2010

      Remember when Ed Young tried to do that with

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44BuQf1Vs1A

      And then also had this video made too.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-FiTJgL2k

      Kind of hyprocritical??! Maybe?

      I know I’m going to be taking the whole forest out of my own eye before the speck in my brothers’. I do know words are powerful and we do need to watch what we say and how we say it.

    7. Ronnie on Wed, January 13, 2010

      Sometimes wrong words could be used in the passion of preaching but a humble apology there and then makes a great antidote!

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