My purpose here is to argue that sometimes sensitivity, tact and cleverness in the way we communicate pays off greatly as we seek to deliver a difficult to swallow kind of message, convey a rebuke, or bring correction to a person who really needs it. For me, sometime our so-called speaking truth to power or motivating others for a greater good can come across as vicious, rude and simply disrespectful.
Here are some of those things I think could be better, if not, more effectively communicated:
1. We would like to welcome all of you C&E Folks to our Special Easter/Christmas Service. All our C&E folks? It means those who only show up in church for an Easter or Christmas service. In some circles they are called Christers or Onecers.
2. Back in the day we used to go for hours way past the time for us to dismiss service when the Holy Ghost began to move
3. God is not impress with the one hour you give to him at the Sunday morning service
4. Now a days, we do not speak in tongues and prophecy in our meetings and church services nor do we have the freedom to dance, jump and roll
5. I am tired of all these pastors and churches that water down the gospel of Jesus Christ… In fact today I am going to name and shame them
6. Every time I stand in this pulpit, the Holy Spirit grabs hold of my tongue, sets aside what I prepared to preach and blesses me with an unusual anointing
7. Where are the miracles, where are the signs, where are the wonders? The church has lost its power because it is not praying enough
8. I am not here to reach church people. My passion is for the lost not church people
9. I don’t need to go to bible school nor do I need the wisdom of man… all I need is the fire of the Holy Spirit and my Bible.
10. I don’t even prepare my messages. Bless God I’ve got the Holy Ghost
What are some of the most ridiculous things you have heard from a preacher? Feel free to leave a comment.
Walter Bright 
Answer to Number 10.
When you start preaching it will become evident if you have studied or not. One should be careful not to blame unpreparedness on the Holy Spirit.
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Answer to number 10: There are time when the Holy Spirit would interrupt you – and He rightly should. But that same Holy Spirit through whom all scripture is God breathed say – Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). There is nothing wrong with studying the scripture and doing it with the help of the Holy Spirit. Studying doesn’t make you less spiritual or able to deliver God’s word.
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Answer to number 7: Maybe in your church but not in mine. Most pastors who talk like this – do not have the power in the first place to usher in the miraculous. If they did, we would see the miraculous in and through them – and they will spend less time talking about the lack of it in other churches.
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Answer to number 9: You probably don’t. But, not attending doesn’t make you more spiritual than those who did. By the way, the bible is not against going to bible school. The guy who wrote most of the book in the new testament studied under Gamaliel – the ranking rabbi of his day. By the way, after his conversion, he went away for 3 years to Arabia where he spent his time studying, clarifying his calling and preparing himself for his ministry. Just like Jesus did in Luke 4:1-2, 13-15
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Answer to number 8: What a cruel way to tell your flock you don’t care about them. I wonder what Jesus would say – watch over the flock, feed the flock, do not Lord it over the flock, See the word pastor – means shepherd, one who looks after his sheep.
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Amen! There also seems to be a misunderstanding of the purpose of the church meeting. In many modern churches people are encouraged to bring the lost in to hear the Gospel, instead of teaching and equipping its people to go out and share the Gospel. The purpose of the church meeting is for Christians to be encouraged and equipped for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:12). It was never intended to be an evangelistic gathering.
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Amen! Great input. thanks for adding value to this post by your comments. Very much appreciated. See you on your blog soon.
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Answer to number 6: Where was the Holy Spirit in your preparation? I see why he had to stop you from preaching, he wasn’t in your preparation. By saying this it doesn’t make you more spiritual, on the contrary, it shows your misconception about preaching. I know the Holy Spirit does that kind of stuff, but why lie when it is obvious that the message you just gave has been on your mind for a long time?
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Answer to number 5: I bet it makes you feel good to put other pastors down so that you can look good – right? Where is your compassion and prayer and long-suffering for your colleagues. Check out Billy Graham’s Modesto Manifesto it will break your heart over criticizing other pastors and churches from the pulpit.t
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Answer to number 4: In other words just let us run wild like the Corinthian Church – right? Where spiritual gifts – especially the gift of tongues was highly coveted and always on display to show who was the most spiritual. Paul said, I speak in tongues more than every one of you but I rather speak one word that someone can understand than many words no one can. Unless it is a message intended for someone to hear – there should always be an interpretation after the message in tongue. But when it comes to praying or worshiping in your heavenly language that should be something between you and God – and if the atmosphere in your church allows for you to be expressive without drawing attention to yourself and away from God than be expressive. But if it is just you speaking in tongues without it being a direct message in tongues, from the Holy Spirit, in that moment, for somebody, with interpretation – you can still express yourself, but in a quiet and orderly manner.
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Answer to number 3: Sounds just like those who say if you don’t pray for 1 hour – you are not spiritual enough. But do you have to sound so condescending? Do you know if people think they are trying to impress God with an hour in a worship service. Do you know this is all the time they would spend with God for the week? Let’s say yes or maybe. Don’t you think there is a better way to communicate that?
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Answer to number 2: Sometimes I wonder if God only moves during a church service. Could he continue to move while you driving home, taking a shower. Can He still move long after the service has ended? Does God have to move the same way He did back in the day. I think He can still move if He wants 5 minutes into your sermon, or 1 hour after your sermon, or 3 more hours after the time service was scheduled to end. But stop talking as if the only time God moved was back in the day.
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Answer to number 1: Really, seriously… Is it necessary to say such a thing to your guests? I see why they never came back to your Church.
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