One of the things I've noticed in recent months is a greater passion while preaching. Sometimes that translates into me speaking louder or speaking longer or speaking faster. But by and large, I just preach from a deeper place of conviction. And I'm going to let it rip!
Now here is one of the harsh realities of life: not everybody is going to be as passionate about the things you're passionate about. In fact, they might yawn. They might give you a blank stare or close their eyes. I'm not sure how to say this, but when people "check out" it bothers me more than ever before! I want to shake them by their religious collar or silly slap them in the name of Christ. And I think its because I actually believe what I'm saying. And I know it can change their lives!
John Wesley once described his preaching this way: "I set myself on fire and people come watch me burn." If we really knew what we knew and believed what we believe, I think we'd preach with a lot more passion. We preach like their was fire shut up in our bones!
Now here is one of the harsh realities of life: not everybody is going to be as passionate about the things you're passionate about. In fact, they might yawn. They might give you a blank stare or close their eyes. I'm not sure how to say this, but when people "check out" it bothers me more than ever before! I want to shake them by their religious collar or silly slap them in the name of Christ. And I think its because I actually believe what I'm saying. And I know it can change their lives!
John Wesley once described his preaching this way: "I set myself on fire and people come watch me burn." If we really knew what we knew and believed what we believe, I think we'd preach with a lot more passion. We preach like their was fire shut up in our bones!
9 Comments:
Preach...!!!
Dance in the fire, Pastor!
Mark I love your passion when you preach it connects with the listeners heart. I love your mix of humor and passion.
I have noticed this in you too. Praise God for it!
Its fire is shut up in your bones you gotta let it out! When we love the Lord with this great Passion.. people watch out! People let the Holy Spirit BE the Holy Spirit... then we wont have to slap anyone... HE WILL!!!! Fo SHO!
Mark, I've noticed this same feeling in my own preaching - I've just felt "fiery" of late. Perhaps it's a trend - it would be a good one! Keep it up.
AMEN! My wife and I were at CPR training last night. As I was driving to work this morning, I was thinking about how passionate the teacher was about CPR and saving lives AND how interested and attentive we were as a class.
Contrast that with how unpassionate we are at times when talking about Christ (and His life-saving) AND how distracted we are when listening to others talk about Christ, our life-giver!
GULP!
I was visiting my sister's church once, in the mountains of Tennessee. The pastor was very passionate. At one point he actually did grab a guy on the second row by the shoulders and shook him saying "ain't that right brother."
I was glad to be sitting in the back.
Passion can be a great thing, but ... and I do mean this with full respect for what you're doing: if you substitute "people" with the name of your wife or one of your kids in this post, is it still something you want to say?
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