Results Driven Preaching
Have you even been wowed by a church that has 1,000 plus members, fancy buildings, massive music programs, or seemingly unlimited funds? So-called Mega churches seem to be sprouting up everywhere. It is tempting to look at these huge churches and immediately think, “They must be doing something right!”
The problem with this line of thinking is that leaves us with the tendency to look at the small humble church with few members and less funds as doing “something wrong”. This thought process is simply not Biblical and has the possibility of leading us astray.
Now, let me just say, I don’t have anything against mega churches. If they are preaching the Gospel without compromise, then I applaud them. I am glad that God has blessed them with high membership. However, I know that many of these mega churches do not preach the pure Gospel. Many have compromised the message in order to secure more parishioners and therefore more money. They look successful to us, but in God’s eyes, are not.
Let’s look at this another way. This applies not only to “preaching” but spreading God’s Word in general such as helping others. Have you ever looked at someone in need and thought that helping them was pointless? Do the problems of this culture seem to big to overcome? Is our government just too corrupt to change?
God charges us to preach his message regardless of the results because it isn’t about results, it is about obedience. The great commission of Matthew 28:19-20 makes it clear that we are not to sit around idly waiting for Christ’s return, but we are to get up and preach His Word!
Matthew 28:19-20
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Note that Jesus didn’t add that people would listen or that, if you are really good at it, you will be very successful. In fact, Jesus warned that the road ahead for Christians would not be easy. After all, Jesus preached and even He was rejected by His people to the point of being crucified! Would any of us say that Jesus wasn’t successful enough?
Luke 9:22-24
The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
So, as we can see, Jesus gave us no guarantee that we would be successful but promised that the road ahead is hard.
This brings me to Ezekiel. God’s stance against results driven preaching is not something brought up only by Jesus, but God had addressed this issue long before with His prophets. Ezekiel was a captive at Babylon during the Jewish exile. He was a priest and a prophet to the other captives. In chapter 2, God tells him that he is to speak God’s words to captive Israel and that it wouldn’t be easy because Israel was very rebellious. After all, that is why they ended up exiled in Babylon.
Ezekiel 2:3-5
And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. For they are impudent children and stiff hearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
As you can see, God basically told Ezekiel to not worry about the results, but to preach anyway. He even adds not to fear the people calling them “briers and thorns” and “scorpions”. This tells us that many of the people will not respond favorably to the message.
Unfortunately today, Christians seem to have ignored this lesson. We look for results as if that is what is most important. Instead of focusing on God and obeying his command, we worry about the results. We place our faith in results more than God! We need to just obey and let God worry about the results.
Jonah had to learn this lesson too right? He didn’t think Ninevah would ever repent (of course, he also didn’t think they deserved to either but that is another topic for another day). Instead of obeying God despite his assumptions, he ran the opposite direction. Instead of worrying about results, God just wanted him to obey. In the end, Ninevah repented!
Ezekiel had to walk a hard path. Jeremiah and Isaiah had similar commissions. They were promised that people would not hear them. But God sent them anyway. Why? Because some would repent. But also, so that there would be no excuse. Israel could never blame God for not trying to reach them. It is up to each individual whether or not to listen.
So, let us encourage our preachers to preach the Gospel regardless of the result. In fact, we needed to focus on preaching the Word of God regardless of the result. Let’s not focus on church membership numbers or large monetary funds. Let us not stress over having large fancy buildings or rock concert worthy music performances. We don’t need more mega churches. We need more Gospel centered churches!
Do you see a homeless person and wonder if your helping hand will even have an effect? Give to them anyway. Does that person addicted to drugs seem like they will never change? Help them anyway. Does everyone you know compromise on things like abortion or homosexuality? Speak out anyway! Does it seem that the world can never reform? Pray anyway!
Let God worry about the results. Just obey. Spread the Word, help others, and love God unconditionally. If we really believe our God is a mighty God, then we need to act like it.