Preach the Word

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 27, 1910

It was reported recently that the pastor of a certain church was requested by his congregation to resign, for the reason that he preached too little of Christ and too much of politics. In commenting on this incident, the Western Recorder (Baptist) of September 1 says of the influence following such preaching:—

Agriculture, literature, politics, Socialism, and other things are valuable themes upon proper occasion, but they have no place in the pulpit. The preacher who is faithful, who would do good and do no evil, must confine his sermons absolutely to heralding the word. The injurious results that always follow, however slowly or imperceptibly, from preaching the arts, sciences, literature, and other things in place of the gospel, are enormous. No wonder Paul should have reiterated to Timothy, “Preach the word.”

The apostle Paul declared that the time would come when men would not endure sound doctrine, but would heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. Many questionable topics are brought into the present-day preaching. While the preachers are primarily at fault, and should uphold the dignity of the pulpit and the purity of pulpit discourse by confining their preaching to the gospel, at the same time it is true that, as the prophet says, the “people love to have it so.” The wide-spread degeneracy so apparent everywhere in the professed church of God, has had its influence upon the ministers of the word. Too many of them strive to please their people instead of seeking to please God. The gospel minister misinterprets his message, and lowers his sacred calling, when he fails to distinguish between the sacred and the common, or makes as a part of his message questions outside of Christ and him crucified.