Preaching and Hearing (Romans 10:12-17)
Gary McManus, 09/29/2019Part of the God's Word is Life series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
September 29, 2019 Romans 10:14-17
Pastor Appreciation Month: Preaching!
Perspectives on preaching in America in the 21st Century:
--awards/recognitions
--12 most effective preachers in America list
--most popular preachers in America
--Are they the same list? No!
(The richest Pastors in America? They don’t preach,
most of them.)
So how is the preaching going in America in the 21st
Century?
a study ten years ago:
1. The Christian Church in America—this is all Christians who are a part of churches-
is becoming less theologically literate.
barna.com
https://www.jonathanmorrow.org/new-research
-from-the-barna-group-on-the-theological-literacy-of-the-church/
What used to be basic, universally-known truths about the
Christian faith are now unknown mysteries to a large and
growing share of Americans.
Can only mean one thing? The preaching and teaching
week after week in this country isn’t good enough.
Preaching has been tweaked and tweeted.
Preaching remains important.
--the Preacher?
--the Pastor?
--the Minister?
(1 Peter 1:23, 1 John 1:1,
Romans 10:17, 1 Corinthians 15:2)
In Romans 15:16 Paul says that he was called
to be “a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles”.
The word minister can be translated “servant”.
Paul makes clear what he does in our Bible
verses for today.
Faith comes in you by you hearing the message
of Jesus through the word about Jesus Christ and
the Holy Spirit moves to accept that in you or confirm
that word in you.
(New Testament writers did not have a Bible, they were
writing the Bible.)
We HAVE a Bible and in our own language.
That is thanks to another pastor/preacher: Martin Luther.
See also 1 Peter 1, 1 John 1:1,
1 Corinthians 15:2
[i.e. you hold to the Word, not the preacher of the word. . .
more on this another Sunday]
It is why we are here speaking and listening.
We are being transformed by the renewing of our
MINDS. (Romans 12:2).
The resurrected Jesus said, “behold, I make all
things new.”(Revelation 21:5)
It isn’t a one and done thing—renewal is ongoing
until that day we are face to face and give God the glory.
Amen.
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