Expository Preaching #6. "Influencers!"

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In these weekly blog posting I have shared my thoughts of how and why I preach the way that I do. This is not original with me. This is how I learned during my years at Baptist Bible College in Clarks Summit, PA in the late 1970’s. It is now known as Clarks Summit University. I am very proud be an alumnus of that institution and I am very blessed to have received my training there.

There are a number of names of great, godly men that I would like to mention. Dr. John Benson, Dr. Ken Elgena, Dr. Rembert Carter, Dr. Charles Emert and Professor Glen Crab were just some of the great instructors that I learned much from. I also learned from 3 of my pastors from those days. Pastor Charles Benedict, Pastor Wilbur Rooke and Pastor Milo Thompson all hold special place in my heart. Dr. Carl Elgena, Dr. Earnest Pickering, Dr. Dan Gelatt and Dr. Mark Jackson also had a great influence on me as I entered and served in pastoral ministry.

I say that to say this. You can always learn from older, more experienced pastors while you are actively in ministry. The names of Albert Williams, Gordon Lewis, Robert Newman, Bill Park and Allen Griffith among many others come to mind. It was never following one man or person. It was a great group of people that God brought into my life after my father had passed away at 48 years of age. I was only 11 years old when he was taken from us. I sorely missed being able to discuss preaching and ministry with him. Matter of fact when he died I was determined that I would never ever follow his footsteps into local church ministry. God had a way of changing that stubborn heart just 3 years, later under the ministry and influence of Pastor Charles Benedict.

Recently I mentioned to another pastor a book that I enjoyed on this subject. He said to me “Oh are you a fan of his?” I said, “No, I am not a fan of any man except Jesus Christ.” I believe that in my soul and in my preaching. I don’t preach any man or his book. To my dismay I have often heard other preachers do that.

I heard a preacher preach a sermon, some years ago, in a “Baptist” church based on a book written by a Roman Catholic writer. The book pushed that every time Jesus spoke or taught it was “a comedy routine!” How absurd! How ridiculous! Even more how pathetic that a “Baptist pastor” would use it in any way in a sermon let alone basing a whole sermon on it. We made our way very quickly out of that church and never looked back.

Pastors, preachers, we need to preach the Word of God. Nothing more and nothing less. Many, many have done it before us. Hopefully many more will continue to do it after we are gone. I have more faith than optimism on that subject. God help our pastors and churches to stick to the Bible at all cost.

 

Rev. David Johnson

Former Pastor

First Baptist Church of Austin, MN

(240) 543-0177

davidmjohnson10@msn.com

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