Expository Preaching Blog #16 – “Every Preacher Is Human”

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Every preacher is human. Every preacher is fallible. Every expository preacher is fallible. Every manuscript or non-expository preacher is fallible. Every apostle was fallible. They were only infallible when they were writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Only one infallible preacher ever walked the earth and that was Jesus Christ Himself.

Recently a supply preacher in the church we attended said things about Jesus Christ which I with no doubt or reservation consider to be heresy. I do not believe he could say the things he did and at the same time truly believe in the deity of Jesus Christ.

The church currently has no pastor(s). So we spoke to two of deacons about it. We got the following response from one deacon, “Well so and so recommended him to us so we see no problem with him.” Really? One person’s recommendation is infallible? Years ago I had an issue with a pastor of a sister church in town. They were in the same association as our church. The man was caught having a relationship with another woman who was not his wife. He was forced to resign from his church. That was not the first issue with this man either. I said in a private email to a group of pastors that it broke my heart to see this going on in the church of Jesus Christ and that we should be in tears. I was reprimanded a few days later for speaking harshly about this pastor who had resigned. A few years later that former pastor was arrested, charged, convicted and incarcerated for sexually abusing his daughter for many years. I don’t care who recommends another brother or sister. That is not absolute gold and irrefutable. Preachers are human, make mistakes and speak heresy at times. They should be held accountable for it each and every time.

Another deacon responded to our questions about the pulpit supply’s heresy. “Well it is OK what he said about Jesus because it was one of his points!” This is why I am so dogmatic about expository preaching. Why is ok to preach heresy just because we are trying to make a point? If it isn’t in the Bible we shouldn’t preach it period. I don’t believe there is any exception to that.

We are not preaching “Biblical principles.” We are not just preaching “Biblical truth.” We are to be preaching the Bible. We are to preach God’s message, God’s way and not what we want.

Preachers are human. Preachers get it wrong sometimes. Pastors are fallible. Even expository preachers get it wrong sometimes. Expository preachers are human. Expository preachers are fallible. Just because you are an expository preacher you can still get it wrong. You can mess it up. You can fall flat on your face. If you are true to the scriptures as you should be that is much less likely but it never gives you a free pass to say anything you want. Even the Bereans studied the Scriptures daily to see if what the Apostle Paul was saying was true. What effort that must have taken for them. They had no concordances, no Bible apps etc. Jesus Christ Himself is the only one that we can trust 100% of the time. We can never trust anyone else and I mean no one else 100% of the time.

If you listen to ME preach, check it out and see if I am preaching it right. If you are listening to ANY OTHER person preach, anywhere, anytime, check it out and makes sure they are preaching it right. If not, do not listen to them. Never just take their word for it. Check it out for yourself. Hold them accountable to the Bible!

 

Rev. David Johnson

Former Pastor

First Baptist Church of Austin, MN

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