Expository Preaching Blog #43 – “Emotional or Heart Felt”

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I believe in expository preaching. I believe in preaching chapter by chapter, verse by verse and thought by thought. This is important to me and always has been important to me. It will be important and part of my passion until the day I die.

When you preach and teach this way it keeps you constant and on track. It helps you to be truthful, accurate and honest. The Bible is the same, always has been the same and always will be the same. There is only one great variable and possible lose cannon. The preacher.

The preacher/teacher is human. He/she is subject to their intellect, emotion and will. Those are the 3 things that make them human. Humanity is totally depraved. Humanity is flawed. The humanity of man can derail expository preaching if you are not careful.

I have both seen worship full of emotion as well as worship void of emotion. As with everything else in life there needs to be balance. I know as a preacher I can use and misuse emotion. I can tell a joke and make people laugh. I can tell a sad story and make people cry. I can shock people and make them wow and gasp. It is at my disposal. I have to be careful to use it properly and not misuse it and not misuse my hearers.

I say all of that to say this. I have witnessed a lot of emotion in church lately. I saw a preacher come to tears when he talked about lost souls needing to be saved. Although I do not doubt his sincerity it is not the preacher’s emotion that will do God’s work. It is the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. I have seen a preacher in the pew and a “worship leader” on stage having an emotional moment during the singing of a song. Music is emotional but again that does not stir real faith or real work in the heart of a man. No emotion from another person has ever changed my life spiritually. The key is focus. When there is music, when there is prayer, when there is preaching, who are we focusing on? Are we focusing on the person up front or are we focusing on the God above? Only God above can save your soul.

It is the sincere, heartfelt ministry of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit that changes lives. Emotional feelings and changes are temporary. True triune God changes are permanent. I am not against emotions. I have a lot of them in spite of what you may know about me. Everything in our media today preys on the shock, fear and emotions of people. That needs to stay out of the church and out of the pulpit. Preach and teach the Word of God chapter by chapter, verse by verse and thought by thought. That is God’s plan and purpose. He has told us what to do. We need to follow His plan. That brings lasting results.

 

 

Rev. David Johnson

Former Pastor

First Baptist Church of Austin, MN

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