Cleon Lyles
What a person should preach, and when he should preach it, may never be a settled question. There has always been controversy about this matter. Many have been known to change almost over night. Sometimes preachers preach for years, and do a lot of good, then suddenly learn how to “preach in love.” Then they condemn all who may be doing it as they formerly did. Still others want to “preach in love” on some subjects, but do it otherwise on others. One of the most nauseating arguments I have read in some time is advanced in a little mimeograph sheet that came to my desk from a Texas town, concerning preaching on giving. Here it is:
Really we do not need to preach every Sunday and all the time on money, if the people know what it is going for and that the work of the Lord needs help in this section or that, they usually give freely. Some preachers are noted for preaching on money all the time, others for presenting Christ and the need of the world for Christ and stir up the hearts of the people to give prompted by a love for Christ and his cause and the lost. This done, it does not take preaching every Sunday on money. There is something wrong with a preacher who is continually preaching and whipping a church into line on giving.
Now the purpose of this statement, I do not know. Sometimes statements are made to create a following, or reconstruct one fast falling apart, but that does not give excuse for teaching that which is wrong.
Suppose we take the above reasoning and see if we can harmonize it with other subjects.
Really we do not need to preach every Sunday and all the time on premillennialism. Some preachers are noted for preaching on premillennialism all the time, others for presenting Christ and the need of the world for Christ and stir up the hearts of the people not to be premillennialists. There is something wrong with a preacher who is always preaching and whipping a sinner into line on premillennialism.
Or suppose we try another.
Really we do not need to preach every Sunday and all the time on baptism. Some preachers are noted for preaching on baptism all the time, others for presenting Christ and the need of the world for Christ and stir up the hearts of the people to be baptized. There is something wrong with a preacher who is always preaching and whipping a sinner into line on baptism.
Let’s try once more.
Really we do not need to preach every day and all the time for people to send in money to help on a radio program. Some preachers are noted for preaching on sending money to help on a radio program all the time, others for presenting Christ and the need of the world and stir up the hearts of the church to pay for radio programs. There is something wrong with a preacher who is always preaching and whipping a listening audience into line on sending money to help on a radio program.
Will the person who wrote these lines accept them all? If they are true in one illustration they are true in all of them. If they are not true in one they are not true in any of them. It does not take any deep thinking on the part of anyone to see the lack of logic in the whole set up. Those who know a little about human nature are able to recognize the grand stand play that is being made. How is a person going to learn about any subject unless that subject is taught? Can you teach a man to love Jesus, say nothing about what Jesus requires of him, and get him to obey the commandments of Jesus? A man could stand in the pulpit and cry “love Jesus” until he was black in the face, and people would not know anything about what Jesus required of them.
I am glad that there is a general awakening on the subject of liberality. It has been left alone too long. Many who would condemn another for failing to preach one subject because of the reaction it might have on an audience, will refuse to preach on liberality for the same reason, and feel very holy about it. If they think it will help them any, and have a grudge against another, they will join in an attack against him. “He preaches too much on giving.” Such tactics are fast losing favor, however, because brethren generally are learning more about this subject, as well as many others, that have been kept from them.
How much should a preacher preach on giving? Until the brethren learn how and how much to give. How much should one preach on baptism? Until everyone is baptized. How much should a person preach on premillennialism? Until there are no more premillennialists. You can go on from there.
