Secondly, the economic law of supply and demand comes into play.
They “heap unto themselves teachers having itching ears” (2 Tim. 4:3-4). Your The demand for these “lusts” creates a wholesale MLB jerseys void that can only be filled by deviant and compromising preachers. It wholesale mlb jerseys appears from the text and wholesale NFL jerseys the grammar of the text, that both the congregation and the teachers have the itch. The congregation, because of the itch, will turn away from the truth and the preachers, too, in order to satisfy the demand. The demand creates the supply: “the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so” Jer. 5:31).
Dr. Harry Bultema says, “The hearers invite and shape their own preachers. If the people desire a calf to worship, a ministerial calf maker is readily found. The fundamentals of the faith and our separation from apostasy are being increasingly ignored. The Devil is achieving one of his greatest victories in our time through preachers, Sunday School teachers, youth ministers, musicians, Christian periodicals and church members who have, rather than ‘preach the Word,’ replaced the essentials with brief essays, three points and a poem, book reports and amusing anecdotes.”
Dr. Harry Ironside said, (65 years ago, (1947) – he was at that time pastor of the then famous Moody Church in Chicago). “The Church of God has gone into the entertainment business! People must be amused, and as the Church needs the people’s money, the Church must supply the demand and meet the craving! How else are godless hypocrites to be held together? How, otherwise, Welkom can the throngs of unconverted youths and maidens be attracted to the ‘services’? So, the picture show and the entertainment, in the form of a musicale (sacred perhaps) and minstrel show, now take the place of the gospel address and the solemn worship of God and, thus, Christ-less souls are lulled to sleep and made to feel ‘religious’ while gratifying every carnal desire under the sanction of the sham called the Church! And the end? What an awakening!”
Their main feature is the new novelty – it’s the new virus for the last days! Warren It is called Neo-evangelicalism, Ecumenical Evangelism, Evangelicals and Catholics Together, Stealth Evangelism. and Positive Thinking. This is what it has come to folks! They are like the pleasure-seeking widows of 1 Timothy 5:6, “she that liveth to pleasure is dead while she liveth.” They give the appearance of life, they throw in a little recreation, programs that cater to people’s wants, and a little “praise concert” so people can leave with a feel 1. good religious feeling. Many church services have come a little more that a “tip of the hat” to God. Many preachers, like Demas, have forsaken Paul (2 Tim. 4:9).
Thirdly, It takes a special kind of preacher: a preacher who is a good listener.
He listens to people – not Bible doctrine. He hears their wants and desires and cheap NFL jerseys then becomes a “man pleaser” by feeding the congregation what they want and not what they need. Both he and the congregation become seekers of “gain” – not necessarily monetary gain though that is not excluded. It may be a search for popularity, reputation, large crowds, a following or a beautiful, elegant, opulent edifice.
I am not going to name the names of those that I am about to quote. My reason is, that in the past when I have done that – the people who need to hear the issue rose up defend or excuse the preacher rather than pay attention to what was said. So, A no names will be given except I will say that these are prominent and popular preachers and leaders in the present evangelical circles.
Pay attention.
Are we not in the “last days”?