I was reading H.B.Charles' article on black preachers and their caricature that may YouTube feeds into. I would encourage you to check out his website.
I think that the plethora of "whooping" or conclusion parts of our sermons that are posted there demonstrate a larger reality. Preachers are judged by how well they can "bring it." And by that I mean "wreck the house", "shout the people", or whatever else you call it.
When we glorify that portion of the sermon to the exclusion of the rest, then we end up celebrating nothing or shouting about nothing. Aint nothing wrong with a whoop to drive home a solid message that has been preached, but the lack of a solid message makes whooping putting whipped cream on a dung heap.
But how do you judge preachers? They preach the word. They preach a relevant word that means something. They preach to the congregation sitting in front of them. They want the best for the congregation even if the congregation is happy with a lack of food.
Preacher know that their people are going to have their backs against the wall during the week. They know that the enemy has a terrible road for them. They know that it is difficult to tell the righteous from evil at times in this world. They know that they need a solid word of truth.
So preach the word in season and out of season. 2 Timothy 4:2. Stop the madness and move forward in power and truth….
Related posts:
- Evaluating a Sermon Outline
- The Preacher and the Congregational Distraction
- Are You a Preacher or Motivational Speaker?
- Black Preacher as a Student of Words
- Why Do You Like That Preacher?
