Amen. I'm all for preaching.
And for that church Jeff Thomas mentioned, I agree they are failing by
taking Sunday worship to the theater.
*Replacing* direct communication (which good preaching is) completely with
artistic story telling is dangerous because it's purpose becomes quality
entertaining, rather than accurate illustration. But there IS a balance.
Good preachers also use illustrations of various types (and I'm not talking
about pictures). Otherwise they are merely reading the verses and stopping.
The more accurate and direct an illustration is, the more value it has in
communicating to and helping the listener understand THE Truth. When it's
purpose becomes entertainment quality, it compromises accuracy and
effectiveness.
However, on the other end, a pastor who does nothing but read a passage of
scripture (I sat in a service one time where the pastor read the entire book
of Ephesians and did nothing else) is just as much compromising the role of
communicating understanding of THE Truth as the pastor whose primary concern
is using videos and jokes to get laughs and make everyone feel entertained
so they will give and come back next week.
You said: "It is not that movies and dramas are necessarily wrong in
themselves - though some would argue they are..."
But David has argued with scripture that movies and dramas ARE necessarily
wrong in themselves.
When doing so, he has misinterpreted the texts he quotes.
Mel Gibson's movie is not the end of preaching, or the end of personal
discipleship for that matter. Just because it's on DVD and can be replayed
for eternity does not mean it is enough. No more than an excellent sermon
given by JGR recorded on a tape is enough to teach the world, from here to
glory, about The Truth.
It is just one piece helping people understand.
Without ongoing study, discipleship, preaching, evangelism, even email
debate, all used by the HS, it would fall short of fully enlightening people
about our infinite God. One of JGR's messages would fail in the same way
(No offense intended John), as would all of Spurgeon's messages together on
a website fall short without further preaching by others via sermons,
personal discipleship, evangelism, discussion, commentaries, etc.
If the story presented is accurate in representing a piece of The Truth, it
serves a purpose in proclaiming and revealing The Truth. It does not become
the purpose, or present the entire truth, but it serves to communicate a
piece of it. It plants some seeds, and helps in watering others already
planted. It in no way becomes a replacement for THE Truth, which is God
himself.
I think I'm at my limit for the day, so I'll attempt to refrain from
answering any more posts for now.
Grace to you,
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Scanlan [mailto:jscanlan@...]
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 11:22 AM
To: soundofgrace@...
Subject: RE: [soundofgrace] faith comes by HEARING
Steve,
I think that David is pointing to a very real danger here. It is not that
movies and dramas are necessarily wrong in themselves - though some would
argue they are - but the problem is that when you start down that track you
seem to be on the proverbial slippery slope.
I have seen it now in two churches that I have attended. We liven up the
services because we don't want to be seen as irrelevant and boring. We
introduce skits and other lighthearted features.
However these things are never enough. They never satisfy and so we have to
do more and more and soon preaching IS seen as boring and oldfashioned.
So let's hear it for preaching.
God bless,
Jeff
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Steve Fuchs (on MSN) [mailto:SteveF_MS@...]
>Sent: Thursday, 26 February 2004 2:26 AM
>To: soundofgrace@...
>Subject: RE: [soundofgrace] faith comes by HEARING
>
>Again David, you are the only one here who has claimed anything about
>'needing'.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Dea5315@... [mailto:Dea5315@...]
>Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 7:21 AM
>To: soundofgrace@...
>Subject: Re: [soundofgrace] faith comes by HEARING
>
>
>In a message dated 2/24/2004 5:35:52 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>SteveF_MS@... writes:
>
>> You are the only one hear who has claimed that Sunday morning
>> preaching is 'boring and old'.
>
>Steve,
>If it isn't, why do you feel we need movies and dramas and pictures?
>
>David
>
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