The Gospel of Peace, Angry Preachers

The Gospel of Peace

Angry Preachers

From the earliest of times, angry preachers have misrepresented God. They must realize that their opinions and emotions are not necessarily God’s.

Angry, judgmental preachers usually feel that “strong messages” will bring the people in line.

Jas 1:19 You must understand this, my dear brothers. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

Jas 1:20 For human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

Hard words do not bring about repentance.

They actually create new problems.

Pro 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Pro 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Pro 25:23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

Bring forth rain in the original Hebrew.

Pro 29:22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

Hard preaching does not bring repentance; it brings rebellion.

When we ignore biblical principles of communication and instruction, we create problems.

Angry preachers are like parents who gossip in front of their children, and then chastise them for having bad attitudes.

When we criticize and judge from the pulpit, our people criticize and judge.

The only sure way to properly represent God is to walk in love.

1Jn 4:12 No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

1Jn 4:13 This is how we know that we abide in him and he in us: he has given us his Spirit.

We must preach with the same standards of communication as those required in daily life.

Whatever you show a person is what he believes he will receive from the Lord.

Be sure that you do not let your anger and disgust drive him from the mercy and grace he needs.

Preachers are often overwhelmed by the sins of other people.

This can often overwhelm us to the point that we begin to pronounce judgment instead of peace.

Are we in the ministry to serve and heal hurting people, or are we using these people to build a ministry?

We are here to serve the ones who are lost and the ones who backslide, as well as the ones who live godly lives.

We cannot destroy the people who are in sin.

Fellowship with God is the only way they will be changed.

If we drive them from God with a judgmental message, we drive them from the only help available.

1Jn 1:7 But if we keep living in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

They need the fellowship with Jesus in order to be cleansed from the power of the sin that is working in them.

Even Moses had a problem with being too judgmental.

In Numbers 20:7-13, God told Moses how to represent Him before the people.

Instead of speaking faith to the rock to bring forth water, he smote the rock twice.

He was acting out of his anger with the people, but God was not.

Psa 106:32 They provoked wrath at the waters of Meribah, and Moses suffered on account of them.

Psa 106:33 For they rebelled against him, so that he spoke thoughtlessly with his lips.

Because Moses was angry, he let his mouth get out of control.

He displayed wrath instead of mercy.

Wrath always says God will kill you for this; mercy always says God will deliver you from this.

Wrath is the product of frustration and unbelief.

Pro 19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

Pro 14:29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

Unbelief does not see or believe that God is able to work in the situation.

Understanding is calm because it believes the promises of God.

Moses learned that anger promotes foolishness and folly.

Pro 14:17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

Our anger will lead us into a perversion of truth.

After all, one of the root causes of anger in ministers is unforgiveness.

We do not forgive those who hurt us, and we do not really want God to do so until they suffer.

Anger for those who have sinned is also a form of gross self-righteousness.

We fail to see the log in our eye because we are looking for the speck in theirs.

We forget about our short-comings by focusing on theirs.

Church members are often like children.

Parents who have children who are emotionally disturbed are usually themselves faultfinding and critical.

Preachers who should be building up are tearing down and destroying with their words of judgment.

Finding fault does not make anyone more effective; it makes him introspective.

When most people are in the presence of a faultfinder, they make more mistakes.

1Ti 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

We should understand the biblical goals of instruction.

Our preaching, teaching, and prophesying should bring a person to the place where he walks in love from a pure heart.

We want them to have a conscience free from the pollutants of sin and guilt.

We also want them to have a pure faith.

That does not happen by promoting fear and rejection.

Remember, every seed reproduces after its own kind.

What I sow from the pulpit is what I and the people will reap in the church and in our lives.

If I am angry, I will breed anger.

The anger I breed will be turned on me.

If I criticize, I will produce criticism of me and the church.

If I reject those who have faults, they will reject me when they see my faults.

I must get my own hurts healed so I can heal the hurting around me.

I must be the one to whom people can come to see and experience the mercy and goodness of God.