Wanted-Real Preachers- A.W.Tozer

It is true that much church activity is thrown back upon a shaky foundation of psychology and natural talents. It is sad but true that many a mother-in-law is actually praying that her handsome son- in-law may be called to preach because "he would have such a marvelous pulpit presence."

We live in a day when charm is supposed to cover almost the
entire multitude of sins. Charm has taken a great place in religious expression. I am convinced that our Lord expects us to be tough enough and cynical enough to recognize all of this that pleases the unthinking in our churches: the charm stuff, the stage presence in the pulpit, the golden qualities of voice....

I feel sorry for the church that decides to call a pastor because "his personality simply sparkles!" I have watched quite a few of those sparklers through the years. In reality, as every kid knows at Fourth of July time, sparklers can be an excitement in the neighborhood--but only for about one minute! Then you are left holding a hot stick that quickly cools off in your hand.

Prophetic Preaching

If Christianity is to receive a rejuvenation, it must be by other means than any now being used. If the Church in the second half of this century is to recover from the injuries she suffered in the first half, there must appear a new type of preacher. The proper, ruler-of-the-synagogue type will never do. Neither will the priestly type of man who carries out his duties, takes his pay and asks no questions, nor the smooth-talking pastoral type who knows how to make the Christian religion acceptable to
everyone. All these have been tried and found wanting.

Another kind of religious leader must arise among us. He must be of the old prophet type, a man who has seen visions of God and has heard a voice from the Throne. When he comes (and I pray God there will be not one but many), he will stand in flat contradiction to everything our smirking, smooth civilization holds dear. He will contradict, denounce and protest in the name of God and will earn the hatred and opposition of a large segment of Christendom. Such a man is likely to be lean, rugged, blunt-spoken
and a little bit angry with the world. He will love Christ and the souls of men to the point of willingness to die for the glory of the One and the salvation of the other. But he will fear nothing that breathes with mortal breath.

Agreed Tim, Tozer at his usual best.......bro Frank

It was taken from the book " The size of the soul." I would like to add the very next sentence which is often left out...............

"This is only to say that we need to have the gifts of the Spirit restored again to the Church. And it is my belief that the one gift we need most now is the gift of prophecy."

I have found that men resist this more than anything. This is the real danger to the lukewarm church of today and Christendom in general. Satan has done a masterful job in flooding Christendom with self-proclaimed prophets. Now men everywhere, in an effort to keep control of the platform and under the guise of " strong leadership," have thrown out the baby with the bathwater and become an enemy to the only way back from the abyss of lukewarmness and powerlessness, the gifts, ordained and given by God Himself to edify the Body. While this situation remains, the famine continues...........bro Frank

Tim writes........

"Discernment is not known in truth without the present outpouring of the gift of prophecy and prophecy is, as has been aptly said, shunned for fear of what God's Word will do to men's "ministries"."

Amen brother. There are legions of men in the pulpit and leading ministries who are without the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.They fear genuine prophecy, not the kind of " what's happening in your life," as Tim spoke of nor the kind who tell you how wonderful your church is and how the next year is going to be your best year, but the kind who have been scorched in their bones by the fire of the Lord and who have an urgency about their spirits..........bro Frank

Amen! Gift of discernment and prophecy is given to the Church for a reason. The Kingdom is spiritual and the battle is spiritual. Satan is the master of confusion.