Hey "Preacher"! Can you
stop talking long enough
for some advice from old
men? It will only take a
minute.
A short time ago a church within driving distance
had a series of meetings with a renowned teacherpreacher. This brother had enough degrees, titles and experience to satisfy the most discriminating. Due to the distance, and personal circumstances, I decided to attend only the first meeting. Even the offering for him was decided before hand. [This was something between the Lord and I over another matter. It simply needed a recipient.]
The renowned brother was extremely interesting. He was a very learned Bible teacher, and presented the teaching of the Scriptures in a most persuasive way. Although I had decided to attended only the first service, after about thirty minutes of his teaching I begin to consider coming to the rest of the meetings, despite the distance and personal circumstances. In fact after an hour he was still holding my interest [That is a miracle.] and I was still of the same persuasion.
However. By the time one hour and forty-five minutes had elapsed, the pendulum had swung the other way. No way was I coming for three more meetings. And I was giving serious consideration to giving the offering somewhere else - any where else. I'm weird. I know it, I confess it. But I'm in good company.
"Mark Twain is credited with a story about an overlong sermon. At the end of twenty minutes he was so favorably impressed he decided to put in five dollars when the offering was taken. Twenty minutes later, he decided that two dollars would suffice. After another twenty minutes, the proposed contribution shrank to one dollar. When eventually the sermon ended, Mark Twain awoke from a doze and placed a dime on the plate." -Speech: DYNAMIC COMMUNICATION by Milton Dickens pp. 318,319
The apostle Paul said, "For the kingdom of God is not
a matter of talk but of power.
- 1 Corinthians 4:20 NIV
Brother James said, "Everyone should be quick to listen,
slow to speak,..." - 1:19 NIV.
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not
keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and
his religion is worthless." - 1:26 NIV
"... but no man can tame the tongue." - 3:8 NIV.
Just the thinking of some old men.
************************
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2 comments:
HA! This was a good one... there have been times when my offering also would have dwindled... a good word for all preachers. My own dad was a preacher, and my mom used to tell him...'people do not have the capacity for a LONG sermon!... You will lose them"... :)
Thanks!
Sonja
Oh Luther, what a sorry condition in so many of our pulpits! We so desperately need the humble preacher who brings God's word every time he opens his mouth. I fear, too often, many bring their own words and then use God's word to affirm what they're saying (often out of context).
I think a dime is way too much at times. Perhaps Twain should have taken a dollar from the offering as it went by. :)
Blessings,
Kathleen
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