I go to conferences, occasionally listen to a tape of another preacher, and on other occasions get to hear others preach.
I'm amazed at how often I hear "now that means," "What this means is," "What God is saying is." Then after I listen to their explanation I find I'm terribly let down.
I've even heard preachers explain their explanations, which makes me think they had not thought through their explaining.
We are told in Nehemiah 8:8, "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading."
And Jeremiah 23:22, "But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings." That the preacher's duty is to explain to the point of causing change of behavior. Now, "that means" that if truly explained, and fully understood, behavior would change.
I'm looking now at the fruit of some of these "explainers" explanations and those living their explanations; and I'm again terribly let down.
Perhaps we preachers need to explain to our own souls before we attempt explaining to others. Perhaps we need to accept the charge from God that our "explaining" is to change behavior?
Some Historic unaffiliated Baptist churches are not walking with God. The people are not holy. Why? Perhaps their preacher's explaining is not much explanation. Well, it's not changing much, and God means - what does it mean?
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