Jewels from Crawford Loritts
In a Preaching Today interview, Crawford Loritts reminds preachers of a few things:
Every preacher needs to keep in mind three great axioms: (1) Don't ever dare to stand in front of a group of people with a Bible in your hand and not expect change. We must have a holy confidence—confidence in God and his Word, confidence that God is going to change lives whenever we speak from his Book. (2) Remember that the goal of all ministry is transformation. It's not about being liked. It's not about being accepted. God's ultimate goal is to change lives. (3) At the end of the day, the effectiveness of our preaching will burst forth from the holiness of our personal lives.I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Loritts at a large event several years ago, and I think the man knows what he's talking about.
posted by Milton Stanley at 7:21 AM
11 Comments:
Awesome quote from Loritts. Right on, too!
Hey! I just realized that Crawford Loritts preaches down the street from me at Fellowship Bible Church. I may have to pop in for a visit.
OK. So maybe this shouldn't be rule Number 4. But I often think it should be: Never preach a sermon that is longer than any sermon found in the New Testament.
I have implored a few preachers to sit in their studies, click a stop watch, and read aloud Peter's Pentecost sermon, and Stephen's great message before his martyrdom. However long those sermons are, no sermon need be any longer.
Of course, I am Mr. Garrulous, the dude without an edit button. But when I have either taught or preached, I know when I've said too much.
Peace,
Gnade
This idea of ministry being about transformation rather than making people happy is HUGE... so many of us tend to forget that - maybe that's because so many people IN ministry tend to be "people persons" and, as a rule, "people persons" tend to want people to like them... man, I'm so confused...
Sounds like a good idea to me, Vicki. Atlanta: Charles Stanley (I think), Crawford Loritts, and the Braves, too. Now that's blessed. Peace.
Good point, Bill. When was the last time you heard a preacher criticized for preaching too short?
You're right, Dan. There are many "people people" in ministry. There are also a lot of scholarly types who see the Bible as more about information than transformation (this is disposition, I'm afraid). The challenge for all types is to let the Word have its way with us, to transform us ever more into the image of Jesus.
And by the way, Dan, who are the two distinctive looking men pictured at the top of your blog?
Great post and you are welcome re: the traffic.
Stay strong, be couragous, and serve God in all things.
You're right about Atlanta--blessings on all fronts! Stanley, Loritts and the Braves. What more could we ask for?:-)
Btw, are you any relationship to Charles?
Yes, I am related to Charles Stanley--the fourth grader, not the preacher. The one in Atlanta has shaped my preaching to a degree, though.
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