Icicles From The Pulpit

 I don't know how many tens of thousands of sermons are delivered on any given Sunday. That is not what interests me. I am more interested in how many of those sermons are delivered with the fire and the power of the Holy Spirit on them. As Leonard Ravenhill wrote, the pulpit is not a shop window to display talent or education. We are not there to impress. We are there to proclaim. 

I have heard too many cold sermons leaving my soul icy and icicles on the pulpit. Where is the fire in preachers today? I hear many say they give talks. I don't know what all that entails. God called me to preach. To herald His word. To proclaim His truth. To do so not with persuasive words of human wisdom but with a demonstration of Holy Spirit power. 

God please replace fireless preachers and preaching. Eternity is at stake. When I sense lost men and women in the congregation, I agonize as I preach calling them to trust Jesus for salvation. It pains me when I feel I am not getting through to them. I know it is God who convicts and opens darkened and deceived hearts. It still bothers me when I preach a gospel message and nobody gets saved. It hurts. It grieves. It makes me cry out to God all the more. 

I do not want to preach icy sermons that chill the souls of the lost. I certainly do not want icicles hanging from the Spring Creek pulpit or any pulpit. So much hangs in the balance. Preaching is serious business. Preaching has God as its subject matter and His holy word as our text. These are serious times requiring serious minded preaching. We are not there to entertain nor tickle the ears of the listeners. We stand behind the sacred desk to proclaim the word of the Lord. May we do it with fire, passion and Holy Ghost anointing. 

10,000 miles

 I just read something that shocked me from a mundane Monday. So bewildered by the statement on printed page, I had to research further. What I discovered proved even more bewildering. There is a pastor in China whom they call "Pastor Bike." He rides his bike to visit people and share the gospel with other villages. 

In 1998 it was estimated that Pastor Bike cycled over 10,000 miles. Over 10,500 to be more precise. He rode to 24 different provinces. He got harassed and detained by police repeatedly, but that did not deter him. He is still working for Jesus today. 

He leads an average of 2-3 people to Jesus everyday! I did the math. Say he averaged 2.5 people a day. He wins over 912 people to Christ each year.  I am shamed. I have not led anyone to Jesus since June. It was reported he baptized hundreds last year. At Spring Creek we baptized 2 last year. Again I am shamed. 

Even in the midst of persecution, in a gospel closed country, Pastor Bike proves the gospel still works. Sadly, in America we talk a big game but how few give a verbal witness. I am convicted I do not do it nearly enough. May I repent and be a more zealous and faithful witness for Jesus.