The Equipping Ministry, Student Workbook, SW15

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T H E E Q U I P P I N G M I N I S T R Y

IV. The Difficulty of the Preaching Ministry

Preaching means interpreting life today with light from the Scriptures so as to meet the needs of the hearer now, and guide the hearer in doing God’s will tomorrow.

A. Preaching the message of God is hindered by the inability of lost people to understand God’s truth .

1. The Scriptures contain some topics and themes which are simply hard to understand, 2 Pet. 3.15-16.

~ Andrew W. Blackwood, Sr.

2. The devil has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, 2 Cor. 4.3-5.

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3. The hearts of many have grown cold, and may not be in a position to listen to the truth, 2 Thess. 2.7-12.

B. Preaching employs human messengers as its vessel , who sometimes give mixed signals between their message and their lives, Phil. 1.15.

1. People who do not know Christ will preach Christ with the wrong motive.

2. Preaching may only concentrate on those aspects of Christ’s person that focus on his blessings and provisions, and not his justice and truth.

C. Preaching has become extremely scattered today, too many items dealing with small ideas .

1. Preaching today in many venues purposely ignores all citations of the Scriptures on judgment, wrath, or any of the “severity of God” texts.