Sunday, March 4, 2018

SOME THOUGHTS ON PREACHING & MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING


We get to hear a lot of preaching. That has gotten me to thinking about a couple of kinds of public speaking that we sometimes get confused in our thinking. Those 2 things are preaching & motivational speaking.

My conviction is that preaching involves proclaiming content of the Bible, thru the supernatural enablement of the Spirit, for several specific, redemptive purposes. These purposes are to bring people into a personal relationship with Christ, to inspire believers’ spiritual growth, & to encourage disciples to fulfill their specific God-given part in fulfilling the Great Commission.

Preaching is not the aim or climax of the worship service; like every other part of a service, it is intended to prepare people to respond to what the Holy Spirit desires to do in their lives.

In very broad terms, motivational speaking encourages people to develop their own abilities & talents so that their lives can reach maximum potential. Motivational speakers sometimes use biblical texts or stories to confirm or illustrate what they are saying. As a result of self-development, individuals should become better partners, parents, employees, leaders, etc.

There are some overlaps between these 2 kinds of speaking. Both should inform & motivate. Both should result in lives that are fuller & better lived.

But, there is a difference.

Preaching should begin & end with God’s sovereign plan for people. Motivational speaking tends to focus on our desires & plans. It may only make God & the Bible incidental in reaching the goals that we have set for ourselves.

Preaching focuses on the fulfillment of what God ultimately wants, while motivational speaking values what we desire at that particular season of our lives. I can be a successful spouse or employee without necessarily finding the place that God has ordained for me.

Just a few thoughts for consideration...

No comments:

Post a Comment

PERILOUS TIMES

It’s easy to get caught up in a couple of ideas that are not true. The first is that our situation of lawlessness & turmoil hasn't h...