Any preachers here?

[grandma dolittle]

Why do ministers fail to preach on hell? I know our God is a merciful God of love, but he also is a God of wrath. He gave us free will to accept or reject Christ, but why do preachers preach on the peril of making the wrong choices? Why do they not preach on the things that are happening today that is being fulfilled? Are they so afraid of losing members, that the message is being sugar coated and love is all that is being taught? If Paul walked into the church and started preaching... would he be allowed to finish his message or would he be escorted oout the door? As a child, I remember listening to our minister as he preached hell and damnation and I was terrified. That stayed with me and today I cannot imagine anyone who would be so careless as to defy an awesome God that created the universe.

[OldShep]

Why do ministers fail to preach on hell? I know our God is a merciful God of love, but he also is a God of wrath. He gave us free will to accept or reject Christ, but why do preachers preach on the peril of making the wrong choices? Why do they not preach on the things that are happening today that is being fulfilled? Are they so afraid of losing members, that the message is being sugar coated and love is all that is being taught? If Paul walked into the church and started preaching... would he be allowed to finish his message or would he be escorted oout the door? As a child, I remember listening to our minister as he preached hell and damnation and I was terrified. That stayed with me and today I cannot imagine anyone who would be so careless as to defy an awesome God that created the universe.

Yes, there are a few, I'm not one.

I agree with your observations that few preach on the peril man will face by turning his back to Jesus. Some of the Churches I have been in may even turn Jesus away, because the Blood and the mud would stain their carpets.

IMHO~~~Dennis

[grandma dolittle]

Why do ministers fail to preach on hell? I know our God is a merciful God of love, but he also is a God of wrath. He gave us free will to accept or reject Christ, but why do preachers preach on the peril of making the wrong choices? Why do they not preach on the things that are happening today that is being fulfilled? Are they so afraid of losing members, that the message is being sugar coated and love is all that is being taught? If Paul walked into the church and started preaching... would he be allowed to finish his message or would he be escorted oout the door? As a child, I remember listening to our minister as he preached hell and damnation and I was terrified. That stayed with me and today I cannot imagine anyone who would be so careless as to defy an awesome God that created the universe.

What denomination was the church you attended as a child?

I was raised in a country Free Will Baptist and I still atend that church today.Due to the great falling away, we only have 19 members now.

[grandma dolittle]

Why do ministers fail to preach on hell? I know our God is a merciful God of love, but he also is a God of wrath. He gave us free will to accept or reject Christ, but why do preachers preach on the peril of making the wrong choices? Why do they not preach on the things that are happening today that is being fulfilled? Are they so afraid of losing members, that the message is being sugar coated and love is all that is being taught? If Paul walked into the church and started preaching... would he be allowed to finish his message or would he be escorted oout the door? As a child, I remember listening to our minister as he preached hell and damnation and I was terrified. That stayed with me and today I cannot imagine anyone who would be so careless as to defy an awesome God that created the universe.

Yes, there are a few, I'm not one.

I agree with your observations that few preach on the peril man will face by turning his back to Jesus. Some of the Churches I have been in may even turn Jesus away, because the Blood and the mud would stain their carpets.

IMHO~~~Dennis

Sadly many churches you go to don't even have God in them. You can feel if God's sprit is in the church when you walk in the door.

[oldzimm]

I believe the man behind the pulpit should speak on the whole Bible and not just what appeases the congregation. However when delivering a message, they must not take nor add to the word of God. Yes I think a preacher should teach the whole of God's word, but should emphasis the Love of God.

[grandma dolittle]

I believe the man behind the pulpit should speak on the whole Bible and not just what appeases the congregation. However when delivering a message, they must not take nor add to the word of God. Yes I think a preacher should teach the whole of God's word, but should emphasis the Love of God.

You are right about the love of God needing to be emphasied, but many need to know that God gives and God can take away. When you place idols before him, he doesn't like it. He is a jealous God. There is a down side to liviing in sin and the world needs to know that. Hell is as real as heaven and sinners need to be reminded that they have a choice and if they make the wrong choice, the consequenses are horrorible. Having said that, I do think a man called by God; praying for the message that God wants him to deliver; muct preach on what God wants him to say, whether it be about God's merciful love or his great wrath.

[Guest Butero]

In this instance, I have to agree with Cobalt. I was on the fire and brimstone side when it came to preaching in church. I do think it is needful, but we needed other messages as well. That is one reason why a church would do good to have many differen't ministers using their various ministry gifts. I do think that Grandma Doolittle is right in that there are more ministers who ignore teachings on hell and the judgement than over emphasize it. I just happened to be on the opposite side of the spectrum.

[grandma dolittle]

In this instance, I have to agree with Cobalt. I was on the fire and brimstone side when it came to preaching in church. I do think it is needful, but we needed other messages as well. That is one reason why a church would do good to have many differen't ministers using their various ministry gifts. I do think that Grandma Doolittle is right in that there are more ministers who ignore teachings on hell and the judgement than over emphasize it. I just happened to be on the opposite side of the spectrum.

Thank you. Both of you gentlemen have made good points. I agree with Cobalt that God's love and encouragement in living a Christian life is a must. I recieved a blessing in listening to my minister's message yesterday. His message was on repentence and being filled with the Holy Spirit and the beautiful promises that God has given. I rejoice that I have a home waiting me and the encouragement I felt from the message. I just don't see much fear of God in our world, thus people do whatever they feel like doing. I don't want to offend, but living with someone in sin, homosexuality,etc. is growing rampant in our country and it seems no one is telling them that is the road to God's wrath. I know the hate crime holds our minister's hands, but we still need to speak out. Those are just two of the sins God abhors and will punish. However, they aren't the people in church today listening to the messages and True Believers do need messages of encouragement.

[IslandRose]

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

(Jude 1:21-23)

Balance. Different people respond to different things. Some people live with nothing but condemnation in their life. They need to know that once they are forgiven, in Christ there is no condemnation. Others need to be aware that there is a hell to be shunned and an heaven to be won. The whole counsel of God.

[Fez]

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

(Jude 1:21-23)

Balance. Different people respond to different things. Some people live with nothing but condemnation in their life. They need to know that once they are forgiven, in Christ there is no condemnation. Others need to be aware that there is a hell to be shunned and an heaven to be won. The whole counsel of God.

I agree, it's a balance. I have preached in Mozambique and rural villages in South Africa on God's grace and mercy. I have also preached against law (in it's worst sense, I understand the balance here too), and I have also, when needed preached on the path to hell.

No Christian needs to be fed milk every time they walk into a church. Meat is needed.

At my first church a woman walked up to our pastor after the meeting and told him that what he had preached (straight scripture), had hurt her. He replied that it was not his job to send her home every Sunday floating on a cloud, sometimes we need to be convicted of things, even if it is those things that make us squirm in our seats a bit.