“For the time will come when they will not put up with sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate teachers according to their own desires, and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and they will turn away to myths” (2 Timothy 4: 3-4).
The tickle is sold. Anyone who doubts that should stand outside a typical church on a Sunday morning and listen. “I like the way he preaches.” “He makes me feel good.” “I don’t like what I hear.” “I’m not sure what that preacher is about, but I don’t like him.” I like it, I don’t like it, I feel, I don’t feel.
What do I want in a church? What are we looking for and why are we considering leaving? And again. People want what they want. And with the availability of churches of all stripes and colors (varieties of sizes, architecture, programs, music, preaching, doctrine), no one needs to stay where they are unhappy. So they keep moving.
And so pastors continue to study “what people want in a church.” And the lay leadership continues to probe the congregation: “What you want in a pastor.” God help us.
In the Snoopy cartoon, the children were writing an assignment about their summer vacation. Linus was working hard. He wrote something like: “Although I had so much fun this summer, at the beach, going to the movies, playing ball, and on vacation with my family, I couldn’t wait to return to the hallowed halls of learning. I missed my amazing school, my wonderful books, and my outstanding teacher. I’m so happy to be back.”
He handed over the paper and stood there while the professor read it. He says: “Leaving the room, he says to another child: “Over the years, one learns what sells.” Many pastors have figured out what they sell and have decided to offer a consistent menu to their congregations.
This is driven by a lot of things: personal ambition, job security, drawing crowds, increasing the budget, and getting attention.
The flesh craves what it wants. The Eartickling Gospel it says that pastors should say good words, never rock the boat, and choose only those doctrines that the locals agree with. Or even better, avoid doctrine altogether and stick with topics that will draw a crowd. “How to be a winner in a losing world”. “How to overcome your low self-esteem”. “How to be popular and still please God.” “How to Romance Your Spouse”. “How to have perfect children”.
Sometimes the message we preach is unpleasant. In his final warning to the church, specifically to the young pastor Timothy, but through him to us, Paul implies that sound doctrine can be unpleasant to the ear. The truth of God preached by a faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus does many things…
– Reprove our egocentrism.
– It keeps us at a higher level.
-It is like surgery or medicine because in the short term it can be painful, but the result is health.
This is why churches should only choose courageous leaders. They understand these things and are willing to pay the price. Others are not.
“Master,” said the disciples, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended by what you said?” (Matthew 15) “Leave them alone,” said the Lord. “They are blind leaders of the blind.”
Courageous leaders are essential
It goes without saying that pastors and other ministers must be courageous men and women. But in the same way, lay leaders must be people of strength and firmness.
-Leaders will encourage the pastor by preaching the truth even if it hurts.
-Leaders will support the pastor when he preaches the truth without embellishment and receives criticism. They must remind God’s people that “It is true that no discipline at present seems to be cause for joy, but for sadness; but afterwards it bears the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it», Hebrews 12:11.
-The leaders will speak to the members of the congregation who are causing conflicts because of what the pastor is preaching. If the man of God is truthful and faithful, lay leadership must have the courage to stand with him.
-Leaders will even allow some unhappy church members to leave when they can’t get their way. They will not blame the shepherd for driving them away. Anyone who does even a cursory reading of the Gospels will see our Lord let the people leave him because they couldn’t take his truth. And he didn’t blame himself or guess the message he was preaching.
Pray for your leaders, friend. And stand by them, especially when they are being criticized. If you are faithful, then be faithful.
Joe McKeever has been a disciple of Jesus Christ for over 65 years, has been preaching the gospel for over 55 years, and has been writing and cartooning for Christian publications for over 45 years.
McKeever says that he has written dozens of books, but has published none. That refers to the more than 1,000 articles.
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