Jude 1:4 ~ For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
As a pastor and a writer, I am always looking for inspiration in my writings. I read books, I watch TV, and I am always looking for a lesson in everything.
On one blog, the question was asked, “What is the most important thing you’ve learned from a TV preacher?” So I thought of as many TV preachers as I could think of and I realized. They were all horrible people. Now, now. I know that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Whenever I address the flaws of others, I usually get this reprimand from other Christians.
“Judge not lest you be judged!” “All have sinned!” “You’re not perfect!”
But along with the mountain of Biblical evidence supporting reproval of brethren for their betterment, allow me to say, pastors are called to be blameless (1 Timothy 3:1-3). As I thought to what I have learned about many TV pastors is that, they help teach by experience what I do not need to be as a pastor.
I should not be humanistic, greedy, self-absorbed, and I should never get caught saying the following true conversation by a number of famous TV pastors.
Paul Crouch: “I am a little god. I have His name. I am one with Him. I’m in covenant relationship. I am a little god. Critics be gone!”
Kenneth Copeland: “You are anything that He is.”
Creflo Dollar: “You are gods (little ‘g’)”
We are called to be blameless. Pastors and laypeople. Blameless. When people look at us, only pure grace and truth must be reflected.
Kenneth Copeland once said, “I am a billionaire, because the assignment that the Lord gave me, He said: ‘I want you to begin to confess the billion flow.'”
What TV pastor have I learned the most from? Name them and I have learned a lot. I’ve learned this is not my calling. My calling is to preach the mystery of Christ openly, proclaiming that Christ came to die, be buried, and rise again so that we too will rise again when that day comes (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Ephesians 3). If it puts you or I on TV, don’t compromise. If it puts you in the streets, don’t compromise. If it gets you killed, don’t compromise.
What have I learned from TV preachers? Is that the way of this world is filth and the Gospel is much more valuable than Jesse Duplantis’s private jets.
Get your wisdom from the fountain of life, Jesus Christ, as dictated by Scripture.
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