Favorite type of preacher

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bro Blue
  • Start date Start date

What type of preacher suits your fancy?

  • The Sweating Screamer

    Votes: 2 22.2%

  • The Soft-spoken

    Votes: 3 33.3%

  • The Scholar

    Votes: 4 44.4%

  • The Comedian

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • The Positive Pal

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    9
In Tim Keller's book "Christ Centered Preaching" (one of the gold standards on expository preaching) he concedes he begun his preaching ministry doing the very thing you describe above.

Not surprised to hear it's a widespread sentiment, then.  I learned it from D. A. Carson at a conference about 10 years ago, in which he likened such to a mechanic who spends all his time showing off his wrenches instead of using them on your car.

Every valedictory address I've ever heard was a smorgasbord of quotes. Hopefully the beginning of one's professional career outside the academy would start with the end (or at least the beginning of the end) of that kind of scholasticism.
 
I got sprayed by Tony Hutson one time. It was great. I know some people pooh pooh on his shenanigans, but I think he means well. He seems sincere also. Love his choir! Gotta love that bluegrass gospel.
 
Ransom said:
I don't particularly care if a preacher is a scholar or not, as long as he is a man of good moral character and can exposit the text accurately and faithfully, and deliver a sermon plainly and straightforwardly, with a minimum of dramatics and/or histrionics.

I certainly appreciate good scholarship, but I'd rather not hear a sermon that sounds more like the preacher showing off his tools, instead of what he was supposed to use them for.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's a fair point. When I say I like a scholar, I mean a person with depth of knowledge, I do not mean an intellectual show-off.
 
Who would be some examples of the scholarly preachers you guys are speaking of. My experience is sort of limited to the ifb realm. Can't stand the syrupy sweet stuff. A little bit of style is a good thing, I would imagine.
 
Bro Blue said:
Who would be some examples of the scholarly preachers you guys are speaking of. My experience is sort of limited to the ifb realm. Can't stand the syrupy sweet stuff. A little bit of style is a good thing, I would imagine.
Click to expand...

Listen to Allistair Begg for a good example.
 
Who would be some examples of the scholarly preachers you guys are speaking of.

By "scholar" I was thinking of preachers such as, say, Albert Mohler, D. A. Carson, R. C. Sproul, or  John Piper - who are either professional academics, or clergymen with earned Ph.D.'s.

I wouldn't necessarily characterize any of them as the bad kind of scholarly preacher - though all of them are capable of teaching graduate-level students, it doesn't come out in their sermons.
 
Bro Blue said:
Who would be some examples of the scholarly preachers you guys are speaking of. My experience is sort of limited to the ifb realm. Can't stand the syrupy sweet stuff. A little bit of style is a good thing, I would imagine.
Click to expand...

Scot McKnight would qualify. He's not a pastor, but a theologian I like who can preach. He's not IFB, but Anabaptist.

Did Jesus Preach the Gospel - Part 1 - Scot Mcknight
 
Ransom said:
Who would be some examples of the scholarly preachers you guys are speaking of.

By "scholar" I was thinking of preachers such as, say, Albert Mohler, D. A. Carson, R. C. Sproul, or  John Piper - who are either professional academics, or clergymen with earned Ph.D.'s.

I wouldn't necessarily characterize any of them as the bad kind of scholarly preacher - though all of them are capable of teaching graduate-level students, it doesn't come out in their sermons.
Click to expand...

My pastor has an earned, accredited doctorate in Old Testament. He doesn't brag or show off, but he does go into stuff in more depth and with more knowledge than I've heard from preachers with less of a scholarly background.
 
As long as the preacher faithfully presents the word of God in and out of the pulpit, the delivery is not as important to me.  I've lived in the midwest, every corner of this country as well as overseas, so I've seen quite a variety. 
 
Agree with expository with head and heart knowledge. I enjoy most all types - eat the meat and spit out the bones.

Tony Hutson - always a treat to hear him - has one good point in there somewhere but a hoot to watch

Sam Davidson - one of my favorite expositors that mix preaching and teaching. I prefer someone that gets excited about what they have learned and are eager to get it out. His successor at Southwest, Jason Gaddis, has learned well and is getting there as life gives him experience.

Tony Finney - Conestee SC. - most heart in the preaching I have heard. Country style preaching with good understanding and practical. Really down to earth and humble which comes across in volumes.

Also enjoy Sherryh's preacher - Jim Blaylock - raised up good kids to back up his talk.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top