Tag: Preaching

The Bible Says…

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living, Church, Ministry, Theology

– November 2011

The Bible Says . . .

When my boys were very small I would often give them their “Saturday night bath.”  This weekly ritual involved a long warm soak, a robust scrubbing and a vigorous shampoo – leaving them squeaky clean.  The boys loved the playful soak, tolerated the scrubbing, but became quite agitated when I would reach for the shampoo.  It may have had something to do with the fact that I used such copious amounts that rinsing it out of their hair became an experience close to drowning. One Saturday night all was going well until I reach for the bottle of shampoo.  My older son, who obviously had had enough, stood up in the front of the tub pointed his finger at me and with evangelistic fervor shouted, “The Bible says, ‘Thou shalt not wash a little boy’s hair with shampoo’!”  My son had a remarkable grasp of the authority of scripture, yet at the tender age of three he had not yet acquired an exact understanding of how to use it – or more accurately how not to use it for his own designs and purposes.

A less—than—careful use scripture is a slippery slope for both men and movements.  Most religious traditions, including our own Conservative Holiness Movement, have not escaped this pitfall.  As the Aldersgate Forum’s Call to Biblical Fidelity states, “we have often focused on issues and made demands which we cannot legitimately establish from the Scriptures. As a result, trivial notions and speculations at times have marred our witness”.  The CHM has, for the most part, comprised a group of people who have placed a very high value on scripture.  Our willingness to live out many unpopular biblical values is a testimony to this.  However, we have not always had an equally high commitment to the careful exegesis of scripture which is crucial to preserving Biblical fidelity.

Webster has defined fidelity as “the quality of being faithful; of accuracy in detail; exactness.”  The dictionary adds an interesting modern analogy to explain fidelity: “the degree to which an electronic device (as a record player or radio) accurately reproduces the original sound.”  With this in mind we can define Biblical fidelity.

Biblical fidelity then is to reproduce faithfully and accurately the thoughts, meaning and intent of scripture in both our preaching and practice.

                Every tradition, including the CHM, works in a sub-culture of its own. These subcultures gravitate toward certain theological, cultural and religious biases that inevitably serve as lens through which scripture is viewed and applied to Christian living. For the most part this is healthy and normative.  It is not, however, without problems. For all Biblical and theological biases must be held in check by an unyielding commitment to be both honest and faithful to the Biblical text. If this does not happen Biblical fidelity is compromised or even lost.

Are there any particular ways the CHM needs to be more careful?  Yes. Let me offer a few that I believe are especially applicable to the CHM.

  1. The CHM must be careful not to practice eisegesis instead of exegesis.  Eisegesis is an interpretation of scripture that expresses the interpreter’s own views rather than the text’s true meaning (exegesis). When we impose our own theological, cultural or personal views on a text, despite knowing that faithful scholarship will not support our interpretation, we compromise the truth and fail to honor God’s word. The CHM must regularly remind itself that scripture is the standard by which we test all other truth claims, not the other way around.
  2. The CHM must be careful not to blur the line between Biblical principle and religious tradition.  Tradition is a valuable part of our Christian life. Traditions may certainly be taught in our homes and churches, but they should be taught as traditions, not as divine revelation. Traditions must never be confused with God-given commands or given the same authority and weight as scripture.  When this confusion occurs the end result can be a church that has replaced the authority of God’s Word with the deadening weight of traditionalism or, worse, just trivia.
  3. The CHM must be careful not to misinterpret “questions” as “questioning” and inadvertently discourage honesty!   It is impossible to respect the God’s Word too highly, but it is possible to respect it wrongly.   We must let people know that it is not irreverent to see difficulties in the Biblical text and allow them to think hard and honestly about how these difficulties can be resolved. You have not truly studied the Bible until you have asked hard questions of it.   However, in some people’s minds asking hard questions is the same as “posing problems,” and we have been discouraged all our lives from finding problems in the Bible. Let me assure you, the Bible can handle scrutiny. Honesty is a vital part of Biblical fidelity.  God would rather have honest disagreement from one committed to His Word than forced affirmation of something we don’t really believe or understand.
  4. The CHM must be careful not to allow the externalization of Biblical standards to substitute for the internalization of Biblical character.   The Bible was not written to be a curiosity shop from which we pick and choose certain things to obey in our lives like one might pick and choose an article of clothing.  Rather, it was written to transform us from the inside out!  One can know and honor the Bible in visible ways (especially those that make us look spiritual in our setting), yet fail to demonstrate the character it commands. One can be meticulous, even legalistic, about his tithe and yet fail ever to develop the spirit of generosity. One can dress modestly and still have a sensuous  spirit. Sheer knowledge of the Bible doesn’t make one godly.  The mere application of a few visible commands doesn’t mean we have cultivated holy character.   One can read the Bible daily, acquire significant amounts of Biblical knowledge, adopt standards of dress and behavior– yet have no straight-line correspondence between that and real Christlikeness.

It would be helpful for all of us to remember that the “sounds” our lives make on earth reach heaven either as the scratchy, tinny, garbled clanging of carnality, or as harmonic, melodious, pleasant reproductions of Christlikeness.  Our success at being like Jesus will be determined by not only knowing with a high degree of accuracy what the Bible says, but also by honestly living it out.

Spiritual Roots

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living, Church, Ministry, Theology

– December 2011

Spiritual Roots

No one possesses a faith that is self-made.  Each of us are indebted to the whole body of Christ for our understanding of scripture and our view of Christian living.  We have all benefited immensely from great spiritual truths that have been developed over the centuries, shaped by revival, purified by reformation and tested by experience.  We stand on the shoulders of men and movements who have forged for us what we now know as our spiritual heritage.   To unwittingly sever ourselves from these spiritual roots is tragic.  To knowingly do so may well be treacherous. Yet many Christians sell their spiritual birthright as thoughtlessly as they sell their unwanted household junk.

What these yard sale saints can’t see is not hidden to historical scholars. They tell us that movements, religious or otherwise, can only maintain vitality and significance as long as they retain a clear understanding of their historical identity. A religious movement’s identity is determined by their dogma, doctrine, traditions, ideals, values, and culture – all of which have been developed over the centuries.  These are the things that tell us who we are and answer the question of why we exist.  Without them, no movement can affirm a clear mission or cast a uniting vision.

The Call to the Conservative Holiness Movement issued in the October Revivalist pleads for a commitment to historic roots and continuity in Article II. This involves both a renewed commitment to classical Christianity and a renewed understanding of our spiritual heritage as passed down to us through the Methodist Holiness Tradition.   This call is not rooted in a sentimental hankering for the past.  Nor is it some nostalgic desire to re-create methods and means that have long since served their usefulness –that’s what museums do!  It is, however, recognition that we lose something vitally important for our future when we become disconnected from our past.

This appeal to the CHM is particularly urgent for two reasons.  First, the CHM is going through a time of transition. Second, the CHM is too often afflicted with a form of historical amnesia – we have long term memory loss.  Our memory only reaches back about 60 years to the days when we separated from our mother churches.  What happened then is clearly a vital part of our heritage but it is far from all of it.  Nor can that separation point be the sole place from which we draw our identity.  If it is, then we lose the wealth of hundreds of years of rich holiness history.  We also lose important “family traits” and “traditions” that may serve us well in our contemporary struggles. The CHM faces questions today and will certainly face more in the tomorrows that will not be adequately answered without drawing on the wisdom and life experiences of our fore-fathers.  We need our heritage – all of it!

As the CHM seeks to develop a fuller understanding of its historical identity, it is helpful to examine the family tree. We are Christian, we are Reformation Protestants, we are Arminian, we are Arminian/Anglican, and we are Methodist.  From there the branch divides into Wesleyan Methodist, Free Methodist, Pilgrim Holiness and Nazarene.  From there the branches further divide into a dozen denominational groups and a host of independent churches that self-identify as the Conservative Holiness Movement.

The CHM is, for the most part, Wesleyan in its theological opinions, especially in its commitment to the doctrine of entire-sanctification.   However, it can be quite diverse in many other ways.  There is significant variation in views relating to the sacraments, lifestyle practices, social issues (e.g. divorce and remarriage) and church government.  The CHM does find common ground in their opposition to: immodest worldly attire, short hair on women, and the wearing of jewelry. These common ground issues have become the “street level” means of identifying the movement.  As important as these things may be, there are some other very important “family traits” that ought to be front and center when people think of the CHM.  Identity markers that I would love to see become our ”street level” means of identity.  Traits that can clearly be found in our spiritual roots – in particular our Methodist Holiness Heritage!

The early Methodists found their reason for existence and their vision for the future in Wesley’s call “to reform a Nation, and in particular the church; and to spread scriptural holiness over the land.” Responding to that call led them to reap a harvest of souls for God’s kingdom and ultimately altered the religious landscape of England and early America for almost a century.  However, it must be noted that this breathtaking, forward looking, mission statement worked only in a context.  And that context was the theological content and spiritual character of what Methodism truly was.  You could call it their DNA or their family traits. Let’s examine five of those traits.

First, they were known for a distinctive theological understanding of God.  One of the best ways to understand the impact of their theology is to look at how those early Methodists lived it out. Francis Asbury, the founder of American Methodism is a good example to observe. When Asbury arrived in America there were only a few hundred Methodists, but by 1860 one out of every three Americans was a Methodist.  Asbury crossed the Allegheny Mountains on horseback 60 times, slept in 10,000 different cabins and homes, preached 60,500 sermons in 45 years (a little more than one a day), and became more recognizable than George Washington or Thomas Jefferson.  By the end of the 18th century, Methodism had determined the nature of religious culture in America thus setting the stage for the next 100 years.

Why did he and countless hundreds of other Methodist circuit riders do what they did?  It was their theology that motivated them!   Their theology taught them that every man had infinite worth.  They believed that God not only wanted to save every man but that every man could be saved!  To better understand this you need to remember that Calvinism was the prevalent theology of the day and a core component of Calvinism was election.   When the average Calvinist walked down the street he would think, “It is possible that I might even see one of God’s elect today.”  When a Methodist walked down the street he would think, “Every man I see today is one of God’s elect and it is my job to tell him!”

Second, they were known for their optimism of grace.  I am not sure if grace shaped their eschatology or their eschatology shaped their concept of grace but what I do know is that the early Methodists believed so powerfully in the transforming grace of God that they were convinced that they would transform the church, the nation and the world – ushering in the millennial reign!  The optimism of grace drove Methodist circuit riders farther and faster than new invention could drive the feet of commerce.

Third, they were known for a distinctive view of spiritual experience.  The early Methodists believed that every man could be saved, that every man could know they were saved and that every man could be saved to the uttermost!  The doctrine of assurance gave new converts stability and peace.  The doctrine of entire sanctification gave believers victory over sin and power to live a holy life.  Methodism took people out of their “sinning religion” and taught them that they could walk in complete obedience to God!  With such peace, hope and victory, it’s no wonder that the Methodist were known for their exuberant singing and loud shouting!

Fourth, they were known for their distinctive view of the Church and Evangelism. They were flexible and innovative.  They didn’t need a proper church with stained glass windows and comfortable pews. They preached in the highways and byways, in fields and near mines, on the frontier and in the city ghettos.  They introduced a new style of worship to accommodate the large numbers of unconverted people in their congregations. Worship scholars refer to it as “frontier worship”.  It is now the primary worship style we still use today. They operated missions for the down and outer, cottages for the unwed mothers, orphanages for the destitute, camp meetings for the masses, class meetings for the newly converted and circuits for rural churches. They founded training schools, colleges and universities. No aspect of their society was left untouched by the gospel.  Those early Methodist did whatever was necessary to obey the command to “preach the gospel to every creature”.

Fifth, they were known for their stewardship.  The early Methodists looked right through the world that was around them and saw a Kingdom.  It was to that Kingdom and ultimately to its King that they gave their solemn allegiance and perfect love.  Many freely denied themselves the comforts of home, family and marriage to give their lives in His service.  The rank and file who did build homes and raise up families were so well known for their rejection of this worlds values and ostentation that the very name Methodist was spoken in derision and scorn by those who loved to parade their fashion and display their wealth. It was not what could be gained in this world but what could be invested in the world to come that motivated these people called Methodists.

These are a few of the “family traits” of a people and a movement that history says “owned the 19th century”! I see some of these same traits being manifested today in the underground church in China where 20,000 people are converted every day.  It has yet to be decided who will own the 21st century, but I believe it will be owned by the people who have looked long enough and deep enough into the past to see how God will work in the future.  You can figure it out too but you will need to dig deep into your spiritual roots!

Great Preachers

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Church, Ministry

–March of 2005

Great Preachers

I was comfortably settled in at my writing desk preparing to polish off the rough draft of an article I had written for this issue of the Revivalist, when all of a sudden my pen refused to write another word about the subject at hand.  Instead, it wanted to write about some of the great preachers I have known.  The shift in focus could be attributed to the fact that I had just returned home from the funeral of one of the greatest orators in the holiness movement, and I was still thinking about his life and preaching ministry.   Nevertheless, the subject has been on my mind for months, so I gave in and let my pen have its way.

As a preacher, a student of preaching, and someone responsible for the training of preachers, I have had a keen interest in what makes for great preaching and great preachers.   Though notable scholars and great preachers have written numbers of books on this subject, I feel the need to add my observations with a list of the characteristics of some of the great preachers I have known.  This is not a list about good men, good pastors or good leaders.  It is not an exhaustive list.  It is strictly a list of the characteristics I have observed in men that I consider to be great preachers.

1. They are men who have had an encounter with God that marked their lives forever.

For some it was their conversion, while for others it was the point of total surrender and heart cleansing.  For others it was their call to preach.  The issue is not so much when or how they had a life-altering encounter, but that it had indeed happened.  Like Moses, they had a burning bush encounter with God, or like Jacob they met him in struggle.  However it happened, their encounter with God marked them forever and left them with the firm conviction that for them is was “preach or perish.”

2. They are men of strong belief and firm convictions.

Armed with the conviction that they speak for God, they speak with authority and certainty out of a well-developed belief system, which is based solidly on the principles and convictions of the Word of God.  They don’t care whether they speak the company line or not.  They care nothing about being politically correct.  They don’t look the crowd over to see what message fits best.  They speak for God!  We are plagued today with mild-mannered men who have developed the art of almost saying something.  They never draw a line in the sand or speak of absolute truth.  You never know where they stand on anything!  Not so with the greats.  They are men who give no uncertain sound.

3. They are men with big souls.

H.E. Schmul was a man that characterized this as well as any.  He could embrace others that didn’t agree with him on every jot and tittle.  He knew what he believed, was secure in what he believed, and wasn’t afraid to embrace his brother who was a little to the left or right of him. Though he didn’t personally identify with the more mainstream groups, he didn’t just cut them off or de-Christianize them.  J. Wesley Adcock, R.G. Flexon, L.D. Wilcox, R. G. Humble, V.O. Agan, and Robb French were all men of this caliber.  Robb French imposed upon himself some very rigid convictions, but never made others feel spirituality inferior for not doing the same.

4.  They are men with a great capacity and love for all of life.

They are men who walk the narrow way without being narrow minded.  They are not so focused on the world to come that they miss the beauty of the world that is around them.  L.D. Wilcox loved the symphony and attended it often.  He also had a great love for growing flowers, especially roses.  Dr. Dale Yocum was a great lover of science.  He was at home gazing at the constellations or talking with the animals.  H.E. Schmul loved traveling and was extremely knowledgeable of Civil War History.  Millard Downing never lost his love for farming and farm animals.  Larry Smith is quite knowledgeable of antiques and architecture.

5.  They have inquisitive minds that have been developed by constant learning.

They are well read in the Bible, theology, and history.  They have read some of the great literature and the classics.   They stay abreast of current Christian thought.   Their reading has prepared them to speak forcefully to the issues of contemporary life and the current trends in theological thought.  Richard Taylor, Dennis Kinlaw, Larry Smith, and Bobby French are examples of this.

6.  They know how to tell a good story.

They understand the value of a good illustration and know how to tell it with great effect.   Millard Downing, Standley Kendall, Paul Lucas, and R.G. Flexon perfected this art.  Richard Taylor uses illustrations with the most precision of any I have heard.  His stories always enlighten and make the point well.  Great preachers know that the difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between a lightning bug and lightning.

7.  They preach the Bible—all of it.  They are not “one stringed” preachers.

Some preachers are always on a “crusade” for their personal agenda.  Great preachers understand that they are Ambassadors for Heaven and that they must speak the whole counsel of God.  Great preachers don’t just ride a hobbyhorse or seek to be known for a single emphasis.  H.E. Schmul said to me once, “Avery, I am not just a ‘holiness preacher.’”  He went on to explain that there was more to preach than the doctrine of entire-sanctification (though he firmly embraced it, preached it effectively, and saw it as central in redemption).  He admonished me to preach all of the great themes of the Bible.

8.  They maintain their individuality and preach out of their own personal gifts and strengths.

Almost every time Larry Smith preaches in chapel he says apologetically, “I’m not an expositor, or a firstly, secondly, and thirdly preacher.  I’m just an exhorter.”   Yet, when Larry lets God use him, just as he is, I know of none that can equal his eloquence and depth.    J.W. Adcock had a photographic memory and could quote his sermons verbatim with great effect, while R. G. Humble, V.O. Agan, and R.G. Flexon read every word of theirs with the same great effect.   Millard Downing had no equal in illustrative story telling.  His ability to use words to graphically describe biblical truth made his ministry both captivating and powerful.   L.D. Wilcox was not a captivating speaker, yet his ability to take a profound theological truth and make it understandable to even children was his strength, and he worked effectively from that vantage point.  Great preachers are comfortable with their style and use it for God’s glory.  If you ever heard O.W. Willis, you could never forget the cadence of his speaking.  Men like Bud Robinson and August Leulf turned speech impediments into a means of captivating an audience.   R.E. Carroll would occasionally punctuate his preaching with a piercing shout.  As unconventional as it may have been, it added something to his ministry.  Wingrove Taylor stands a still as a statue, speaks in a conversational tone, and alliterates every line.  All of these men are very different, yet all very effective.  God needs individual personalities to pour his truth through!

9.  Their ministry is marked by the optimism of grace.

Great preachers are like the tide; they lift people.  The story is told that when the great Scottish preacher, George Matheson, begin to preach in Edinburgh, an old lady who lived a dark, dirty cellar moved to an apartment in an attic that was light and airy.  When asked about her move she said, “You cannot hear George Matheson preach and live in a cellar.”  The ministry of great preachers can be summed up in words spoken about Job, “Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees.”

My life has been blessed by the unique contributions of many great preachers.  It is my prayer that the young men of tomorrow’s pulpit will allow God to use them to make their unique contribution to His Kingdom.

Pastor – Save Thyself

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Church, Ministry

–October of 2004

Pastor – Save Thyself

Almost everyone knows someone who used to be in the ministry.  Statistics show that for every twenty men who enter the ministry, only one will still be actively involved at the age of 65.  No one goes into the ministry expecting to be a casualty.  Some have to leave for health reasons.  Some wash out because of personal or moral failure (approximately 20 percent are involved in inappropriate sexual behavior).  Some burn out from long-term stress.  Some are forced out by a church.  Some walk out because of a sense of failure.  Some never leave the ministry but “check out” mentally and emotionally.

Fortunately, we all know pastors who have given a lifetime of effective service to the church. They are godly men who have grown old gracefully and still serve the church in their advanced years.  Is there a word of counsel that could expand their ranks?

Sound Advice from a Seasoned Veteran

Every minister ought to read the letters to Timothy at least once a quarter.  The aged apostle gives young Timothy sound advice for staying on course and going the distance.  I Timothy 4:16 is a verse every pastor ought to memorize.  In it Paul gives a three-fold secret to succeeding.

Pay Attention to Yourself

The minister can become so focused on the public aspect of his ministry that he forgets to keep a sharp eye on his private walk with God.  Paul’s advice is clear, “Take heed unto thyself.”  The vast majority of ministry failures (no matter what the visible reason might be) can be traced to the neglect of the pastor’s own soul.  He fails to cultivate an established pattern of private prayer, Bible study and worship.  Pastors who have developed a regular pattern of personal soul care are able to work out of a spiritual fullness.  When ministry flows out of a full heart, it is both satisfying and successful.  But, men who try to draw water out of an empty bucket will be men that are stressed out, overwhelmed, and constantly looking for a different situation.  Whenever we allow our ministry to be motivated by anything other than love for God, or empowered by anything other than His Spirit, it begins to work against us and starts the process of self-destruction.  I keep a quote by James Montgomery Boice on my desk that says, “Christian service isn’t measured by the results we see from it, or even by the example we communicate by it, but what we become through it.”

Never Stop Learning

Paul knew the joys of seeing his message accepted and the sorrow of seeing it rejected.  But, through it all, he continued to preach the word of God in season and out of season.  Regardless of what facet of ministry we are in, we are obligated to clearly, accurately, and persistently communicate Biblical truth. For this to happen, the minister must be constantly learning.  He must continue to expand his knowledge of the Bible and all related subjects that enable him to remain fresh and effective.  One of the dangers of ministry is that it can keep you from learning.  Expanding buildings and activities is much easier than expanding your soul and growing your mind.  But to fail here is to fail altogether.  Shallow ministers and shallow ministries are the seedbed for emotionalism, liberalism, legalism, and all sorts of heresy.

Just Keep Doing It

Those who have been in ministry for some time understand the temptation to throw in the towel, especially when the problems are large, the crowd is small, and the benefits of leaving seem to outweigh those of staying.  But, there is something to be said for just hanging in there and being faithful to preach the Word.

The words of the old apostle seem to lack the smoothness and charm that twenty-first century ears prefer, but if you will simply follow them you will “save yourself, and them that hear thee.”

The Necessity of Preaching

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Ministry

—January of 1996

The Necessity of Preaching

Preaching is indispensable to Christianity.  To set aside preaching would be to close the mouth and sever the legs of the Christian religion.  Preaching has been central to the ministry of the Church historically, and especially so to those in the holiness tradition.  The holiness movement has produced and profited from some of the greatest expositors and pulpiteers of this century.  So why has the standard of preaching in the contemporary holiness church become so deplorable?  Why are our finest preacher boys finding their heroes among popular Calvinistic communicators?  Why are our parishioners turning to self-help counselors and psychologists rather than to faithful men of God for answers to life’s perplexing problems?

Much of the current uncertainty about preaching is due to a generation of preachers who have lost confidence in the Word of God.  Too often the contemporary preacher uses the Bible as a curiosity shop.  He peruses through it until some palatable proof text emerges as a snappy sound bite on which to tack his latest self-help lecture.  These pulpit vagabonds fail to see that Scripture is the omnipotence of God unleashed through the spoken word, and that it holds the answers to life’s most desperate needs.  When preached and responded to, it will radically change lives.

The art of preaching is further brought into scorn by preachers who have caved in to today’s culture.  Ours is a culture that demeans the personal disciplines necessary to become an effective preacher.  The ability to build bridges from the Word of God to contemporary life takes an unbelievable amount of hard work and study.  A man who snubs through study will be doomed to mediocrity and ambiguity.  Too many holiness pulpits lack a clear, definite, certain sound that is forged only on the anvil of study.  So many church-goers are like the small girl wearied by empty utterances.  She appealed, “Mother, pay the man, and let us go home.”

However, study alone isn’t the answer.  Scholarship that isn’t steeped in prayer will yield barrenness.  The preacher who allows day after day of prayerlessness to prevail in his heart need expect no grapes of Eschol to hang over the wall of his preaching on Sunday morning.

I have a major concern that today’s holiness pulpit suffers from a “lack of history.”  Eugene Sterner, in his book Vital Christianity, wisely comments, “Clocks are corrected by astronomy.  What good is a clock if it is not set by the stars?  Without a sense of eternity [and history] you don’t even know what time it is.”  The preacher who fails to understand his roots and properly appreciate his heritage is usually condemned to repeat its mistakes.  Some view their heritage as a bothersome bundle of historical baggage burdening them down.  They exaggerate the mistakes and eccentricities of yesterday’s pulpiteers in order to nullify the claims of their legacy, much like the adolescent craving freedom from restraint seeks to repudiate his father.

The effective preacher, without making the past a hitching post, does own his heritage, embraces it with gratitude, incorporates it into his identity, and utilizes it to the fullest in communicating eternal truth that rings with clarity.

Preaching is here to stay!  Men who join hands with God and preach with certainty will find that through their labors God will advance His kingdom.