"Can't Believe A Word"

In visiting another congregation, the preacher had some high college degrees (3 to be exact) and had taken two speech classes. He could definitely speak well and had depths of smarts! He ran circles around me in those departments. Upon visiting with the brethren, several made a comment to me that was really strange, "He's a fun fellow to be around but you can't believe a word he says!" That was troubling to my heart.

Looking at Jesus when He encountered multitudes, at times He would heal and feed but upon closer looking, Jesus taught! He didn't just cater to the physical needs of people but He focused on teaching/preaching as the greatest need. People need bread and many social and emotional needs but they need the truth! They need to be taught, they need the light, they need the words of God in the gospel and covenant. They need to be taught from those who are trusted and trustworthy with God's teachings. People who say God called them to preach/teach need to pay close attention to what they were called to do!

Preachers have this tendency to want to be liked by all and they do a lot of things that have nothing to do with their role as a spokesman for God. But in this position and be such a cut-up or comic that people say "You can't believe a word they say!" is troubling. Sometimes not just preachers but those tied to Christ are such 'jokesters' that people don't take us seriously. In teaching, people glean from psychological therapy books or we try to convince one another that life is not all that bad so let's have some positive thinking here. Many are trying to convince others that "living by bread alone" can be achieved! We walk away, having met the emotional and physical needs claiming we have done well and fulfilled the Lord's work! But who heard about God? Who heard about the God who calls us into a covenant relationship without which one will die in their sins? Who heard about the fullness of an immortal life so we can walk and live with God in His righteousness and peace? What is said about the gospel? Too many outreaches are about "living by bread alone." Then the preacher/teacher or Christian turns back to their jolly, fun joking self and it leaves an people with the taste in that fun stating, "You can't believe a word they say!"