Dear Pastor,
We need to talk about your sermons.
Please understand, you don’t know me, and I barely know you, but I want to say that it is with a warm smile and a gentle squeeze of your hand that I write these words to you. I’ve known and been friends with enough pastors in my life to know that pastoring is grueling, draining work. Rewarding and fulfilling, too, I’m sure in many ways. But it’s also very difficult. And the sermons, well, they are only a small slice of the life surrendered to ministry, right?
So back to the sermons.
And how we need to talk.
I visited your church recently and it took all of my might to stay focused on the sermon. Of course I was using my YouVersion Bible app and the temptation to wander over to Facebook while you preached, I confess it, dear Pastor, it was strong. It wasn’t your delivery – that was fiery and heartfelt. It wasn’t your apparel – count me in the camp that could not care less if a preacher wears a suit or a Z Z Top concert t-shirt in the pulpit. I’m afraid, dear Pastor, the problem was the content.
It was about sin.
Again.
Now, wait a minute. Here me out. I know what you’re going to say, and listen, I’m not a huge fan of Olsteen, either. It’s just … here’s the thing. I’ve been following after Jesus for lo these thirty years, and I just can’t with the sin management sermons. I can’t do it anymore. And no, I’m not living a lifestyle saturated with sin. It’s not that the Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God makes me uncomfortable because of all the unconfessed sin I’m toting around with me. There’s much more to it than that.
I just feel like you should know … all that sin management stuff?
It’s not effective.
And here’s why:
After hearing (another) sermon from you on sin of every shape and color, I may very well feel that sting of conviction. My shoulders might slump as I pick up my children from their classes and my mind might whirl on your words as I turn the key in the ignition of my car. But a delicious lunch and a long Sunday nap later, and I’ve forgotten about the sermon and that sting of conviction has faded into memory.
Contrast that, if you will, dear Pastor, with the conviction that comes from the work of the Spirit in my life. When the Holy Spirit of a Holy God gets a hold of me about a sin issue in my life, there is no escape. He is relentless, this Lover of my Soul, this jealous God who won’t share His child with the greedy clutches of sin. He pursues me and finds me and calls me on the carpet. I find the more I get to know Him, the less He lets me get away with.
The sting of an external reproof is quickly forgotten, dear Pastor, but the misery of the Spirit grieved within is the reproof that cannot be shaken.
And so when I hear sermon after sermon after sermon on sin – hidden sin, blatant sin, sins of commission and sins of omission, well, I can’t help but to think, dear Pastor, that
you don’t trust the work of the Holy Spirit in my life.
And so please forgive me, I don’t mean to offend, but I need for you to know that the most lasting changes in my life were fueled not by well-intentioned words from the pulpit but by cuts-to-the-marrow words spoken by my Creator into my soul.
And so now you are saying to me that your congregation is filled with people who confess Christ and yet remain unrepentant of their many sins. Oh, yes. I can see how this would create quite a conundrum for you, dear Pastor. I really do. A true follower of Christ, you tell me, would not behave this way.
Would I be out of line to suggest that you stop preaching to the lowest common denominator?
For even in the circle of twelve, dear Pastor, there was Judas who followed after Christ Himself for three years and yet his heart was hardened by sin. But the other disciples – the true disciples – were changed from the inside out by the work of the Holy Spirit and they set the world afire with the brilliant flame of the Gospel.
I know you’re busy, I’ll wrap this up.
I just wonder if perhaps your congregation is actually full of people who long to know that they are more than sinners saved by grace, who long to hear that in Christ, they are saints who sometimes sin. I wonder what would happen if from the pulpit there were messages that energized them to learn what it means to live as a saint, fully loved and wholly redeemed. I wonder if the people under your care would be so inspired and intrigued by this New Creation Life you spoke of week after week, that they would be compelled, day after day, in the quiet of their own homes and hearts, to fall more in love with our Risen Lord.
Because as any true disciple will tell you, more of Jesus means less of sin. Ain’t nobody that needs a degree in theology to testify to that truth.
You are loved, dear Pastor, and you are needed. I am grateful for the work that you do. It’s just something to think about.
Less sin management, more disciple-building.
Give it a whirl.
Grace and peace to you,
Megan
photo by Joelk75
i am so happily blessed to be hearing the lessons you are referring to. Spirit building discipleship
I’m jealous of you, Brenda, in the best possible way.
After 11 years of sin management, I am hearing the GOOD NEWS ! Thankful for our new church home!
Megan, I wrote something very much like this a few years ago. I never sent it to my pastors, but I finally put it on one of my blogs last year here: http://www.watchtheshepherd.blogspot.com/2011/08/on-walking-by-grace-instead-of-focus-on.html
One I actually did send as a reaction to a distressing sermon is here:
http://www.watchtheshepherd.blogspot.com/2011/08/life-of-christ-our-identity-in-christ.html
Virginia
Oh, wow! Virginia, you share so eloquently exactly what has been on my heart about this. Thank you so much for those links. You really fleshed out exactly what is on my heart in this. Thank you.
For me it’s less “try harder” and more grace. The first defeated me for years. The second is always a gift, said this pastor’s wife.
Dang it. That’s awesome. Reminds me of “Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.”
There are all kinds of people who would tell you that a pastor’s job is to “correct” sin. Presumably, this is done by vocally calling it out. Of course, the assumption is that calling out sin from the pulpit (or bar stool) actually does anything to correct sin. I’d think that much of the time, as with the prophets of the Bible, it hardens the hearts of the listeners. Only the listeners who yield to the Spirit are actually convicted and changed. The rest go on defense mode.
Megan,
THIS is so on my heart and mind lately. Well, the last few years and years more probably. Something wasn’t sitting right for my whole life and then I fled and then I returned and then something was still off. And it’s this and some more things…and suddenly I realized, “OH, I’m not all that Evangelical.” Or, you know, the stereotype of one that exists for a reason. This focus on behavior, on sin-sickness…I get it, but I don’t understand where we’re supposed to GO with it after a sermon. To hear over and over and over what YOU need to do to change, to act more like a Christian, seems like it gives US the power. We don’t have it. But that’s the subtle message behind the message even if that’s not the intention. I often leave saying “what’s the point?” Like, what’s the point of focusing on that, week after week? Because sure, we need to try to live in a way that honors our Maker…but I’m not sure that has much to do with the checklists of good and bad behavior. Maybe if we’re going to talk about what we need to DO, it should be more about being hands and feet and less about the state of our ugly hearts and lives. We are messy. Let’s be fully human and serve the world.
I’m going on and on, but one last thing. Since we moved, we’ve gone to three churches that one would consider evangelical- baptist, e-free and a non-denominational Christian church. Every time, we’re faced with that same shoulders hunched, I SUCK, feeling when leaving. I’ve heard things like, “She was a good person, but she didn’t serve her church enough…He was a hard worker, but he didn’t give enough money to his church…She came to church on Sunday but she didn’t live a clean life through the week…” and so on, from one pastor who was making the point to take a good hard look at the bad parts of your life. I wanted to stand up and scream. Then another time, “If your faith does not change your politics, there is something wrong” from a very conservative pastor who speaks against homosexuality and Obama and and and from the pulpit. That was the last time we were there, needless to say.
Last Sunday we went to a Lutheran church with a female pastor and as we were walking in (late) the congregation (in a very very old beautiful sanctuary) was singing Be Thou My Vision–my favorite. Then the pastor talked about being fully human and fully alive, without focusing on how that sometimes means we’re total screw ups. She talked about courage and serving the world, the poor, the dying. She talked about caring about the environment because it’s a gift from God. She talked about having faith like the woman who touched the robe of Jesus because she knew HE had the power, not her.
All my life I’ve been taught the Lutherans only go through the motions and don’t really “get it” and I hate that I was taught that and so many other falsehoods. But now I’m healing and maybe I’m Lutheran.
Wow, this is long. My apologies
YES YES YES YES to all of this Heather and Megan! I’m so tired of being yelled at to DO more when in the next breath they say we can’t do it on our own. What the h@ll are we supposed to do with that?
heather, i love when you go off. it’s pretty much my favorite:)
megan, fully loved, wholly redeemed, YES. sin-management is work-based salvation through and through. it is God who works in us to will and to act, he who transforms. we are re-created, beloved, and equipped to grow the Kingdom in ways small and great. let’s shout it from the rooftops!
What is funny, Heather, is that is exactly what Lutherans say about evangelicals–that they just go through the motions with their emphasis on feelings and works and lack of emphasis on Grace. That they just don’t “get it” because they don’t use the brains God gave them, all wishy-washy feelings and rolling around in ecstasy and fire and brimstone and really, they’re giving all us Christians a bad name.
We all tell falsehoods about that which we don’t understand. Because without understanding, how can we speak truth?
But yes. Lutherans are very different from evangelicals, and I can’t relate to Megan’s story at all. I’m glad there are different homes for all us different sheep, and hope you have found or will find the pasture that feeds you.
Very touching and so on point.
Yes! I like your description of the effects of externally placed guilt versus internally understood conviction.
Thank you for writing this. I just sent it to my pastor-husband; he thinks along the same lines as you do but it’s always good to be reminded.
Our senior pastor recently left so Dan’s doing a lot of preaching.
I’m often saddened by how many go into our churches today just to leave feeling worse. The Gospel means good news and yet there is often very little good news being spread. Or we think the good news ends at the moment of salvation. As if there isn’t anything to celebrate in the small acts of constant sanctification surrounding us. It’s not that we are anywhere close to perfection, it’s that we have His power within us each day to take a step toward grace, truth and righteousness. Our church services need to reflect more hope and less fury.
Oh, Megan. I could go on and on about this but perhaps my resounding Amen to your words will suffice.
i love when writers put my thoughts into words. thank you.
Ahhh yes….Megan I totally agree. I wrote this week on how I used to think the voice of God in my life was guilt and shame masked as “conviction” but it always made me feel bad. Now I’m thinking it’s a lot more like inspiration and motivation. It should make us want to change. Grace drives change. Knowing we are loved is what causes us to love. Beautiful thoughts. Love having your words here.
Damn straight.
I second Sarah Bessey’s comment
Seriously, this is right on. I have felt this and been frustrated by it and I’m so glad you’ve put that into words.
I go to church for the praise and worship. Sadly, that typically the only part of church that truly feeds my spirit.
Janelle
love, love , love that!
Sounds like someone has been reading Truefaced…loving it, changed by it and amening you like crazy because I get it! Our pastor has been leading us away from sin management as well! A couple of weeks ago he talked about Romans 14 and “doubtful things”. WOW, imagine the naysayers who now think the leadership is a bunch of drunkards. *sigh* This church thing gets messy sometimes. Thanks for pointing out the schmutz.
I am rereading some chapters on love because I need to soak in it.
I just kissed you. On the lips. (It was nice, wasn’t it?
) Just because you’re YOU. And it makes my heart do ovations and stuff.
Every Sunday we are blessed and challenged as our Pastor takes us verse by verse through the living Word of God aptly applying Scripture to life and faith – using Scripture to interpret Scripture, taking the Word literally except where the speech is clearly figurative. Sometimes it is convicting, sometimes it brings me to tears, sometimes it lifts my burden, but every single week it leaves me eagerly hungering for more of the Word of God – for that daily prayer and reading that truly feeds my soul. Sunday isn’t the feast, though we are very well fed – but it is the appetizer for a week of feasting. During adult Sunday School we come with our questions and share together, our Pastor answering from the Word of God. I know it sounds outdated but the Word is timeless, the Truth is life-changing and the Word is fresh! I pray you’ll share your heart with your Pastor and challenge him to preach the Word in season and out of season – the whole Word!
Fabulous. Now don’t get me started on children’s Sunday School curriculum that emphasis sin above all else . . . makes me want to cry.
Thank you! thank you! I have often thought of writing something along these lines but I knew that I couldn’t say it graciously enough or stay to the point clearly. It is so true. I love that you say “You don’t trust the work of the Holy Spirit in my life.” My husband and I have discussed that pastors seem to take too much responsibility for their people. I admire the heart behind it but they simply can’t do the work of the Holy Spirit. I think in the Bible Belt at least, where I am, they are taught that is exactly what they should be doing.
We need balance yes? Lets not go overboard into grace either. There is plenty of scripture that calls out sin.
For the wages of sin is death…
let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body….
come out from among them and be ye separate touch not the unclean thing…..
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth
acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage,
Grace is good and yes there may have been too much emphasis on guilt and not enough on grace in times past but that doesnt mean we should *over correct* and stop preaching against sin. If the Bible finds it important enough to continually *dwell on* then I think Pastors doing a fine job. There are so many scriptures and admonitions to avoid sin that I think our churches should preach it more, and louder for hell is hot eternity is long and the Bible is no joke.
I think the idea of “sin-management” actually sounds funny to me. I go to a church where they present the Gospel in it’s entirety every single Sunday…. and yes sin is a part of that, our part, but God’s part is the part that makes our lives worth living. Sin isn’t “managed”, sin is dealt with by God with wrath or grace. I definitely think that the pursuit of what is Holy because God is Holy is valuable to discuss as well, but the focus should always be on the Good News of what Christ has done for us and who we are in Him. And the HOLY spirit is there to make us holy, not someone’s words….. although He will use the words of those pastors to do that as well. Try to stay strong though, someone else may have really needed to hear the message this week.
Yup. Thanks for articulating something that I’ve thought for so long but could not put in words. This is one of the major reasons we aren’t currently attending a church. It’s complicated, yes, but this is a major part of it.
And when you said:
“I just wonder if perhaps your congregation is actually full of people who long to know that they are more than sinners saved by grace, who long to hear that in Christ, they are saints who sometimes sin.”
I don’t wonder… because I’m one of them.
Wow! A lot of you have been visiting my articles that I linked in a comment above. If you liked them, you would probably also like my poem, “It Became to Me a Dark Thing” on the same themes at http://watchtheshepherd.blogspot.com/2010/07/became-to-me-dark-thing-poem.html
I just can’t decide whether I agree or disagree with your post, maybe it’s because our pastor (my father) preaches on sin and grace in the same breath.
Sunday morning sermons often contain preaching against sin more than Bible studies, evening sermons, and small group meetings, where deeper discipleship takes place. I understand the pastor who is led to preach on sin time and time again Sunday morning. In general I trust that the message a pastor delivers is on his heart as he is lead by the holy spirit, maybe this is just because I’ve witnessed personally how much my father prays before going into a message.
Often times people don’t feel the tug of the Holy Spirit in their life when they are burdened under the weight of sin. In fact scripture makes it clear some sins will even prevent God from hearing our prayers entirely. Perhaps there are congregations that get the same sin sermon over and over again because it needs to be preached and that is where God is truly leading the pastor.
On the other hand, a steady diet of just sin sermons is slightly disturbing and legalistic. But I don’t think they can be thrown out completely (I don’t think that’s what your saying).
Above all we should all PRAY for our Pastors. Diligently. Daily. PRAY, because even though we might read our Bibles and pray throughout the week, sometimes the only “Bible” and spiritual time many congregants get is on Sunday morning.
wow! yes. so, so this.
“you don’t trust the work of the Holy Spirit in my life.”
this is just so so good, megan. thank you.
For many years, I was in a church where I nearly always left battered and bruised by harsh sermons that wanted to wrench that sin out of my heart. Then, I found a place where grace and truth coexisted. Wow. I left wanting to be a better person. Good post.
Great post. We moved 7 years ago and started attending a church where we were able to grow, be discipled, be set free. It’s the first time I’ve ever attended a church where I consistently leave energized, feeling good about my relationship with God, even if I have been convicted by the Holy Spirit during the sermon.
We are about to move again next summer, and I am hopeful to find a great church when we move. If not, thank God our current church has their messages broadcast live online!