ChristiansUnite Forums

Do you think sermons should be touchy feely feel-good stuff?

All syrupy sweet and sugared up?

If you mean should the semonars themselves be sugar coated, I don't beleave so. I mean, you don't want to try and scare people into being christians, however, people need to know what is REALLY going on. That is what I B-Leave!!!

sounds more like a marriage proposal  :P

I personally can't stand touchy feely messages because emotions in themselves can't be trusted. Of course we must state the truth and the truth alone, but it should be done with tact and love. Sugar coating the truth can only mislead and disgust people. If I can't picture Jesus giving a snot and slobber session, then we shouldn't either. Take care.

-Aiden-

hmm... If I can't picture Jesus... then we shouldn't either.

says who now?  ::)

I'm sure they should be Scriptural. God's Word speaks for itself. Some sweet, some not.
 
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-­edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Not sure I understand what the original poster means....syrupy sweet feel good stuff?  

If the love of God isn't sweet feel good stuff then why do I feel so good when I praise his name?  :::shruggs shoulders sweetly:::   ;D


Grace and Peace!

Shylynne,
I'm sorry, but I did not exactly understand what you meant? I perhaps was becoming too opinionated or maybe unclear. I basically picture the "snot and slobber sessions" being sermons with lots of emotion and little else spoken, in which case I meant that Jesus doesn't seem to want us to do that. Man, I should have just written that earlier. Perhaps I'm still being unclea. Anyways, were you agreeing or being sarcastic or what? Sorry I can't get it on my own. Take Care.

-Aiden-

What if it includes the gospels truth?  If you mean just snot and slobber for snot and slobbers sake then OK, but I'm getting the impression as soon as we see snot and slobber we're turned off to anything else that might be said?  I'm confused.   ???   I don't mind a little snot and slobber (don't like that term) as long as I am getting fed the truth of Gods word......and BTW, that makes me feel good most of the time, other times it makes me feel convicted of my wrongs.

Grace and Peace!

Ahem.  Well, I wasn't meaning 'xactly 'snot & slobber' - gross!

But anyway, um, Aiden, best to just ignore Shylynne.   ;D She's sort of our resident mascot.   ;)

Ooo, good verse, sincereheart:

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-­edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

See, that's xactly the point:  "double-edged" sword.

There's very little sugary, touchyfeely feel good about a two ediged sword.

But I hear many sermons like on the radio.  Very little of any 'danger'; but much of the sugary kind, it seems.  

I mean, we're in for a rough ride no matter how you slice it.  It's not all about hugs and hand holding and slobbering all over each other, and cushioned pews - at all.

Maybe more to the point, sermons are patronizing to the parishoners, and I think the parishoners(sp?) are dupes for going along with it - I'm thinking there's a "mutual" duel patronization going on, where ministers are patronizing towards the congregants, and the congregants are equally patronizing towards the minister, so its one big silent, under the table, tacet 'agreement' to "we won't rock your boat, and you don't rock ours".

So that everyone is going off in lockstep, handholding, in mutual, silent agreement to one another, to their own destruction, in 'sugary sweet', feel-good jargon.

Ministers are fearful for their employment; congregants are fearful for their acceptability and churchianity.

It all seems a very dangerous elixir.

Ahh, I see what you mean now.  Truth is painful at times, and should be offensive to sin.  For some reason I thought everyone was talking about preaching style so to speak.

Grace and Peace!

Why not?

Jud 1:22
And of some have compassion, making a difference:
That's kinda "feel good"

Jud 1:23
And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
And this one is scary!!

Sermons need to be the Word, and nothing but the Word....let the Holy Spirit take care of the emotions, or fear, or conviction.

"My Word shall NOT return void, but WILL accomplish the purpose wherewith it is sent..."


Nope.

Lets sing Just As I am, one more time



(http://www.sirinet.net/~blkidps/blgif1.gif)

As the Lord shall lead.........

Ditto! Forgive my quoting A4C. I feel good even when we are told we are going into the very fires of damnation because I know the feel good stuff is going to follow and snatch me right into His arms.
I don't know about the touchy part unless it be the "greeting one another with a holy kiss".

In His sweet love,
ollie

Lets sing Just As I am, one more time




(http://www.sirinet.net/~blkidps/blgif1.gif)

Please ignore symphony for telling you to ignore me...  ;D
but 2T...I would have said what he said, but hes always beating me too it!  ;D


I was being sarcastic...  :-X
You have no scriptural basis for saying "If I can't picture Jesus giving a snot and slobber session, then we shouldn't either."  If you are going to say someone shouldnt do something best have scripture to back it up!

  :)

    :)

There has to be a balance of preaching law to the sinner and grace to the repentant.
The most effective preachers of the past, like Finney, didn't pull punches and preached hell fire to the sinner. Today, there is a tendancy to preach God's gift of eternal life as just another possession, such as that the rich young ruler sought.
There really is no such thing as "easy believeism", to coin an old Arthur Pink phrase, and the way of the cross is to follow after Jesus and share the brokenness that has to come into our lives as we share with the Lord in full communion.

Shylynne,
Perhaps you are right, but I have yet to find a sermon or message preached in the Bible simply directed at people's emotions. Because of that absence amidst the multiple sermons, I think that most other Biblical characters did not preach "snot and slobber" or sugar-coated sessions. Not everything has to have an exact verse though. If the mind (meant in this case as reason) is not addressed as well as the heart (meant in this case as emotions) and vice versa, then I should think that we are not speaking the truth for the word of God pierces all areas. Needless to say, we do not find the Bible saying purely emotional messages are wrong, but neither does it say they are good. In which case, I feel it more consistent with scripture to not have pure emotion messages than it is to have them. Of course, I am always eager to hear the wisdom of other people, and if there are verses that speak about this then please tell me. The danger seems that balance is always needed in messages and pure intellectual sermons could be just as bad as pure emotional ones. And yes I just saw 2nd Tim's post and I do agree with him, I was talking about snot and slobber and no hard truth. I think this all miscommunication in my posts, but hopefully I'll get it. Take care.

-Aiden-