I think it's awesome that we now have the technology to be able to listen to hundreds of preachers from churches all across America and all over the world from the comfort of our own homes, cars, offices, and pockets, courtesy of sermon podcasts. I think this is part of the reason for the burgeoning gospel renaissance in some sections of the evangelical church: people who were starving for the gospel in their own churches are now able to hear gospel preaching regularly.
I think it's awful that we now have this technology that allows us to listen to the absolute best preachers in the world and thereby compare their speaking to that of our own preacher's. Our own guy may be sound and solid, competent and compelling, but podcasts from the "best of the best" have ruined us for profiting from wisdom in our very own sanctuaries. The celeb factor of a stranger kicks in, and it is hard for the "unknown" guy who is personally bleeding, sweating, and crying for us to compete. (I also think a large swath of the multi-site movement banks on this reality.)
3 comments:
Jared,
I share your view on this. I love to listen to podcasts of Matt Chandler -- he is a great teacher. Having access to his messages every week is truly a blessing for me. But, I can't expect the pastor of our little church in rural Canada to be that type of teacher -- especially when he has a staff of one.
I appreciate this very much. In the youthful evangelical demographic it is easy to see what is taking place at the churches of the "best of the best" and start to think something is wrong with my church, or why doesn't my Pastor do.....fill in the blank. The reality is God has specific callings for specific churches and the Pastor should be obedient to that. How do you become one with your body on the East coast when you are enamored with what God is doing on the West coast. Plug in where God has you and look at the podcasts as a bonus.
Anonymous, exactly. Thanks for the comment. Your pastor is a blessed guy to have you in his church.
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