You are eventually going to have to find a church....and that is not going to be easy....as first you may have to leave a church! Preaching is at rock bottom today. I browse the church websites....read the sermon titles....if they are there....which usually they are not. It's been forty years folks....talking to Christians all the time....they are not getting fed.....but have no idea that they are not getting fed.
When I sat down to write this post....earlier today....I had already formulated in my mind a few things to look for in a church....and a few things to look out for....but since then I heard two stories.....second hand stories....of believers who are having a serious struggle. I know what they need. They need food! Our spiritual caterers....our pulpits....are in essence just bringing pictures of food....and putting them on the plates!
So I am jettisoning those ideas that I had for finding a church. I wasn't thrilled with them as I was coming up with them anyway. Whatever church you are in....have you burned the bridge out of it? Well if you have....then swim....and when you try out a different church....in search of real food....don't burn that bridge you came in on until you are absolutely sure.
We need to hear the word of God preached in power in order to combat the vexations and the stresses of life. I have not as of yet today...it's only 8:45....heard my sermon of the day....because I am hurryingly preparing for an event....and if I put it off too long I will feel the effects. I need to hear the glories of my Savior preached! I need to hear a man under the unction of the Holy Spirit exhort me! Is that a weakness? Absolutely....a wonderful and glorious weakness that I brought upon myself by starting to listen to sermons from either....men of the past....Spurgeon, Ryle, Lloyd Jones, Whitefield....and men today who preach like men of the past....Piper, Horton, Sproul, MacArthur, Derek Thomas, Michael Reeves....the list goes on and on if you know where to look.
This is the primary reason that you need that church. The pastors may never be a Spurgeon or a Piper....but even those men were and are nothing without the Holy Spirit....which God provides for our needs! Spurgeon was converted by a humble and unlearned man who entered the pulpit because the regular pastor could not make it in a snowstorm!
As for now....pray for your pastor. In twenty-four hours he will....Lord willing....be entering his pulpit. Plead with God to have mercy upon him....to startle him out of his sleep....to bring the weight of the souls in his congregation down upon him. In the meantime...search out these men of God....ask God that it might be as if you were sitting in front of them when they first preached the message....and do all this to God's glorious honor and precious name....thanking Him in advance for the help that He will send....for He keeps all His promises!
