The Martyn Lloyd-Jones Trust....mljtrust.org....discovered an old interview from April of 1975 in....The Evangelical Magazine Of Wales....and emailed it out to those who sign up to receive such news. The interviewer asked Lloyd-Jones if he was disappointed that there had been no great revival in Wales during his long ministry. His answer was yes but that God is in control of everything. The interviewer made a comment that inferred that such a revival would have an effect on pastors and their preaching but Martyn Lloyd-Jones disagreed in that it would have to be the opposite....that God would use preachers to bring the revival. The following is his entire answer:
"Certainly, but I would not put it that way, that all this has to have an influence on preachers. I would put it the other way. You will not get the things I mentioned....(related to a revival)....until something has happened to the preachers. The present state of things is a reflection of a defect in the preachers; it is great preaching that produces great believers and great listeners and congregations who rejoice. I heard of a preacher only the other Sunday. In the act of preaching he stopped and asked the congregation: 'Why are you not shouting?' The man did not realize he was condemning himself. When a man preaches under the influence of the Holy Spirit he does not ask people to shout-he tries to hinder them doing so. The congregation is stirred by great preaching. And that is what happened in the great revivals. It is something that happens first of all to one preacher, or a minister, or a man like Howell Harris, and as a result of this great experience he is constrained to give it expression, and so he preaches. And therefore, to me, this is the saddest thing of all in our present condition-the lack of preachers. This is the greatest problem, it seems to me-why do we not have great preachers in these days? I believe we have traced the explanation in what we have been discussing. Our danger all the time is to be satisfied with one side of the matter, and especially to forget the living God who gives a strong and powerful experience to the man himself. There is little hope for the people or for the churches until the preachers themselves have been set on fire and are full of this joy. This is the order, I would think. It is exceptional for this to start in the congregation and then spread to the preacher. The preacher first, then the congregation. The congregation mirrors the condition of the preacher, and therefore I would start with the preacher himself."
Afterthought: It is my habit to pray for my pastor every day....and also for our son's pastor....and then for all faithful pastors....and then for national ministers such as MacArthur and Piper who have such large listening audiences. It was said that there were those in the basement of the Metropolitan Tabernacle praying for Charles Spurgeon....as he was preaching in the pulpit. The preachers today have indeed failed us....but then we have failed them also! In light of this....my continued advice over the years to readers has been....no matter who your own pastor may be....incorporate into your lives the preaching of great preachers of the past....such as Spurgeon and Lloyd-Jones....and those few preachers today who preach like preachers from the past. Both Spurgeon and Lloyd-Jones relied on the gifts that were given to men who preceded them. If you take this advice....then you will surely wind up praying fervently for your own pastor....because you will see how much need he is in!
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalm 27:14 KJV
