I know some folks might think I only get fired up and shoot off at the mouth about churches and church members, but sometimes there's sorryness in the pulpit. I can't stand lazy preachers. A shepherd that won't feed or tend to the sheep gets me hotter than boilin' possum fat. Preachers who won't study and work in the ministry ought to get out of the pulpit and make an honest livin' at something else.

I remember something an old preacher brother told me years ago. He said that if a man will study and pray long enough and hard enough during the week, he'll have something to say in the pulpit on Sunday and won't have to steal another man's sermon. A diligent preacher won't be found late on a Saturday night goin' through Pulpit Helps, tryin' to scratch up something to preach. Now that don't mean that he can't read another man's sermons. He just ain't supposed to totally depend on them....or steal them.

Something else that fires me up is when a preacher uses another man's thoughts or personal illustrations and never let's on that they're not his. I've actually heard preachers use other preacher's illustrations and tell a story as if it happened to them personally.

Why that's lower'n a snake's belly in the Grand Canyon. Shame! You can bet that preacher won't be preachin' on lyin' and deceiving' the next Sunday, or anytime soon.

A lazy preacher who won't take care of his sheep is another seed that sticks in my craw. If a man won't visit and take care of the spiritual needs of his people, why he ought to be horsewhipped. Generally though, things take care of themselves and they will run his sorry self off. Of course, he then just goes to another church and repeats his same sins. It's hard to break a dog from suckin' eggs. It makes me wonder if some preachers think they were called to be served instead of called to serve.

If a man's going to be successful in the pulpit, he's going to have to work at it. If he's going to be successful in ministering to people, he is going to have to apply himself. There ain't no room in the ministry for laziness. - Brother RND

Copied From Joseph Harris @: http://www.miniedition.net -- Used By Permission