Some folks have got a little upset with me because I’ve started doing a few things differently during the sermon on Sunday Morning. First of all, I’ve stopped using a pulpit (or the sacred desk) as some prefer to call it. As you know I now sit on a stool beside a small table. Secondly, I’ve stopped using the traditional 3 points and closing with a prayer when I preach. Some of you don’t care for that much, but quite frankly I don’t think it matters “a hill of beans” whether you sit or stand, or use points that all begin with the same letter, or simply talk and share illustrative stories to teach the truths of Scripture. A lot of churches and pastors have adopted trends and practices over the years that really have nothing to do with their faith. Yet, if the tradition is broken it’s almost as if the unpardonable sin is committed. For example, one trend that many of us have adopted is the altar call. What do you know about the history of the altar call? Is it biblical to raise your hand when the pastor says, “If you said that prayer, please raise your hand”? I say that sometimes, but what about the person who doesn’t feel like raising his or her hand? Are they excluded from God’s grace? Is it wrong not to want to go down front so everyone in the congregation knows you’ve got problems? Are those who do go down front somehow privy to a more divine outpouring of grace and forgiveness? I don’t think so… In fact, when Peter preached at Pentecost and 3000 were saved, there is no mention of raising of hands or coming forward. If you check, you’ll see that the altar call didn’t even come about until about 150 years ago when it was made popular by Charles Finney. In some congregations, people come to the altar week after week and they’re still the same. There’s no change. Maybe they’re thinking, “Maybe it will work this time! Maybe this will be the day when I get really zapped!” And there are also those in the congregation who think God isn’t moving unless you have an altar call and people stream forward. We try to reduce our walk of faith down to a few manageable things, that way we can control the process and perform up to some acceptable standard (whatever that is). It’s like we’re looking for one little trick, one more step to success, 3 keys to the Spirit-filled life, or something else spectacular that will make our life finally fall into place. And that is a primary reason I have stopped following the traditional approach to preaching 3 points and closing with a prayer. I don’t want anyone to mistake the form for their faith. Or, to believe that by following a system you can make yourself more acceptable to God. Maybe that’s a challenge to your belief system – I certainly hope not. The truth is, there is no magic formula or 7 step approach to being a “good” Christian. The bottom line is that as a believer, everything necessary for you to experience the Spirit-filled life, the abundant life, the joy, peace, and comfort of Father God has already been completed in Jesus Christ. You are loved by God unconditionally. He doesn’t require you to do anything but rest in His love. Jesus is with you always for He has promised never to leave you or forsake you. So relax… learn something new… open a new page in life and continue to discover the wonderful plan and purpose for which you were created. And please don’t come and complain to me because you don’t like the way I sit at a table to preach or the form of my sermons… Quite frankly, I don’t really care… remember, it’s not a performance thing.
