BYM ONLINE DESK Blessing Oct 2019 English Emagazine | Page 7

How To Preach Without Results?
Charles G. Finney
1. Let your supreme motive be to increase your
own popularity - then, of course, your preaching will
be suited for that purpose, and not to convert souls to
Christ.
2. Avoid preaching doctrines that are offensive
to the carnal mind, lest they should say to you, as they
did to Christ, “This is a hard saying, who can hear it?”
3. Make no distinct points, and do not disturb
the consciences of your hearers, lest they become
alarmed about their souls.
4. Avoid all illustrations, repetitions, and
emphatic sentences that may compel your people to
remember what you say.
14. Preach the Gospel as a remedy, but conceal
or ignore the fatal disease of the sinner.
15. Do not speak of the spirituality of God's
holy law (by which comes the knowledge of sin), lest
the sinner should see his lost condition and flee from
the wrath to come.
16. Make no appeals to the fears of sinners, but
leave the impression that they have no reason to fear.
17. Preach Christ as an infinite amiable and
good-natured being, but ignore those scathing
rebukes of sinners and hypocrites which so often
made his hearers tremble.
5. Avoid all heat and earnestness in your
delivery, lest you make the impression that you really
believe what you say. 18. Admit, either obviously or casually, that all
men have some moral goodness in them, lest sinners
should understand that they need a radical change of
heart, from sin to holiness.
6. Address the emotions, and not the
conscience, of your hearers. 19. Say so little of hell that your people will
think that you do not believe in its existence yourself.
7. Be careful not to testify from your own
experiences of the power of the Gospel, lest you
should produce the conviction upon your hearers that
you have something which they need. 20. Make the impression that, if God is as good
as you are, He could not send anyone to hell.
8. Do not awaken uncomfortable memories by
reminding your listeners of their past sins. 21. Make no disagreeable references to the
teachings of self denial, cross bearing, and
crucifixion to the world, lest you should convict and
convert some of your church members.
9. Denounce sin in general, but make no
reference to the specific sins of your present
audience. 22. Do not rebuke the worldly tendencies of the
church, lest you should hurt their feelings, and finally
convert some of them.
10. Do not make the impression that God
commands your listeners here and now to obey the
truth. Do not let them think that you expect them to
commit themselves right on the spot to give their
hearts to God. 23. Do not rebuke extravagance in dress, lest
you should make an uncomfortable impression on
your vain and worldly church members.
11. Leave the impression that they are expected
to go away in their sins, and to consider the matter at
their convenience.
12. Dwell much upon their inability to obey,
and leave the impression that they must wait for God
to change their natures.
13. Preach salvation by grace, but ignore the
condemned and lost condition of the sinner, lest he
should understand what you mean by grace, and feel
his need of it.
24. Encourage lots of church socials, and attend
them yourself.
25. Make it your great aim to be personally
popular with all classes of your hearers.
26. Aim to make your hearers pleased with
themselves and pleased with you, and be careful
especially not to wound the feelings of anyone.
27. Especially avoid preaching to those who
are present. Preach about sinners, but not to them.
Say “they,” and not “you,” lest anyone should take
your subject personally and apply it to their own life,
securing the salvation of their soul.
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