Jesus did a lot of His preaching and teaching comfortably seated on a hillside. Peter preached a fiery sermon standing in Jerusalem at Pentecost. 
The Apostle Paul reasoned with the elite. John pastored his seven churches through the written sermon. The point is: We all have our different and unique ways of communicating God’s Word.
When I was growing up, I lived in the era of the fiery orator. There was a lot of “hell-firing” going on. There were huge revivals and great numbers of people repenting. Altar calls in the local church – especially on Sunday evenings – were a normal occurrence. I should know, because I hit the mourner’s bench on a regular basis.
There were also the “Princes of Preachers” like W.A. Criswell and Stephen Olford. Man, could they deliver a message. Billy Graham, and others like him, criss-crossed our world in search of the lost. Thousands were saved.
Now it is very obvious that things have changed. As I travel, I am able to experience first hand via television the various styles of our colleagues. It is very obvious there is a wide range of opportunities for viewers to experience.
You have on one hand the polished, motivational approach of a Joel Osteen. People seem to like his boyish style. He has more viewers than anyone else. There are the prosperity preachers – you know who they are – who lace their messages with “health, wealth and possessions.”
There are some who are very fiery like Rod Parsley and many of the presenters on PTL. Some, like David Jeremiah, stand behind the pulpit and open their Bible and teach verse by verse. A lot of Southern Baptists still use this style.
There are the young men who “dress down” and use a lot of visual props in an attempt to identify with those in their age groups … men like Ed Young Jr. and Andy Stanley. Personally, I believe Jonathan Falwell has emerged as one of the most effective communicators of the Word in our country. He is part of a new breed of young preachers.
And then there is you – and me. We have our styles. We have formed our habits. We do what we do so that the messages we present may appear relevant and convincing. I salute you and say there is no one else in this entire world just like you. Keep doing what you’re doing. Be yourself. Don’t copy anyone. And like the Apostle Paul, do what you do “so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22). You’re the best!
Be blessed and be a blessing. -HBL
