Should Preachers Avoid Controversial Topics?
Many of us have heard of the preacher who decided to skip the controversial I Cor 11:2-16 when the congregation was doing a class textual study of the book of I Corinthians, and we can easily see how this is a violation of the Acts 20:27 requirement to preach “all the counsel of God.” But why can’t we see the same thing when a preacher shies away from teaching on I Cor 11:2-16 in regular sermons at his home congregation, or when preaching gospel meetings at other congregations?Either of the above three cases is a violation of our Acts 20:27 approved example, and ignores passages like Ezek 3:18 which require us to warn those in sin. Would we be loving our Mother properly if all we did was tell Mom how good she was doing by getting plenty of rest, but left off trying to persuade her to take a medicine she had to have to overcome a fatal disease (Eph 4:15)?And God's covering requirement is not the only needed instruction that is being regularly avoided. I suggest there are several other Bible topics that are getting the same “hands off” treatment. Congregations are heaping to themselves teachers, having itching ears; turning away their ears from the truth (II Tim 4:3-4).One of the worst things about this situation in the brotherhood is that some of those same preachers who limit their preaching of the truth (in order to maximize opportunities?) encourage congregations to ostracize those who are determined to preach the whole counsel as they have opportunity. In this case, the courageous are called troublemakers in the same sense that Elijah was called a troublemaker in I Kings 18:17-18.