MIKE MISLAN in the Philippines!

"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (1st Cor.2:4-5)

Sometimes we preachers spend much time planning on how we will deliver our sermons. Will the Intro capture their attention?  Will all the main points begin with the same letter?  How about transition? Effect? Contrasts? Closure? Invitation?  

But last Sunday night, I was moved by one of the best messages I ever heard.  In fact our church was and many went forward!  Was the preacher well known? Ordained?  A Seminary Graduate?  Polished? A dynamic speaker?  Was he advertized as a big wheel evangelist in some Christian publication or denominational magazine? No, he was just a humble Christian worker who visited us from one of my suporting churches in NY.

You see, sometimes we ruin the clear, pure, and simple truth with all the "fluff" we try to add as "professionals."  That's why Paul wrote that his preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power.  And when we do it that way, the faith of our memnbbers won't stand on more and more entertainment, but in the power of God!  That's waht I want, don't you?