After not going to church for a few decades ,
I started going a year ago.
I liked this interim pastor so much , that I joined the church last week .


Prior to making the decision I listened to a half dozen others to compare.

Cheese and crackers,
I couldn't get through an entire sermon with any of them.

One had a cartoon voice another spoke so softly you couldn't hear her, another was using names ,places and bible words that were completely foreign.

Our pastor ,who is actually retired told us that he will serve here as long as it is fun.

I told him same here.

To listen to him is just a little like Garrison Keeler, a little bit like Paul Harvey but his voice is sorta like Harry Morgan.


He also does a second sermon ,nine miles away for another church w/o a pastor.

When I saw the topic title I was expecting to see complaints about doctrinal differences. I believe, though, you’re just referring to speaking delivery—?

I do men's Bible study on line. A friend from the big Baptist Church here teaches it. I enjoy the videos. I've viewed the Church service a few times on line. I like the Preacher and know him well. They lose me right about when he starts telling the congregation they can come to Church 5 times a week but they will never be worthy unless they give their souls to Christ. Some of their $ too. I dont think I got a soul so WTF do you want ? Also, after hearing 3 or 4 punishing hymns by the Choir, I turn it off. Maybe they could keep my attention better if they played some Judas Priest.

Here's a couple for y'all! Great for car listening! Delivery on these I think is... adequate. Both have some WW2 themes, which may appeal to forum members.





Keep seeking, David!

Delivery,yes.

It's all in the delivery.
(For me anyway)

Our pastor is very down home and folksy. Just the type of preaching I like to listen to. He's a great teacher of the Bible because he explains stuff in very easy to understand terms.
The pastor in the last church didn't preach to you. He preached AT you. Very good preacher if you enjoy that type of sermons. I don't.

I am looking for a church and have went the same one twice. The pastor is an awesome speaker but is an interim pastor. The pastor makes a huge diferance !

When “pastors” are not men, yes, they are all over the map because they are not biblical pastors. 1 Tim 3:1 and 2 make it clear that this is a male position.

I will grant that even the men are all over the map, but at least men meet the quals for the position.

I compliment him on a regular basis ,
He explains to me that he already knew his audience, because he grew up in this church.

And there is the rub,
The knew folks coming up have got to learn and adjust to the congregation,which takes time.


And he says feed back is essential. It is most definitely a two way street.

Our pastor is biblical in his sermons and delivers hard topics in a loving and kind manner. He has and continues to take groups to the middle east and has gained much knowledge of cultural meanings that many miss. We are very fortunate to have him.

I have also been fortunate to have a very good teaching pastor in my past. Helped him with a log house build and still friends though separated by several states.

I have to say that that is one of the beauties of the Catholic church. I could go to Mass in Santiago, Chile, or go back in time 1000 years and go to Mass in Prague. I would experience the same Mass that I celebrate here in podunk Montana. Oh, sure, the homilies may differ some depending on the public speaking ability of the local priest, but the service is the same...and always has been for nearly 2000 years.

400 years ago, maybe.

Rome did change, as a response to the Reformation.

And didn’t switch from Latin until…. Sometime in the 20th Century, I think.

I suppose if you speak Latin, you might get something from the homile.

I grew up in the catholic church and was in catholic schools until college. 9 of 10 priests I encountered were terrible at public speaking. As a kid, I often found myself counting knots on the wood ceiling of the church, I was so bored.

My father was a principal at a catholic high school for many years and got to know the Priests and Brothers at the school pretty well. He told me that he learned they don't take any public speaking classes in Seminary. Maybe they do now, but I was suprised this wasn't a fairly significant part of the schooling.

mrvmax' comment is becoming more and more relevant. I went to a Methodist service last year, at a friend's church. First time I'd ever heard a woman preach. It was... uninspired. And this wasn't a UMC church either. That's not to say that a woman is incapable of guiding someone to Christ and/or provoking someone to live in accordance with His will. But, as mrvmax says, it's best to stick to the word of God on such matters.

For those seeking a church, I'd pay just as much attention to the congregation as the pastor or priest. Strong fellowship is very important. I suppose it's a given that a good preacher will have a strong sense of fellowship in his congregation. If the fellowship ain't there, maybe keep looking, even if you think you like the preacher. The brothers and sisters in the congregation are the folks who will provoke much of your growth. Also determine the presence of "extracurriculars"; things like mid-week study groups, a decent outreach tempo, focused ministries you can help with, etc. These things will occur naturally under a good pastor. Their absence can be indicative of a problem.

As for the reliability of Catholic liturgy, it's something I'd like to learn more about. The liturgical calendar is something I'd like to have an awareness of, especially considering my mother's Catholic church attendance.

On the Protestant side, we talk about someone being "called to preach". If he's truly called, he'll be a "good" preacher. If he's not, he may do some good for a while, but will ultimately fizzle. Worst case: he'll do something quite bad. It seems to me that the same can likely be said of Catholic priests. It's logical that a priest that sexually abuses someone wasn't really "called". Although, David was an adulterer and murderer. No one will argue that David wasn't called by God.

I hope to hear from the Catholic men on my recent studies in this thread...

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...35/m/9610038215/p/33

I intend to inquire about the liturgical calendar over there too. I am not trying to drive action to a thread I created. I don't care where the conversation happens, so long as we have it. It just makes sense to me to keep it consolidated.

The best pastor I had spoke like he had wet river pebbles in his mouth. At the beginning of each sermon, he gives his three points he's going to talk about and as soon as he says the third point, I'm dozing off enjoying my Sunday day of rest.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
I have to say that that is one of the beauties of the Catholic church. I could go to Mass in Santiago, Chile, or go back in time 1000 years and go to Mass in Prague. I would experience the same Mass that I celebrate here in podunk Montana. Oh, sure, the homilies may differ some depending on the public speaking ability of the local priest, but the service is the same...and always has been for nearly 2000 years.

Gustofer: I have to agree in part and disagree in part. Yes, we experience the same Mass from parish to parish... but there are differences beyond the public speaking ability of the local priest.

I have two parishes nearby. One is very traditional and the other is what they call "progressive". I call it commie. I can no longer tolerate that parish. I don't want to hear homilies about how horrible Trump's policies are and how we should open our borders and care for the migrant population.

Coincidentally, at my church, revivals I have attended, and in sermons I have listened to in the past ninety days or so, Hell has been a prominent theme.

Hell has therefore also been a prominent theme in my discussions with my mother. She has fallen victim to the watering-down of Hell. Something this priest addresses in this homily...



In my recent research of the the Catholic liturgical calendar, I have discovered that there really isn't a day that is dedicated to Hell, thematically. However, this priest uses the scripture the day dictates, and preaches Hell! I dig it.

I did take issue with his use of the word "character" in reference to Bible personnel. Also, some of his jokes seemed forced. I think he should have stayed strong. The jokes kill momentum, to then have it build again, only to be again struck down by another joke. These are minor nitpicks.

Point being: the priest is important even when the structure of the liturgical calendar implies a copy/paste experience at Catholic churches. This priest delivered a homily in a tough-love sorta way on a often unpopular topic, when many other priests likely took it in a tamer direction.

And here is another homily from a Catholic priest. He apparently does not agree with the above priest, or the Catechism. This homily predates the first one I shared by seven years. Proof that the Catholic church (when considering it's priests and their homilies) is as much subject to the "all over the map" phenomenon as Protestant churches are. In style, speaking skill, and doctrinal message, these two Catholic priests share little in common.

quote:

Originally posted by KSGM:
Proof that the Catholic church is as much subject to the "all over the map" phenomenon as Protestant churches are.

We go to Mass for the Eucharist, not the priest, and the Eucharist is not “all over the map”, nor has it ever been.