“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God” (I Peter 4:17). Repentance must always begin in the Assembly of God’s people. The key place for it to start is with those who preach. The great 15th and 16th century reformation began with the repentance and conversion of the parish priest, John Huss, Martyn Luther and the likes. All of us, by our very own natures, are lovers of self more than lovers of righteousness. True gospel preaching exposes the wickedness of this self-orientation and calls its hearers to radical conversion. Man-centered preaching cannot result in radical conversion. Many of those who are clamoring for acceptance really need repentance, and multitudes who come to church for comfort need to be severely discomforted and awakened out of their lethal slumbering. Paul warned in II Timothy, “For the time will come when they WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE: but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” There has never been a time since the beginning of the New Testament Church that this is more applicable than presently. Every preacher is in danger of telling his people what they want to hear. The motives for doing so are numerous, including larger paychecks, greater applause, and easier circumstances. If the preacher is called by men, he may sensibly give those who called him what they want. But what if the preacher is called by God? How can he dare speak less than all the truth of God? Every genuine revival constitutes a return of the people of God. Thus, any preaching that is not God-centered; that does not lift up and exalt the God of the Bible above all else, calling all to return to Him will prove to be a distinct hindrance to revival. May God deliver us from this hindrance. Remember that old Bible School song, “Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known!” Do you dare to be a Daniel? Are you prepared to face your den of lions unafraid? Are you boldly standing even if all alone? Are your purposes firmly set? Do you dare to resist the clock-watchers who are vastly more committed to keeping the services short than the prosperity of Christ’s Kingdom? Do you dare to stand against the unregenerate leaders in your church; calling them to repentance even when they are scheming your departure? Do you dare to insist that the wealthy and prestigious must follow the same path of surrender and devotion to Jesus Christ as the poor and downtrodden? Do you dare to preach against the favorite sins of your congregation or is your preaching fashionable and acceptable to the unrepentant Christ-haters among your people? Christians without courage are a strange and pathetic contradiction and a constant hindrance to the moving and powerful working of the Holy Ghost.
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