By James Baker
I remember observing a magazine with an article entitled “America top ten preachers.” I have been reading the Bible for years and have never come across any system which would produce a list of these critters; so I must consider this listing as simply another wade into the doctrine of men. Mark 7.7 1 Cor 1.11-12 First thing is; how would they be selected? Now, I could understand if God did the selection and rankings. But man is in no position to pass judgment upon fellow brethren as to where they rate in service to God. Who would make the decision that “Steve” is number seven and Troy is number nine? Then Kenneth is told he didn’t make the cut to be included in the top ten. etc. And by the way, God doesn’t view things the way man does. The Judges think that Dylan is the top preacher in America and God thinks Dylan is a lazy phony. 1Samuel 16.7. Luke 16.15 For man to make a list and place other men on the list is to make the list creators judges. The bible teaches, there is only one Law giver and Judge, and who are we to judge one another? James 4.12 . Romans 14.10. As to God selecting and rating man; He can. He is the Creator and knows man worth and things man doesn’t know himself. Matthew 10.30. John 2.25. John 6.61-64. 1 Corinthians 10.5. Numbers 14.24. God rated Noah as the best man on earth as He made plans to send a flood to wipe men off the face of the earth. Genesis 6.8-18 Genesis 7.1. Later on God did the same rating on Job, by saying that he was the number one man on earth. Job 1.8. God also did so with the nation of Israel, many He didn’t think very highly of. 1 Cor 10.5. But that is God, it isn’t man; God can do that. When God rated men, He did so based on their character, not on the size of the membership at the church where they preached or how many other brethren knew them. etc. 1 Sam 16.7. Yet, there are many who appear to want to be the top brother in the area. They make sure that every church with 100 miles knows who they are and even stick their noses in other locations business. Why? Why do all that; when the local preacher could be spending time working around the neighborhood of the meeting house getting to know the neighbors of the church and maybe interesting them in the gospel? Preachers need to be quietly working at their local congregation, trying to edify and build the group up. That is something God would be very pleased with, and not trying to be the top guy in the area. |