On Sloppy Preaching and Popes

November 2, 2009 by

Ex cathedra. It’s a term that basically means what the Pope says goes and you don’t question it. Uh uh. No way. It’s “gospel.”

And what’s crazy about it is it can happen even outside the Vatican with preachers and Christian leaders. People can begin to think that what they say goes and you better not question it. And it may or may not be that their words are offered at “ex cathedra” levels, yet still it’s taken as “gospel” by some.

And I’m gonna go out on a limb here. (How else do you get any readers?) Here’s the limb: There’s a lot of sloppy preaching in our day. (I’m so convinced of this.) And I’m not necessarily saying that it’s to the point of heresy (though in some cases it comes close), but it’s sloppy preaching at the very least.

And just because somebody gets in front of you who’s sold a lot of books doesn’t mean you don’t test what they say. (1 John 4:1) Are you hearing me?

Of course, the Bereans scrutinized Paul’s words to see if they were true. (Acts 17:10-12) Should they not have just accepted it? He was an apostle after all!

And don’t forget that even the devil can quote Scripture. (Matthew 4:5-6)

Many are led astray by false prophets/teachers in the last days. (2 Peter 2:1) It starts with sloppy preaching and Popes?

Filed Under: bible, blogger, christian, church, false teaching, god, jesus, minister, mother lode, pastor, pope, preacher, religion, sonora, spiritual, teacher, twain harte
About Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike is making the most of web technologies to encourage disciples. A self-proclaimed “twitterholic,” one twitter follower describes him as the “jogging, blogging, tweeting Pastor.” Visits to Pastor Mike’s blog (A Heart For God) number in the hundreds of thousands. His video blogs have been viewed over a half a million times.

Comments

  1. KD says
    November 11, 2009 at 10:09 am

    Many are led astray by false prophets/teachers in the last days. (2 Peter 2:1)

    That started with the reformation. Since the “Popes” have taught the same continually, that should wake some up.

    Who was the first protester? Satan. That should wake everyone up

  2. Dee/reddirtramblings says
    January 17, 2010 at 7:23 am

    As a Catholic, I want to point out one thing about what you wrote. Ex cathedra, or papal infallibility has only been used twice in the Church in recent history. Your words make it sound as though every word the Pope utters is infallible, but it is not. I just want to make that clear. We are often accused of blindly following the Holy Father, and he is the leader of our Church, but he doesn’t just believe his own rhetoric. Papal infallibility is a very big deal. In no way is it even close to sloppy preaching. And, a lot of sloppy preaching *is* heresy against both Christian tradition and the Word of God.~~Dee

  3. Richard says
    August 1, 2010 at 4:11 am

    Berean is the bomb! I’m a natural skeptic, so I disbelieve by default. That will make a Berean of you.