Not Every Pastor Is Sent by God John .F MacArthur Powerful Motivational Speech..!

Majid Don

"Not Every Pastor Is Sent By God" is a bold, truth-filled sermon that exposes the rise of false teachers in the modern church. Delivered in a powerful expository preaching style, this message challenges believers to discern true shepherds from self-appointed leaders using the unshakable foundation of Scripture.  In an age of spiritual confusion, celebrity pastors, and emotional hype, it is more important than ever to test every voice by the Word of God. This sermon calls the church to reject charisma without truth, and to uphold biblical fidelity over popularity.  Whether you're a pastor, church leader, or believer seeking truth, this message will awaken your heart, sharpen your discernment, and bring clarity to a confused generation.  📖 Based on Jeremiah 23, 2 Timothy 4, and Matthew 7. 🎯 Perfect for those passionate about biblical truth, sound doctrine, and church purity.  ⏱ Timestamps (34 Minutes) with Emojis & Keywords 00:00 – 🔔 Introduction & Prayer – Spiritual discernment, urgency 01:55 – 📖 Jeremiah 23:21 Explained – False prophets exposed 04:10 – ⚠️ The Danger of Self-Appointed Leaders – Calling vs career 07:05 – 🎭 Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing – Matthew 7 warning 09:50 – 📉 When Charisma Replaces Doctrine – Charismatic deception 12:30 – 🔍 Testing Teachers by Scripture – 1 Thessalonians 5:21 15:15 – 💬 Emotionalism vs Sound Preaching – True gospel vs hype 18:00 – 🧪 5 Tests of a True Pastor – Doctrine, character, fruit, suffering, Christ-centeredness 21:45 – 🚨 Popularity Doesn’t Equal Divine Approval – Cultural compromise 24:10 – 🔥 2 Timothy 4:2 – Preach the Word! – Preaching mandate 26:40 – 🛑 The Church Must Stop Endorsing Error – Celebrity pastors danger 29:05 – 🙏 Call to Return to the Word – Biblical restoration 31:00 – 💡 Final Reflections & Challenge – Guard the flock 33:10 – 🙌 Closing Prayer – Recommit to truth  📌 Why You Should Watch In today’s church culture, truth is being sacrificed for influence. This sermon will open your eyes to the subtle infiltration of false teachers, give you biblical tools to test every voice, and equip you to stand firm in a time of widespread deception. If you care about protecting your faith, your family, and your church, this message is essential.  Don’t be swayed by appearance—learn to recognize what God truly sends.  🏷 30 Hashtags (SEO & Trend Optimized) #FalseTeachers, #SoundDoctrine, #BiblicalTruth, #PreachTheWord, #Jeremiah23, #TestEverySpirit, #ChristianDiscernment, #GospelTruth, #Matthew7, #PastoralWarning, #ChristianLeadership, #BiblicalTeaching, #ExpositoryPreaching, #FaithfulPreacher, #2Timothy4, #ChurchAwakening, #ChristCentered, #ScriptureAlone, #SpiritualDeception, #ChristianTruth, #GodsWord, #StopFalseTeaching, #TruthOverTrend, #NoCompromise, #ChurchPurity, #ChristianLiving, #WatchAndPray, #GuardTheFlock, #JesusIsLord, #StandForTruth

Transcript

00:00Heavenly Father, we come before you with reverence and humility, seeking your truth and your truth

00:05alone. May the words that follow not be the ideas of man, but the clear teaching of your eternal

00:11word. Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts ready to obey. In Christ's name, amen.

00:17Introduction. A counterfeit crisis in the pulpit church. Let us not be naive. We are living in a

00:24time when the visible church is flooded, not filled, voices claiming to speak for God. Some of

00:30them are eloquent. Many are charismatic. A few are even sincere, but sincerity does not equal truth.

00:37And charisma does not equate to a divine calling. Not every pastor is sent by God. We must be

00:43discerning. We must examine everything, especially those who stand behind the pulpit. This is not

00:49cynicism. It is obedience. Not every pastor is called or sent by God. This statement is

00:55not an attack, but a sober biblical reality that is echoed throughout redemptive history.

01:01From the Old Testament prophets to the apostolic warnings in the New Testament, the Word of God

01:06consistently cautions believers to be aware that there will be individuals who assume the

01:11office of spiritual leadership without a divine mandate. These are not merely well-meaning, but

01:18misguided men. Many are deceptive, self-appointed, and driven by ambition, pride, or personal gain.

01:25Some may not even be aware that they are not called, but ignorance of a calling does not make it

01:29legitimate. The office of pastor is not one that can be seized by human desire or fleshly aspiration.

01:37It is a divine appointment, sovereignly orchestrated by God and affirmed by the local church through

01:43careful examination of doctrine, character, and fruit. In Jeremiah 23, 21, God says,

01:51I did not send these prophets, yet they ran. I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.

01:56This verse alone should arrest our attention. It exposes the fact that some men enter ministry not

02:02because they were sent, but because they took the initiative without God's command. They run ahead of

02:08divine calling, driven by the impulse to be seen, to speak, to lead, or to control. Their authority is

02:14self-bestowed. Their motivation may vary. Some crave recognition. Others enjoy influence, and many simply

02:21want a platform to express their own ideas. But the root issue remains. They have not been called by God.

02:28The consequences of uncalled shepherds are severe. In Ezekiel 34, the Lord indicts the false shepherds of

02:34Israel. He rebukes them for feeding themselves instead of the flock, for failing to strengthen

02:40the weak, heal the sick, bind up the injured, bring back the strays, or search for the lost.

02:46These men exploited the sheep, ruled them with force and cruelty, and left them scattered and vulnerable.

02:52God's judgment against these shepherds was fierce. He promised to remove them and personally

02:57shepherd his people. That same principle applies today when pastors operate without a divine calling.

03:04The flock suffers. Sheep are misled. Truth is distorted. The gospel is diluted. The church

03:11becomes a stage rather than a sanctuary. Paul in the New Testament also warns repeatedly about this

03:16reality. In Acts 29 30, he says to the Ephesian elders, I know that after my departure fierce wolves

03:23will come in among you, not sparing the flock. And from among your own selves will arise men speaking

03:29twisted things to draw away the disciples after them. These men rise not from outside the church,

03:35but from within. They look like shepherds. They may even begin well, but they are not sent by God.

03:43They distort truth for their own agendas. Their goal is not to glorify Christ, but to gather disciples

03:48unto themselves. This is spiritual theft. It is treason against the chief shepherd. The calling to pastoral

03:55ministry is not an inner impulse alone. It is not simply a burden or a strong desire. While desire

04:02is a component, as seen in 1 Timothy 3, 1, where Paul says, if anyone aspires to the office of overseer,

04:08he desires a noble task. The aspiration must be examined and tested. It must be weighed against

04:15Scripture's qualifications for leadership. Does the man hold firmly to sound doctrine, able to teach and

04:21refute error? Is his character above reproach? Is he a one-woman man, sober-minded, self-controlled,

04:29respectable, hospitable, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money? If these markers

04:36are missing, the calling is invalid regardless of how intense the desire may be. Moreover, being sent by

04:42God involves both inward conviction and outward confirmation. A legitimate call is affirmed by the

04:49church recognized by godly leadership, and borne out over time through the man's life in ministry.

04:54He is tested, proven, and entrusted. In contrast, a self-appointed pastor bypasses the testing and

05:01accountability that comes with true ordination. He may manipulate Scripture, ignore qualifications,

05:08and hide behind charisma or emotionalism. Often these individuals use spiritual-sounding language to

05:14justify their position. They say things like, a God gave me this vision, or the Spirit told me to

05:21start a ministry. But if their teaching does not align with Scripture, if their lives do not reflect

05:27holiness, if their message does not point to the cross and the Lordship of Christ, their calling is

05:33suspect. God does not contradict His Word. Jesus warned of false prophets in Matthew 7, 15, saying,

05:40And beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

05:45These are not overt enemies of the faith. They appear as friends. They wear the garments of truth,

05:51speak with religious fervor, and may even perform signs. But inwardly they are driven by appetite, not

05:57mission. They are not sent. They are self-installed. Their ministries are built on manipulation,

06:02sensationalism, and emotionalism, and emotionalism. They speak more about personal breakthrough than

06:09personal repentance. They promise blessing without obedience, power without submission, and favor

06:15without the fear of God. This is why discernment in the church is critical. A man may graduate seminary,

06:22write books, trend on social media, and gather crowds. But none of these are signs of a divine calling.

06:29Popularity does not equal authority. Influence does not prove legitimacy. The ultimate question is not,

06:35is he effective, but is he faithful? Not every gifted communicator is a faithful pastor,

06:41and not every pastor with a large following is sent by God. The metric is not results. It is obedience

06:47to the Word. A true calling will always manifest itself in doctrinal soundness, spiritual maturity,

06:54Christ-centered preaching, and genuine love for the flock. False teachers often appear genuine,

07:00but distort the truth. This is the very nature of deception. It does not present itself as evil,

07:06but as light. In fact, in 2 Corinthians 11, 13, 14, Paul warns the church about such individuals.

07:14For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

07:20And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

07:24The danger of false teachers is not always in what they deny, but in what they subtly twist.

07:31They rarely begin by outright rejecting scripture. They begin by reshaping it, reinterpreting it,

07:37or emphasizing parts of it while ignoring others. They mix truth with error, creating a gospel that

07:43sounds familiar but lacks saving power. False teachers know how to sound spiritual. They quote scripture,

07:50they use the name of Jesus, and they speak often of faith, love, and miracles. But when examined closely,

07:56their messages are hollow. They emphasize human potential over divine holiness, success over

08:03sanctification, and feelings over faithfulness. They tell people what they want to hear rather than what

08:08they need to hear. In 2 Timothy 4, 3-4, Paul writes, For the time is coming when people will not endure

08:16sound teaching. But having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their

08:21own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth, and wander off into myths. These false

08:28teachers thrive because there is a market for them. The people want them. They are not just tolerated,

08:34they are celebrated. The deception is often not in what they say, but in what they refuse to say.

08:39They speak often of God's love, but never of His wrath. They talk about blessing, but never about

08:45judgment. They promote grace, but ignore repentance. They reference the cross, but not the cost of

08:51discipleship. They speak of heaven, but avoid hell. Their gospel is partial, and a partial gospel is a false

08:58gospel. They may claim to preach Jesus, but the Jesus they present is not the Christ of

09:03Scripture. He is a safe, soft, therapeutic figure, more life coach than Lord, more cheerleader than

09:10Savior. What makes false teachers so dangerous is their appeal. They draw crowds. They are charismatic.

09:17They often possess compelling personal stories, emotional delivery, and magnetic personality.

09:24People listen not just because of what they say, but how they say it. Their sermons are filled with

09:28illustrations, humor, anecdotes, and captivating language, but void of biblical exegesis.

09:35They rarely preach verse by verse. They do not labor in the Word. They do not explain,

09:40apply, and uphold sound doctrine. Instead, they hop from passage to passage, extracting phrases out of

09:47context to support their themes. They use the Bible, but they do not submit to it.

09:52Matthew 7, 21-23. Jesus gives a chilling warning. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter

10:00the kingdom of heaven. On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name,

10:07and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare

10:12to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. These individuals were not

10:18atheists or mockers. They were religious. They used the name of Jesus. They performed signs.

10:24Yet they were unknown to Christ. Their ministry was a facade. Their theology was corrupted. Their

10:31works were lawless. False teachers are not just a problem for fringe groups or uneducated audience.

10:37They can be found in mainstream pulpits, large conferences, best-selling book lists,

10:42and viral online sermons. They craft their messages to appeal to the flesh.

10:47They preach comfort without conviction, favor without faithfulness, breakthrough without

10:52brokenness. Their theology is man-centered, not God-centered. It starts with self and ends with

10:58self. Their ultimate goal is often growth, platform, applause, and influence. Not the glory of God and the

11:05edification of His church. One of the most insidious tactics of false teachers is the misuse of scripture.

11:11In 2 Peter 3.16, Peter warns that unstable men twist the scriptures to their own destruction.

11:17False teachers quote scripture, but they do not rightly divide it. They read it selectively.

11:23They remove verses from context. They reinterpret difficult truths to suit modern sensibilities.

11:30They mock doctrinal precision and theological depth as irreligious or legalistic, preferring vague

11:36spirituality and emotional experiences. They claim to be led by the Spirit, but the Spirit they follow

11:42often contradicts the clear written Word of God. This distortion of truth doesn't just lead to bad

11:48theology, it leads to ruined lives. People are deceived into thinking they are saved when they have never

11:54repented. They believe they have faith, but their faith is in a false promise. They are comforted in their

12:01sin, not convicted. They are affirmed in their rebellion rather than confronted with truth.

12:07False teaching does not just mislead, it destroys. It undermines the authority of Scripture, diminishes

12:13the work of Christ, and robs God of glory. Jesus said in John 10.27,

12:19My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. The sheep of Christ are not drawn to the

12:25voice of strangers. But in order to distinguish truth from error, believers must be grounded in the Word.

12:33They must be discerning. They must test every spirit as instructed in 1 John 4.1 to see whether it is from

12:39God. Many false prophets have gone out into the world. The presence of false teachers is not a rare

12:45phenomenon. It is a widespread danger. They are not just in cults or obscure corners of the religious

12:52world. They are in churches, on television, on social media, publishing devotionals, and leading

12:58worship conferences. The only safeguard against them is unwavering devotion to Scripture. God's Word is

13:04the standard by which all teaching must be measured. No amount of success, sincerity, or popularity can

13:10substitute for doctrinal truth. Feelings are not the measure. Numbers are not the measure. Numbers are not

13:17men. The Word of God is the only measure. If a teacher distorts that word, even subtly they are

13:23not speaking for God. No matter how convincing they appear, a true pastor faithfully preaches the full

13:29counsel of God's Word. This is the primary and non-negotiable calling of any man who claims to be a

13:34shepherd of God's people. The pulpit is not a stage for personal stories, motivational speeches, or cultural

13:41commentary. It is a sacred desk from which the voice of God must be heard through His written Word.

13:48A pastor does not have the liberty to preach selectively or according to preference. He is a

13:53herald, not a creator. He is tasked with delivering what has already been written, not inventing new

13:59messages or reinterpreting Scripture through the lens of modern trends. The preacher is bound to the

14:04text. His responsibility is to explain it accurately, proclaim it boldly, and apply it faithfully.

14:13In Acts 27, the apostle Paul declared to the Ephesian elders,

14:17I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. That is the benchmark. Paul didn't

14:23avoid difficult topics. He didn't skip over controversial passages. He didn't soften doctrine to appease the

14:30crowd. He preached the entirety of divine revelation, from the warnings of judgment to the promises of

14:35grace, from the sovereignty of God to the responsibility of man, from the demands of holiness

14:41to the depth of mercy. A faithful pastor does the same. He is not driven by the desire to please men,

14:48but to honor God. He does not edit the Bible. He exposits it. The full counsel of God includes the hard

14:55truths, sin, hell, wrath, repentance, sanctification, discipline. These are not popular subjects in a

15:03culture that craves comfort and affirmation. Yet these truths are essential to health of the church

15:09and the salvation of souls. The man who avoids them is not protecting his congregation. He is starving them.

15:16A pastor who refuses to preach on sin leaves people comfortable in their rebellion.

15:20A pastor who never speaks of judgment leaves people unprepared to face him. A pastor who downplays

15:27repentance presents a gospel without transformation. He may be liked by many, but he is failing in his

15:33duty before God. My key. Faithful preaching is not about novelty. It is not about delivering

15:40what is new or trendy. It is about standing in the stream of historic biblical truth. Paul instructed

15:47Timothy in 2 Timothy 4.2, preach the Word. Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke,

15:53and exhort with complete patience and teaching. The command is simple and clear. Preach the Word,

15:59not opinions, not dreams, not speculation, not psychology. The Word. In season and out of season,

16:06whether it is popular or not, whether it is accepted or rejected, the faithful pastor does not

16:11shift his message based on public approval or cultural climate. He speaks with conviction because

16:16he speaks with authority, not his own, but the authority of God's Word. Calling to preach is a

16:23call to labor. It is not glamorous work. It is not easy. A faithful pastor spends time in study, prayer,

16:29and preparation. He immerses himself in the Scriptures. He digs deep to understand the context,

16:35the original language, the intent of the author, and the application for the modern hearer. He does

16:41not approach the pulpit lightly or casually. He understands the weight of his words, for they

16:46represent the Word of God. In James 3.1, we are warned, and not many of you should become teachers,

16:53my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. That judgment will

16:59not be based on creativity or popularity, but on faithfulness to the text. A true pastor is also

17:06consistent in his preach. He does not jump from topic to topic based on felt needs or trending headlines.

17:13He follows the flow of Scripture, often preaching through books of the Bible to ensure the congregation

17:19receives the full diet of God's truth. He understands that all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable.

17:25He doesn't only preach what is exciting or emotionally stirring. He preaches the genealogies,

17:31the lamentations, the prophetic warnings, the doctrinal expositions, because all of it is necessary for

17:37the maturity of the saints. Moreover, a faithful preacher does not dilute the gospel. He proclaims

17:43it clearly and boldly. He does not present Jesus as a means to health, wealth, or personal success. He

17:50presents Christ as the crucified Savior, risen Lord, and coming King. He calls sinners to repentance and

17:56faith. He does not promise them their best life now, but eternal life through Christ. He warns of the

18:03cost of discipleship and the narrow way that leads to life. He calls people to deny themselves,

18:09take up their cross, and follow Christ. He does not appeal to the flesh. He appeals to the conscience

18:15and the soul. In addition to boldness, the faithful preacher also carries a deep sense of humility.

18:21He does not preach to elevate himself. He does not seek fame or applause. He is not a performer,

18:27nor is he a celebrity. He is a servant. His role is to decrease so that Christ may increase. He knows

18:34that his authority rests not in his personality, but in the Word he proclaims. He does not manipulate

18:41people with emotions or promise. He speaks the truth, trusts the Spirit, and leaves the results to God.

18:47A faithful pastor also guards the flock from error. He does not merely teach truth. He also refutes

18:54lies. He exposes false doctrine. He warns against wolves. He names dangers and calls out deception.

19:01He is not silent when truth is under attack. He understands that silence in the face of error is

19:06betrayal. He uses the word not only to build up, but also to tear down strongholds of falsehood.

19:13He does this not out of pride, but out of love for the sheep and loyalty to the chief shepherd.

19:19Full counsel of God shapes every aspect of the faithful pastor's ministry. It informs his preaching,

19:25his counseling, his leadership, and his prayers. He is not driven by numbers, success metrics,

19:30or market strategy. He is driven by the glory of God and the purity of the church. His ambition is not to

19:37be followed, but to lead others in following Christ. His confidence is not in his gifting, but in the

19:43sufficiency of the Word. His reward is not in earthly accolades, but in hearing a well-done, good and

19:49faithful servant. Discernment is essential. Test pastors by Scripture, not charisma. In a world filled with

19:57personalities, platforms, and polished communication, the ability to distinguish truth from error has never

20:03been more vital. The modern church is often more impressed by delivery than by doctrine, more drawn

20:09to emotion than exposition, and more fascinated with style than with substance. But Scripture does

20:16not call the believer to be entertained, impressed, or emotionally stirred. It calls the believer to be

20:22discerning, to test everything by the unchanging standard of God's Word. Discernment is not an optional

20:28skill for the spiritually elite. It is a command for every follower of Christ. The Apostle Paul urges

20:35in 1 Thessalonians 5, 21, but test everything. Hold fast what is good. This applies especially to those

20:42who claim to speak for God. Many pastors today are elevated, not because they are faithful expositors

20:48of truth, but because they are gifted communicators. They know how to move a crowd, tell compelling stories,

20:55speak with energy, and craft messages that sound powerful. But charisma is not the measure of a

21:01man of God. A man can move people emotionally and still be theologically bankrupt. He can captivate

21:07an audience and still be spiritually deceived. Emotional impact does not equal biblical fidelity.

21:14It is entirely possible for a sermon to sound inspirational while being void of truth.

21:19That is why discernment is necessary. In Matthew 7, 15, 16, Jesus gives a direct warning.

21:26Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

21:31You will recognize them by their fruits. The danger is that these individuals look like sheep.

21:37They speak the language of faith. They may quote Scripture and mention the name of Jesus. But inwardly,

21:44their motives are self-serving. Their ministries are built on themselves. Their messages are crafted

21:50to appeal to the flesh. They may appear harmless or even helpful, but they are dangerous because they

21:55feed poison in small doses, wrapped in spiritual language. Discerning the authenticity of a pastor

22:01begins with examining his doctrine. 2 Timothy 2, 15, commands pastors to rightly divide the word of truth.

22:09A faithful pastor does not twist Scripture to fit cultural narratives. He does not avoid difficult

22:15passages. He does not reinterpret foundational truths to make them palatable to a secular audience.

22:22He submits to the word of God and teaches it as it is, not as people want it to be.

22:28A pastor's sermons should reflect sound theology, clear gospel proclamation, and reverence for the

22:34authority of Scripture. If a man is constantly preaching about dreams, visions, self-help,

22:39and breakthroughs, but rarely about sin, repentance, holiness, and Christ's work on the cross,

22:46his doctrine is off-center, no matter how gifted he is. Another crucial test is the pastor's character.

22:53Paul outlines the qualifications for elders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. He must be above reproach,

23:00self-controlled, respectable, able to teach, not given to anger, not a lover of money, and a man who leads

23:06his family well. These are not suggestions. They are requirements. No amount of charisma or ministerial

23:13success can replace godly character. A man who is harsh, manipulative, prideful, or morally compromised

23:20is disqualified, regardless of how many followers he has or how powerful his sermons sound.

23:25The fruit of the Spirit, not the fire of a sermon, is the true evidence of a Spirit-filled life.

23:33Discernment also involves testing the pastor's motivation. Is he pointing people to Christ or

23:38drawing attention to himself? Is he shepherding the flock or building a brand? In John 10, 11, 13,

23:46Jesus contrasts the good shepherd with the hired hand. The good shepherd lays down his life for the

23:51sheep. The hired hand cares nothing for the sheep. He runs when danger comes. A true pastor sacrifices,

23:58labors, and suffers for the sake of the truth. He preaches not for applause, but out of obedience.

24:04He does not adjust his message to grow his influence. He adjusts his influence to remain

24:09faithful to the message. One of the most overlooked areas of discernment is the content that dominates a

24:15pastor's pastor's preaching. Are his sermons grounded in Scripture or saturated with stories, jokes,

24:22jokes, and motivational clichés? Is the Bible the foundation or a mere decoration in his message?

24:28A discerning believer will listen carefully, not just to what is being said, but to what is being omitted.

24:35If the preaching rarely mentions Christ's Lordship, the necessity of repentance,

24:39the cost of discipleship, or the glory of God, then it is not biblical preaching. It is spiritual

24:45entertainment. The measure of a pastor's faithfulness is not how the message made you feel,

24:51but how it aligned with the truth of God's Word. Discernment requires a constant return to the Bible.

24:57In Acts 17, 11, the Barians were commended because they examined the Scriptures daily to see if what

25:03Paul said was true. They didn't simply accept his words based on his authority or reputation. They

25:10tested everything. If the Barians were commended for testing the apostle Paul, how much more should

25:16modern Christians test every preacher and teacher today? No one is above examination. Titles, followers,

25:23credentials, and charisma do not exempt a man from scrutiny. Scripture alone is the standard. The lack of

25:30discernment in the church today has led to the rise of celebrity pastors, unbiblical movements,

25:35and widespread doctrinal confusion. People follow personalities instead of truth. They prioritize

25:42experience over exposition. They chase miracles and manifestations rather than holiness and sound

25:49doctrine. But the danger is not only for the individual Christian, it is for the entire church.

25:55When pulpits are filled with untested, unqualified, or unbiblical voices,

25:59the sheep are scattered and Christ is dishonored. That is why Paul instructs in Titus 1, 9, that elders

26:07must hold firmly to the trustworthy words so they can give instruction and sound doctrine,

26:12and also rebuke those who contradict it. Discerning believers must be grounded in theology.

26:19They must know the gospel. They must understand the nature of God, the authority of Scripture,

26:25the person and work of Christ, and the true nature of man. Without a firm doctrinal foundation, they will

26:32be tossed to and fro by every wind of teaching, as Paul warned in Ephesians 4, 14. It is not enough to

26:39like a pastor's preaching. It is not enough to feel inspired. The question must always be, is this man

26:45faithful to the Word of God? Is he rightly dividing the truth? Is he pointing me to Christ or to himself?

26:52The answers to these questions will not be found in charisma, but in Scripture. The church must stop

26:58endorsing popularity over biblical fidelity. In a culture saturated with celebrity and driven by

27:04platforms, there is a growing trend in the church to elevate pastors and teachers based on their public

27:10persona rather than their doctrinal integrity. The result is a church that often celebrates influence

27:17over obedience, charisma over conviction, and presentation over truth. This is not a small issue.

27:22It is a serious compromise. When the church begins to honor giftedness above godliness,

27:29it trades discernment for excitement and weakens the very foundation upon which it stands.

27:34The problem is not new. In 2 Timothy 4, 3-4, Paul warned, for the time is coming when people will

27:41not endure sound teaching. But having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers

27:46to suit their own passion. This accumulation of teachers is not based on truth, but on personal

27:52preference. People surround themselves with voices that entertain, affirm, and excite rather than those

27:59who confront, correct, and equip. Many of these teachers gain massive followings, not because they

28:05faithfully proclaim God's Word, but because they know how to package their message to please the masses.

28:11They master the art of presentation while neglecting the substance of Scripture. They become experts at

28:17public speaking, storytelling, and emotional manipulation, and the crowds respond enthusiastically,

28:23assuming that influence is the same as anointing. Social media has only intensified this trend.

28:29Pastors are now evaluated by their online presence, the size of their audience, their ability to trend,

28:36and their capacity to generate engagement. Sermons are trimmed into short clips designed to go viral.

28:42The measure of a pastor's effectiveness is too often reduced to views, like shares and applause.

28:48But the true measure of a pastor is not how many people he reaches, but how faithfully he represents

28:53Christ. The pulpit is not a performance space. It is a place of proclamation. The pastor is not a content

29:01creator. He is a steward of divine truth. When the church forgets this, it becomes vulnerable to

29:06superficiality and spiritual deception. Biblical fidelity is costly. It is not flashy. It does not

29:14always draw crowds. In fact, it often offends. It confronts sin. It calls for repentance. It demands

29:21holiness. It lifts high the authority of Scripture and exalts the lordship of Christ. Faithful preaching

29:27will at times be unpopular, even within the church, because it refuses to compromise. Yet this is

29:32precisely the kind of preaching the church needs. The people of God do not need another influencer with

29:38a microphone. They need a shepherd who trembles before the word of God and speaks with clarity,

29:44conviction and compassion. When the church endorses popularity over faithfulness, it sends a dangerous

29:50message that effectiveness in ministry is determined by external success rather than internal integrity.

29:57This mindset leads to the normalization of compromise. It tolerates unqualified leaders as long

30:04as they are effective communicators. It overlooks doctrinal error because the pastor has charm. It

30:10excuses pride, manipulation and worldliness because the ministry is growing numerically. But growth is

30:16not always evidence of God's blessing. In many cases, it is simply the result of appealing to the flesh.

30:23Jesus said in Luke 6 26, Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the

30:30false prophets. Universal applause is not the sign of true ministry. It is often a sign that the message

30:37has been softened to avoid offense. Throughout Scripture, the true prophets and apostles were not

30:42celebrated by the crowds. They were rejected, persecuted and often martyred. Jeremiah was mocked.

30:49Elijah was hunted. Paul was in prison. Jesus himself was crucified. None of them were popular in the

30:56worldly sense, but all of them were faithful. They did not bend the message to fit the audience. They delivered

31:02the message God gave them, regardless of the consequences. That is the pattern of true ministry.

31:09When the church abandons this pattern in favor of cultural relevance and personal brand building,

31:14it loses its prophetic voice and becomes indistinguishable from the world. The endorsement of

31:19popularity also creates an unhealthy church culture. Congregations become followers of personalities

31:27instead of disciples of Christ. Loyalty shifts from truth to the preacher. People begin to elevate the

31:33man behind the pulpit to a position that belongs only to Christ. This leads to idolatry, division,

31:39and spiritual stagnation. When the church is built around a man, it crumbles when that man falls.

31:46And fall he will, because no human leader, no matter how gifted, can sustain the weight of glory that

31:51belongs to God alone. The church must be taught to love truth more than personalities, to follow Christ

31:58more than movements, and to be rooted in Scripture rather than an emotional attachment to a particular

32:03leader. Restoring biblical fidelity requires intentional effort. It requires elders and church

32:10members alike to evaluate leadership, not by charisma, but by character. It demands a return to the

32:16qualifications laid out in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 where the focus is on integrity, doctrine, and

32:23spiritual maturity. It means refusing to be impressed by trends and instead being committed to truth.

32:31Churches must be willing to turn away from voices that are popular but unfaithful,

32:36and to support those who are faithful even if they are overlooked by the broader culture.

32:42The central task of the church is to proclaim the gospel, make disciples, and uphold the truth.

32:47None of these tasks require fame, personality, or platform. They require faithfulness to the Word of

32:53God. The pastors who will stand approved before Christ are not those who amassed the largest followings,

33:00but those who handled His Word with reverence, fed His sheep with truth, and did not shrink back in the

33:05face of opposition. The future of the church depends not on celebrity, but on conviction,

33:11not on trends, but on truth, not on popularity, but on obedience. Not every pastor is sent by God.

33:19That is not a cynical statement. It is a biblical warning. Jeremiah 5 31 says,

33:25The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power, and my people love to have it so.

33:32But what will you do in the end? That question is for us. What will we do? We must return to the

33:38Scriptures. We must test every teacher. We must pray for bold, humble, godly men to rise up and rightly

33:44divide the word of truth. And we must never forget, God will not bless what He did not send.

33:50Amen. Closing prayer, Lord, protect your church. Purify your pulpit. Raise up true shepherds who fear God,

33:57not man. And give your people the wisdom to know the difference. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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