(1)
You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.
–Jesus Christ in Matthew 20:25-26 (NKJV)–
Good preachers do not exhibit a control spirit, a despotic attitude, or a dictator personality. While their sermons might be John the Baptisty in the sense that they can urge and warn about the wrath and judgment of God against the egregious sins of the world, there’s always going to be a take down towards the grace of God received in the blood of Christ. And when it comes to personal relationships, that preacher won’t act like a dictator, guilting people into a lot of to-do lists and tasks (Matt. 23:4). In the pulpit, he might rail against the dictators of the world, but in his personal life, he will resist any such impulse to become a dictator himself. Instead, he will be zealous for good works, knowing that the eyes of the Lord are on him, to help the down and outers when he can. He’s motivated by that holy love which is felt by the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
(2)
All their works they do to be seen by men.
–Jesus Christ in Matthew 23:5 (NKJV)–
Bad preachers are made plain by the physicality of their religious expressions: their fine church clothes, their fine church buildings, the physical things that you can come and look at. They say these things are all for God, but they are really meant to impress other people at church. They really just dress to impress those men who look on the outward appearance, even though God himself only looks at what’s going on in their hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). A good preacher–say John the Baptist–may pay little attention to his outward appearance, if not be totally unkempt at times–because his mind is set mostly on inward, spiritual matters. This is the heart of every true missionary.
(3)
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
–Jesus Christ in Matthew 23:13 (NKJV)–
Good preachers won’t be like that–instead they’ll be spiritually minded in their sermons and conversations: always giving pointers on how to draw closer and closer to the Spirit of God through faith in the Bible, the Gospel, and a devout and holy prayer life. They always promote the idea of holy living, and increasing the amount of spiritual experiences, that you can have of the Spirit of God. That’s a good preacher.
Iain Murray, Revival and Revivalism (Banner of Truth, 1994).
Donald Dayton, Theological Roots of Pentecostalism (Baker, 1987).
Wesley Duewel, Revival Fire (Zondervan, 1995).
WesleyGospel Ministries 