Profane Preachers Contribute to Killing the Conscience

by Marsha West
9/27/12
http://blogs.christianpost.com

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. “” Luke 6:45

There seems to be a growing trend in the Church for the clergy to feed the sensual appetite through their sermons. What we are dealing with are pastors who have dirty minds and potty mouths. The word that best describes them is profane.

The following definition of profane is from the Merriam Webster dictionary:

1: to treat (something sacred) with abuse, irreverence, or contempt: desecrate

2: to debase by a wrong, unworthy, or vulgar use

So profanity is language that shows disrespect for something sacred, such as the name of God. Not taking the Lord’s Name in vain is one of the Ten Commandments:

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain,  (Exodus 20:7).

Some pastors use obscene language that is often sexual in nature. Telling a dirty joke qualifies as obscene. The Bible makes it clear that:

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. ‚  (Ephesians 5:4).

The Cussing Pastor

Pastor Mark Driscoll, founder of Mars Hill Church, Seattle Washington is highly regarded in evangelical circles. Pastor Driscoll sometimes uses profanity from the pulpit and has become known for his crude stand-up comic style preaching. The self-described theological conservative and cultural liberal has been accused of trading reverence for relevance. His congregants, most of whom are young people, take delight in hearing sermons laced with crudity. Not surprisingly, early on in his ministry one of his friends referred to him as “the cussing pastor.” Today he’s criticized for more than cussing; he has been accused of making “disgusting comments” of “dirty talk” and turning Bible verses into punch lines for crude jokes.

Mark Driscoll holds a Master of Arts degree in exegetical theology from Western Seminary so he must know that James 3:9-10 says, “bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

Critics of the superstar pastor say that he’s coarsening the hearts and minds of generation Y. Here’s an example from Pastor Driscoll writing about the biblical character of Queen Esther:

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