“For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” (Acts 20:27)
Pastor, I want to talk to you like a man who has stood behind a pulpit and understands the weight of preaching God’s Word. If you are afraid to preach certain parts of Scripture because somebody might get offended, leave the church, stop giving, or complain about you, then you have a serious problem. You are not just dealing with people. You are dealing with God.
The pulpit is not the place for fear of man. It is not the place to protect your job, your reputation, your attendance numbers, or your paycheck. If God called you to preach, then preach what He said, all of it.
“The fear of man brings a snare, but one who trusts in the Lord will be protected.” (Proverbs 29:25)
That verse is not hard to understand. If fear of people controls what comes out of your mouth, then you are caught in the snare. You may tell yourself you are being careful or wise, but if Scripture clearly speaks and you refuse to speak because you are afraid of the reaction, that is fear of man.
A pastor is not called to make sure everybody likes him. He is called to be faithful. Paul said, “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” (Acts 20:27) He did not avoid the hard parts, and he did not build a ministry around safe subjects.
Pastor, when was the last time you preached something you knew might make people uncomfortable because it was clearly in the Word of God? When was the last time you preached on sin without softening it, or preached repentance, judgment, holiness, sexual immorality, greed, pride, false teaching, hell, or the cost of following Christ? If you avoid those subjects because somebody may leave, then you need to ask yourself who you are really serving.
Paul asked:
“For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)
That ought to stop every preacher in his tracks. You cannot serve Christ faithfully while constantly checking the room to see how people are reacting. You cannot preach with one eye on Scripture and the other eye on the offering plate, and you cannot let the loudest people in the congregation decide which parts of the Bible are safe to preach.
Some pastors are scared that if they preach the truth, families will leave. Then let them leave if they refuse the Word of God. Your job is not to hold people in the building at any cost. Your job is to preach Christ and His Word faithfully.
That does not mean you preach like a bully. It does not mean you enjoy offending people or become harsh and proud. Scripture says, “speaking the truth in love.” (Ephesians 4:15) But do not confuse love with silence, because love does not hide the truth from someone just because the truth may hurt.
People are sitting in your church with eternity in front of them. Some are lost, some are living in open sin, some are deceived, and some think they are right with God because they walked an aisle twenty years ago. If they are headed toward judgment, your biggest concern should not be whether they leave your church angry.
God told Ezekiel:
“When I say to the wicked, ‘You will certainly die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way so that he may live, that wicked person will die for his wrongdoing, but I will require his blood from your hand.” (Ezekiel 3:18)
I would not want to stand before God as a preacher who knew the truth and kept quiet because somebody might get mad. That ought to frighten a pastor more than losing a church member, a paycheck, or a position.
Pastor, if you are worried about losing your job because you preach the whole Word of God, then you need to decide whether this is a calling or a career. A man with a career protects the position. A man with a calling protects the truth.
Jesus said:
“He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd… sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees.” (John 10:12)
That verse should make every pastor examine himself. When false teaching comes into the church, do you confront it or avoid trouble? When sin becomes accepted, do you speak or stay quiet? When the culture pressures the church to change what God has said, do you stand firm or start looking for softer language?
You are not the author of the message. You are the messenger. Jeremiah said, “But if I say, ‘I will not remember Him or speak anymore in His name,’ then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I am tired of holding it in, and I cannot endure it.” (Jeremiah 20:9)
That sounds like a man called by God. The truth burned in him so strongly that he could not keep quiet. Pastor, does the truth still burn in you like that, or has keeping the peace become more important than preaching the Word?
Do not trim the message to keep people comfortable. Do not soften what God has made plain. Do not hide the hard parts, and do not make peace with sin because you are afraid of empty pews. God did not call you to be popular. He called you to be faithful.
“Moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2)
One day you will not answer to the deacons, the board, the biggest giver, the loudest family, or the people who complained about your sermons. You will answer to God, so preach like it.