Comparing Preachers

I've become consciously concerned as of late at the propensity of our podcasting generation to critique the preachers and sermons of their own church against those they religiously listen to on podcast.

Podcasting sermons on the web is a brilliant and amazing avenue to share biblically-centered preaching to those who may not otherwise be able to attend a service. It's encouraging to the believer who has to commute and would rather spend his transit time growing in grace and knowledge than learning lyrics to pop ditties that won't survive the decade. And that is only one example of why I am grateful for podcasted preaching. 

But I fear what it becomes for many of us who listen regularly is an avenue for comparison to the preaching we hear in our own congregations on Sundays. I've observed a few ways this works itself out, the first being the most common:

1. The podcaster is so enamored with the podcasted preacher that he then unfairly holds (whether consciously or subconsciously) his home pastor to the same standards of a John Piper or John McArthur or Mark Driscoll, failing to recognize those men shepherd specific congregations with express needs first and foremost; and if it goes unchecked, this attitude may further harden the well-intentioned mind and heart to a failure recognize and encourage the strengths and ministry of his own pastor's preaching and how it fulfills the spiritual needs of his local church. 

2. Playing off the feelings of the first point, the sermon critic becomes so to the point that he fails to plant himself at any local congregation and become what C.S. Lewis referred to as a "church connoisseur" who flits from church to church, sampling every sermon against what he considers his competently cultured taste buds. Fewer places do I see this more than collegiate Christians or seminarians who cut their teeth on Matt Chandler and refuse to join any church that isn't The Village. This attitude is unbiblical and displays an immature understanding of the function of the local church in the life of the believer living in an area in which ministry can and should be done.

3. As a natural outgrowth of all of the above, the radical Christian podcaster decides no local church will suit his acquired tastes or standards and decides to pursue a 'private spirituality' apart from a local body of Christ. His weekly feast of five podcasted sermons from the most popular preachers will suffice for his sanctification...

Wrong. 

The natural digression displayed above is one I've seen more often than I would have thought possible. The attitude behind it is one of unabashed pride in the form of snobbery. It also betrays in the offender an immaturity in grasping the essential place of the local church body (and its lead pastor) in the continued march to maturity in Christ.

Don't try to hold your pastor to any other man's standards, no matter how good you think they may be. It's an attitude akin to holding your wife to the standards of other women in media. The pastor of your local congregation is fashioned for a specific ministry in that community. Instead of driving two hours to attend a church for the sermonizing, try finding a local, Bible-believing congregation in which you can serve and not just pew-sit (or podcast in your jammies). Bible-saturated preaching is essential, this we know. But so is establishing relationships with fellow believers for the purpose of sharpening and discipleship. Be involved with what God is doing through believers in your area. Just like those pastors and church members in the local congregation, He has you in this place for such a time as this.