The Fine Line Between Preaching & Sharing
The following was an e-mail I got from my daughter today and I must say she makes a very important point to all of us as we share our thoughts and beliefs. The point is to always be aware of the fine line betweeen preaching and sharing. When we preach we come across as trying to prove something, but when we share we are just telling the story of our own personal experiences with God.
Anyway, please read her e-mail to me and let me know how you feel about it………or just SHARE your feelings.
Hey Dad,
I am just having a moment of rambling and need your wisdom.
I am having one of those days where I am feeling overwhelmed. I guess what I mean to say is I am struggling with why everyone feels the need to have to point out their beliefs. It seems as if even those in the grace world feel they have something to prove. (I have been roaming the internet and checking out everyone’s sites.) Why do we constantly feel like we have to defend ourselves to society. I enjoy knowing that my relationship with God is personal. My hardest struggle is keeping it personal and not having to feel like I have to prove myself to anyone even God. I believe in sharing…to a point. What I mean is when I share a life experience with someone I feel good, but once I start preaching to someone I feel like a hypocrit.
We all experience life in our own way. That experience is what it is. Whether it is learned from teachings of religion, or by way of something else; it is what it is, and IT makes the world go round. In the Webster dictionary it defines a preacher as: Someone who offers moral advise, esp. at length and tediously. Who considers what to be moral?? It also defines the word judge as: One who can give an authoritative opinion. Isn’t that all the preacher is doing? These two things seem to go hand in hand. I don’t know I guess I am just tired of putting soo much emphasis on my spirituality along with others. Sometimes I wish I could live in a place where I am forced to see what a struggle really is. You know what I mean? I want to give more of my blessings to those who need them. I want to stop preaching. I want to stop judging and start listening. I want to give more of me. God blessed this earth with each and everyone of us. We were made in his image. When will I ever feel confident about who I am and what I believe in.
I strongly believe that this is my last life here on earth. (maybe one more…LOL). I want to do more with my life. Whether it is be a better mother, wife,daughter or friend I just feel like I am holding something back and sometimes I think I am just holding back from being me.
Anyway, I guess I needed to vent to someone I know would understand. Thanks for listening Dad 
Love you dearly,
Mindy
That is quite a daughter you have there Cliff. She has a great heart and expresses herself really well. I can relate to what she is saying. I have decided that it is much better to just love people where they are, quit trying to defend anything and certainly stop “preaching” to people. So to her thoughts I say…Amen, preach it sister. hahaha!
Hi Cliff,
I think it is important for us to share for by sharing we truly are learning and refining our faith in Jesus. I know what your daughter is saying and we all get sick of judgemental pounding but I don’t think that is the true spirit filled preaching that the world truely needs for “how will they hear without a preacher?” However, preaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ is quite different from moralising and then manipulating people into service in some man’s or woman’s ministry through guilt. Let’s throw out the cold and dirty bath water but hang on tight to the baby.:0)
It sounds as if you’ve raised a very sweet and thoughtful young woman.
Pam
Pam,
You make a good point and I also believe there is a place for the real sharing of our faith, but as you said we have had so much of the judgemental pounding that it has destroyed the original intent behind preaching the beautiful gospel of God’s love. Thank you for you comment.
I’m no preacher. I feel many of the same things Mindy does. My problem is that I was an educator for 34 years. Teaching is a very natural thing for me. I have to constantly remember that fact and try NOT to do it every time someone ask me a question. Most of my family has learned, “don’t ask Dad a question, unless you really, really want an answer.” I try to be very careful to be brief and to the point. Man, that’s sure hard for me most times. I’m working on it.
It’s hard for me too, Don…as if no one noticed ;-]!!
Pam
Hey Don, We all have to be who we are and my Dad was alot like you. If we asked a question we better be prepared to get a lecture. He’s been gone now for over 10 years and I would give anything to hear just one more lecture.
Hi,
That’s such a beautifully honest email. Mindy must be an amazing person!
My wife and I were having a conversation a couple of days ago about “sharing faith.” That is obviously a very common phrase that really means, “I’m going to do what I can to get yu to agree with my way of thinking about God.”
Sharing implies giving someone something they would like. If you have some chocolate ice cream, it might be nice if you’d share some with me. Not many people are asking Christians (or people of other faiths) to share that. “Please, may I have another scoop?”
On the other hand, people can share herpes and that is never very welcome.
Well said Kevin, and your right, my daughter is an amazing young woman with alot more wisdom then I had at her age.
Hi cliff. or mindy should i say? Same thing one of a kind.Mindy the renewing of the mind is such a power thing my sister.You have experienced that throught the gospel of grace and peace.You have just being experienceing who God our father made you to be free to be, yourself.It took a long time to see this .because religion blinded us to the truth.You are so right mindy.But can i say, me for one can never rest until all who i come in contact with knows the truth of the finished work of christ.I just share it with all who come my way.But at the same time mindy i have to seek those who are still being bound by lies.Years ago i was took in by those lies and lived in teerror of the devil.But i know and have a steadfast confidence in christ that he destroyed him.I know your heart mindy.But we must never forget the need that is out there.people are bound by the doctrines and traditions of men.Just look at the preachers today?Keepping people in fear.Which is lies.I can prove it .I know you might not have wanted to hear that mindy.But if it takes me to preach it i will for i know it is the truth that will set the captives free.
Love you sister and your big dad.
Ps a person for whom christ tasted of death for has a right to hear the message of the gospel preached in all its glory .So they can live a life of grace and peace .
kenneth
ps and can i say you have a great and wonderful dad and he has a great and wonderful daughter.
peace in sharing and preaching the gospel of grace and peace my sister.
kenneth.
Thanks soo much for such wonderful comments!
WORD UP Mindy!
I can relate, boy can I!
Cliff, what a blessing, your daughter is so honest and real.
That is the type of people this world needs today.
Thanks Nancy……I’m very proud of all my children being free thinkers with hearts of love.