Respecting Elder Preachers or Entertaining ourselves and corrupting our youth

 

I have heard many preachers say in my lifetime that "You don't retire from this army". And I believe that I know what they mean. I have also heard some ministers mock those preachers that actually "retired" from preaching at some point. They say, "you can't retire from a calling". And again, I believe that I know what they are talking about.......BUT.......Experiences have lead me to believe a little different. The human body is still the human body and the human mind is still the human mind. God made them that way. They will wear out. I think the #1 reason why most ministers that do not retire, do not retire, is because they can't afford to. That is the churches fault and it should be remedied. These mighty heroes of faith have suffered more and given up more than almost any group in our society and they are generally cared for less.
Here is my point today though. In my opinion we do our elder ministers a tremendous injustice when we continually put them up to preach after they are "able". I good friend of mine has been preaching the Gospel Truth for almost 60 years now and it appears that his mind is waining. It seems that he has become embattled with some people in his church over some issues, he is almost 80 years old and his mind seems to slip into ruts that he can't get out of. So certain members of his church have dug in and they are going to keep that preacher up there in that pulpit because of his past greatness that God has used him in and because they were saved under him or healed under him or what have you.
I have gone and heard my friend preach lately and he seems to really struggle to preach. He gets down in the weeds a lot. It is sad. This man was and sometimes still is a very anointed doctrinal teacher and preacher. But recently he has become a you tube sensation in the worst of way. People are putting video clips of his "antics" up for all to make fun of and be entertained by. This broke my heart and it also convicted me. I repent today because for the past 15 years or so I have been one to repeat the "antics" of and laugh at some of our movements great preachers in their older years. Now that it is my close personal friend it is different. Oh God please for give me.
These Holy Men of days recent past should be revered but somehow in our attempts we do the exact opposite. If and when I am old and become a little senile and crotchety, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, if you want to respect me for my ministry and what God has done in my life, let me sit on the platform or on the front pew, let me stand and wave to the congregation, allow the crowd to clap for me and my wife if you will. BUT DON'T LET ME BECOME A SIDE SHOW!!! I beg of you my children, fellow ministers and young converts coming up behind us.
What happens is we put the elders up there and we overlook their silliness because we remember who they "really are". The problem is the next generation wasn't around when they preached the great and powerful services under God's holy anointing. So all they know is that we think that an 86 year old man, saying weird things, almost swearing while we laugh at him, calling people out and doing things that if we did them, we would get in trouble for being mean and belligerent, is a GOOD AND RESPECTABLE THING?!?
Then the next generation can't wait to either go to the next meeting a make fun of him with others that haven't heard about him yet or (this is where it gets even worse) the next generation of preachers sees the things they do and hears the things they say and believe that this is acceptable and so they try to do it too and now it's not so funny. Now it is hurting people and killing people and we did that. Now we have young, young preachers pushing the envelope of how close to a bad word they can say while preaching or how rude and mean they can come across and call it anointing. Help us dear Jesus!
You want to honor that special man of God that has put in his 50, 60, 70 years behind the pulpit? Great. Buy him a house!!! Engrave him a plaque. Make him an honorary board member for life. Help pay his bills. But don't just put him in the pulpit as entertainment and call it respect. And please people, don't spread these cruel things about these men. You don't know what it could do to them. Pray for them and pray for me because I fear that some of you think that it's funny just because I though it was funny. God help the church.
Your humble servant,
Rev. D. Todd Sloggett