The slow drift we must resist

We live and serve in a moment when teaching can quietly morph into a show. The lights are brighter, the clips are shorter, and the appetite for novelty is insatiable. Scripture told us this day would come, when people would not endure sound teaching, collecting voices that scratch the itch of desire and turning aside to myths (2 Timothy 4:3–4).

The stakes are not preferences or styles, but whether we aim to please God or people. Paul’s resolve is our pattern: “not to please men, but God, who examines our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). “If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). Teaching must serve truth, not trends.

What the Word is for—and what it is not

God has told us what His Word is and does. “For the word of God is living and active” (Hebrews 4:12). It pierces and discerns; it sanctifies. “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). His Word is not decorative or optional; it is decisive.

Because Scripture is God-breathed, true in all it affirms, and to be received as it was given, we refuse to dilute or twist it (2 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 5:18). The Word burns and breaks hard hearts (Jeremiah 23:29), heals the penitent, and equips saints for good works (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

- Not to amuse us, but to awaken us (Ephesians 5:14).

- Not to flatter us, but to convict and restore us (2 Timothy 3:16).

- Not to gather fans, but to make disciples (Matthew 28:19–20).

- Not to create celebrities, but to exalt Christ alone (2 Corinthians 4:5).

Marks of entertainment-driven teaching

When teaching becomes entertainment, certain patterns emerge. The tone may be energetic, but the fruit is thin.

- Man-centered, not God-centered; the teacher’s story eclipses Christ’s story (2 Corinthians 4:5).

- Novelty prized over fidelity; “fresh” beats “faithful” (Jude 3).

- Hard texts avoided; sin, wrath, hell, repentance minimized (Acts 20:26–27; Luke 13:3).

- Lots of stories, little Scripture; verses used as decoration, not foundation (Nehemiah 8:8).

- Applause lines and emotional manipulation replace clear argument and careful exegesis (1 Corinthians 2:1–5).

- Therapeutic slogans substitute for gospel promises and commands (John 6:63).

- Doctrinal vagueness marketed as “unity” (Titus 1:9; 2:1).

- Success measured by views and vibes, not by holiness and obedience (John 14:15; 1 Thessalonians 4:3).

Marks of faithful, soul-shaping teaching

Faithful teaching is text-driven, Christ-exalting, Spirit-dependent, and obedience-aimed. It aims for transformation, not just attention.

It sounds like Paul: “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). It looks like the early church: “devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13).

- Text in context; the passage governs the points (Luke 24:27; Acts 17:2–3).

- Whole counsel over the long haul; not just pet themes (Acts 20:26–27).

- Clear law and clear gospel; sin exposed, Christ offered, new life commanded (Romans 3:23–26; Titus 2:11–14).

- Heavy on Scripture, humble with stories (Colossians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 4:5).

- Application that calls for real obedience, not vague inspiration (James 1:22).

- Prayerful tone, holy urgency, patient instruction (2 Timothy 4:2; Colossians 4:2–4).

- Measured by disciple-making and maturity (Ephesians 4:11–16; Colossians 1:28–29).

Teachers: serving the Word, not the room

Our calling is not to manage the room, but to steward the text. We are tested stewards who speak “not to please men, but God, who examines our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). We refuse to market ourselves. “For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5).

This reorders craft and conscience. Excellence is good; ego is deadly. Faithfulness outlives fads. “If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

Practical resets that help:

- Let the text set your tone. If the passage weeps, do not joke; if it rejoices, rejoice (Ecclesiastes 3:4; John 16:20–22).

- Read more Scripture aloud than you think you need (1 Timothy 4:13).

- Build sermons around verbs of the passage; press for obedience (James 1:22).

- Cut filler, keep the cross central (1 Corinthians 2:2).

- Pray over the text until it burns (Jeremiah 20:9).

- Measure feedback by repentance and reconciliation, not applause (Luke 15:7; Matthew 5:23–24).

Hearers: resisting the itch

Entertainment thrives where hearers crave it. The Lord calls us to be Bereans, not binge-watchers. “They received the word with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

Practices that train appetite:

- Bring a Bible, take notes anchored to verses (Psalm 119:130).

- Test claims by the text, not the charisma (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1).

- Ask what to repent of, believe, and obey today (Mark 1:15; John 14:15).

- Talk afterward about Scripture truths, not just delivery style (Colossians 3:16).

- Pray for your teachers to be bold and clear (Ephesians 6:19–20).

Harnessing creativity without losing fidelity

Creativity is not the enemy; compromise is. Jesus told parables; Paul used vivid images. The key is aim and authority. Creativity must serve clarity, and authority must rest on Scripture, not style (1 Peter 4:11; Luke 24:27).

Use every lawful tool that illumines the text, never any tactic that distracts from it. “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and are life” (John 6:63). Life is in the Word, not in our tricks.

Wise ways to use creativity:

- Illustrate, don’t inflate; analogies that open the meaning, not overshadow it (Psalm 119:130).

- Structure for memory; clear headings tied to verses (2 Timothy 1:13).

- Stories that serve the Savior’s point, not the speaker’s brand (2 Corinthians 4:5).

- Music and media that underscore truth, not manipulate emotion (Colossians 3:16).

- Adapt to audience without altering the message (1 Corinthians 9:22; Galatians 1:8–9).

Measuring fruit in a fog of applause

When the room responds, it feels like success. But fruit is not noise; it is new life. Love, holiness, steadfastness, and mission tell the story (Galatians 5:22–23; 1 Thessalonians 1:3). “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

Better metrics for ministry:

- Repentance, reconciliation, and restored relationships (2 Corinthians 7:10–11; Matthew 5:23–24).

- Hunger for Scripture and growth in doctrine (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 5:14).

- Bold witness to the lost and care for the weak (Acts 4:31; James 1:27).

- Perseverance under trial with living hope (1 Peter 1:6–7; Romans 15:4).

A call back to the Book

The path forward is the ancient path. “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13). Read it. Explain it. Apply it. Repeat. God has promised to work through His Word by His Spirit.

This is our commission. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations … teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). The Bible is true, sufficient, and clear. Received as God gave it, believed as God spoke it, and obeyed as Christ commanded, it makes real disciples in a world hooked on spectacle.

The shepherd’s call is proximity and sacrifice, not distance and brand. Shepherd the flock among you, not as lords, but as examples (1 Peter 5:2–3). The Good Shepherd lays down His life, not His image (John 10:11).

Tests for platform stewardship:

- Could you hand your pulpit to another faithful elder tomorrow (1 Corinthians 3:5–7)?

- Do you know your people’s wounds by name (Acts 20:28)?

- Is your online presence a window to Christ or a mirror to self (2 Corinthians 4:5)?

- Is expository teaching the only faithful way?

Faithful teaching can be sequential or topical, but it must always be text-governed. Topical work must still bow to context, authorial intent, and the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:26–27; 2 Timothy 4:2).

Guardrails for topical sermons:

- Begin with a main text; let it define terms and aim (Nehemiah 8:8).

- Cross-reference responsibly; do not stitch verses out of context (2 Corinthians 13:1).

- Land in Christ’s finished work and the obedience of faith (Romans 1:5; Titus 2:11–14).

- The place of emotion in faithful teaching

Godly sorrow leads to repentance, not to despair or hype (2 Corinthians 7:10). Emotion is a responder to truth, not a substitute for it.

Keep emotion rightly ordered:

- Seek tears of repentance, not tricks of manipulation (Psalm 51:17).

- Let joy arise from promises believed (Romans 15:13).

- Match the mood of the text, not the mood of the crowd (Hebrews 12:28–29).

- Rhythms for pulpits, classes, and homes

Simple, repeatable patterns build deep roots. The early church devoted itself to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers (Acts 2:42).

A basic teaching rhythm:

- Read the passage aloud (1 Timothy 4:13).

- Explain it plainly (Nehemiah 8:8).

- Apply it specifically (James 1:22–25).

- Pray it in and sing it out (Colossians 3:16).

- Review and memorize key verses (Psalm 119:11).

- Training the next teachers

Multiplication matters. “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).

A simple pipeline:

- Identify character before charisma (1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:6–9).

- Teach hermeneutics and doctrine in the local church (2 Timothy 2:15).

- Pair apprentices with seasoned teachers (Proverbs 27:17).

- Give graded responsibility and honest feedback (1 Timothy 4:14–16).

- Disciples in a distracted age: media and appetite

Habits shape hunger. The blessed man “delights in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2). Set your mind on what is true and pure (Philippians 4:8).

Practical resets:

- Fast from entertainment before teaching; feast on Scripture (Psalm 119:18).

- Replace endless clips with longer passages (1 Timothy 4:13).

- Curate your inputs to guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23).

- When suffering comes, fluff fails

Trials expose whether we built with straw or with stone. By the encouragement of the Scriptures we have hope (Romans 15:4). Suffering saints need promises with roots, not platitudes with glitter.

Gospel ballast for storms:

- The God who speaks also keeps His word (Numbers 23:19).

- Christ crucified and risen anchors assurance (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

- The Spirit uses the Word to sustain endurance (Hebrews 10:23; John 6:63).

May our teaching be shaped by the Book, centered on the cross, empowered by the Spirit, and aimed at real disciples who obey Jesus in a world awash with spectacle. “He taught as one who had authority” (Matthew 7:29). So must we.