Pastors

Ur Video: John Piper Says Video Hurts Preaching

Leadership Journal July 28, 2009

Everyone knows that John Piper believes in the supremacy of preaching, but what about augmenting the spoken word with video clips or dramas? In this short video Piper answers that question. Here’s an excerpt:

“I think the use of video and drama largely is a token of unbelief in the power of preaching. And I think that, to the degree that pastors begin to supplement their preaching with this entertaining spice to help people stay with them and be moved and get helped, it’s going to backfire…. It’s going to communicate that preaching is weak, preaching doesn’t save, preaching doesn’t hold, but entertainment does.”

Piper concludes as only he can–by making light of the issue with laughter while still invoking the possibility of eternal damnation. He says:

“Nobody is going to go to hell because of this…in the short run.”

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