that's not really sports talk

As I drove to work yesterday morning, I listened to sports radio, as I do every morning. The night before, the Yankees had just won the World Series, so most of the talk was about them. I was getting ready to switch to listening to some music when a compelling interview started. I really don't remember what he said at the beginning that drew me in, because he went into a whole discussion that I considered to be not sports related at all. He was explaining that Derek Jeter is a butter face (you do know what a butter face is, don't you?), and that A-Rod is a beautiful man. I thought it was a bit much the first time he uttered the words, but he kept going on and on. He assured us, the listeners, that he was a man and not into men, thus justifying his 3 minute rant on the looks of these guys. This isn't sports talk. How good looking a man is or is not to you is not relevant to the game and how it was played.

Maybe what this sports analyst was guilty of is a lot like what I (and maybe you) are guilty of. Don't we spend a lot of time arguing over personal beliefs and call it talking about God. I'll be honest, I would thoroughly enjoy discussing (<-- the holy word for arguing) with you what I do not agree with doctrinally, practically, and methodically with other Christians. I can do that all day. I have done that all day before. And do you know what I tend to call that? Talking about God. I love talking about God...and how I'm right about Him and you're wrong. It's so fun. And sometimes it creeps into preaching, doesn't it? I don't know how many pastors read this blog, but I bet for every one that does, there is a person who at some point or another has used that platform for making his personal preferences about God, the Bible, holy living, and church practice known. He may have even done so at the expense of another pastor or ministry. I have. And you know what? I bet when I get done talking like that, God just shakes His head and thinks, "that's not really preaching." People's ears may be tickled, they may be amused, and they may have even agreed with me, but that doesn't make it preaching, does it?

Don't do something else and try to pass it off as what you are supposed to be doing.