Rogers to pastors: ‘Live with integrity, learn to preach’

Nov 17, 2005
JAMES A. SMITH SR.
Executive Editor

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story went to press Nov. 10 as news broke a few days before that Dr. Rogers was in the hospital. The Nov. 17 issue of the Witness went to press earlier than normal in order to have the paper available for distribution at the Florida Baptist State Convention meeting in Ocala. Please click here for the news story about Dr. Rogers’ death.

NAPLES (FBW) – Living now in what he calls the “transfer zone” in which he is seeking to pass along to a new generation of pastors what God has taught him in half a century of ministry, Adrian Rogers told more than 170 pastors and church staff at First Baptist Church of Naples Oct. 7, “I cannot overemphasize the importance of preaching.”

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Rogers led a one-day seminar, “It’s Monday, but Sunday’s coming,” for the first time last month as part of his Pastor Training Institute (www.pastortraining.com). Joking with the ministers from Florida and other states, Rogers said, “This is the very first time we have done this; you are the guinea pigs, and this is my maiden voyage.”

After 32 years, Rogers retired from the pastorate of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn., earlier this year, and has been battling cancer in recent months. (See the latest news the status of Rogers' health and see the interview with Rogers.)

The preaching conference included several lecture sessions with Rogers, a video of a “randomly selected” message by Rogers and following along with his sermon manuscript, a question and answer time, and a session in which participants attempted to put Rogers’ suggestions into action by drafting a sermon outline on a chosen passage, after which Rogers’ shared his sermon manuscript for the same text, Luke 15.

Hayes Wicker (left), pastor of FBC Naples and president of the Florida Baptist State Convention, speaks with Adrian Rogers (center) and Bill Yeldell, pastor of Mandarin Baptist Church in Jacksonville. Photo by James A. Smith Sr.

Hayes Wicker, host pastor and president of the Florida Baptist State Convention, told Florida Baptist Witness he was honored to be asked by Rogers to hold the event at the southwest Florida congregation. The preaching conference helped to fulfill one of his goals as FBSC president to promote “biblical and particularly expository preaching in the churches of the state.”

More importantly, Wicker said he wanted pastors to “feel the heartbeat of this man of God, and to know one of the great servants of the Lord.”

Rogers told the participants, preaching is primary for the pastor – “there is no substitute for preaching the Word of God.”

His advice to the pastors: “If I can give a word to any young preacher, it would be learn to live with integrity and learn to preach. I mean it is so simple. Just live with integrity, learn to preach. Preach what you live and learn how to preach.”

Telling a story of preaching on the streets in Daytona Beach as a college student at Stetson University, Rogers said he met a business man one day who would years later play an influential role in him being called as pastor of First Baptist Church of Merritt Island.

“I want to tell you guys, there is a direct connection between preaching on a bus bench in Daytona Beach and preaching before thousands at Bellevue Baptist Church. You be faithful in season and out of season. You preach when you’re paid, when you are not paid, but preach the Word,” he said.

Rogers said biblical preaching is “communicated through a two-fold medium – you and the Holy Spirit. … When I stand in the pulpit, when you stand in the pulpit, the Holy Spirit should be walking up and down the aisles saying, ‘That is a man of God. Listen to him. Listen to what he is saying.’”

According to Rogers, a three-time president of the Southern Baptist Convention, there are four purposes of biblical preaching.

• To confront: “You know, one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen in the world is a preacher with fear in his eyes. A preacher with fear in his eyes? You are a herald of the King!”

• To clarify: “All good preaching is teaching.” Three good questions to keep in mind when crafting sermons, Rogers said are, “What? So what? Now what?”

• To convict: “Don’t let people go out of the message without something happening on the inside. When people listen to you this Sunday, they will be traveling one of three ways, glad, mad, or sad. … One of the great dangers today is this feel-good religion. They have gone from theology to meology.”

• To convert: “The Gospel means good news, and I’m telling you if it is not good news, you are not preaching.”

Rogers said there are three classifications of sermons – topical, textual and expository, with the latter being his “favorite way to preach and I trust will be yours after this seminar.”

Expository sermons are based on a text of Scripture from which the major and minor points of the message are drawn, although other texts can be used to supplement the passage. Exposition is explanation, argumentation, illustration, application and motivation from one text, according to Rogers.

“Expository preaching over the years will get the job done,” Rogers said.

The expository method of preaching, he said, gives confidence to preachers, causes them to be consistent – rather than dealing with their pet issues, gives courage to a pastor to address all the issues that they will naturally arise from the text week-by-week, and helps a preacher with content because he’ll know what his text is each week.

The tests of whether a sermon is expository, Rogers said, include whether the source is a passage of Scripture, whether the subject is clearly addressed in the text, whether there is strength in the sermon to inspire and motivate the congregation, and whether there is a clear structure – an outline drawn from the text.

In a question and answer time with participants, Rogers talked about various issues of sermon preparation and pastoral ministry.

Asked how long does he allow a sermon to “marinate” before he preaches it, Rogers answered, “This may sound strange, but not long because I’m doing that while I’m preparing it.”

For Rogers, the final step before delivering the sermon to the congregation is to preach it to Jesus. Becoming very emotional at the thought, Rogers said, “I get on my knees and I say, ‘Lord.’” Pausing to collect himself, he continued, “I didn’t know that question would touch me like this, but I say, ‘Lord, here is what I am going to preach this morning.’ And I tell Him what He already knows. … Friend, if it doesn’t sound good in His ears, if I can’t share it with Him. … if He likes it, it is okay with me.”

Rogers added: “If you please people and you don’t please Him that is a shame. If you please Jesus, it doesn’t matter whom you displease.”

Reflecting on the potential impact of the conference on the pastors present, Wicker told the Witness, “I believe it will be life-changing,” citing his own opportunities as a young pastor to meet with Rogers.

“It’s exciting to see how God has given this man strength in the midst of cancer and so energized him to do this. This is a labor of love for pastors,” Wicker added.

Although Rogers’ health problems could have allowed him to cancel the conference, “He really wanted to come to Florida, his home state. He loves the pastors and churches in Florida, and I have been incredibly blessed by his commitment to us.”

Clayton Cloer, pastor of First Baptist Church of Central Florida in Orlando, brought his entire preaching staff – nine in all, including several ethnic pastors – to the conference.

“This is the best preaching event I have ever done – through all the doctoral work and everything else. His stuff is great,” Cloer said.

At least two pastors traveled from out of state to attend the event.

Joe Turner, pastor of First Baptist Church of Horn Lake, Miss., lives about 30 miles from Rogers’ home base in the Memphis, Tenn. area, but was delighted to fly to Naples to hear Rogers.

“It was awesome,” Turner said.

Jon Redmond, assistant pastor of First Baptist Church of Pasadena, Texas, near Houston, was “inspired” by Rogers’ “passion for Jesus and His Word. … That was really why I came – just to get to be in his presence.”

More veteran pastors were also encouraged by the time with Rogers.

Ed Johnson, pastor of First Baptist Church of Ocala for 23 years, said he wanted “to come spend the day with Adrian. …

“I don’t know how long we are going to have the joy of having him with us. … It’s fun to sit and listen to someone who is a master preacher, a master sermon-crafter, and just to hear how he goes about it,” Johnson said.

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