# Preachers are born, not made.



## JOwen (May 6, 2010)

These are Lloyd-Jones' words in his Preaching & Preachers, but I happen to agree with them. In this regard I have republished The Forgotten Exercise on my blog Old Paths Paved. 
I plan on publishing a follow up post on the historicity of this forgotten reformed practice, thanks in part to our own VirginiaHuguenot, a research master.

You can read the article here.


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## SemperEruditio (May 6, 2010)

I have to agree. I know many men who are very apt at speaking eloquently, they are very capable of moving the hearts of men with their words, they can with a gesture engender a magnificient response...but they are no preachers. They are incapable of exegeting the simplest of text and result to allegorizing in hopes of giving the impression of philosophical or theological depth but what they prove is a scriptural shallowness. I believe this is one of the reasons that we see so much of topical preaching in evangelical circles because laboring over, expounding, rightly interpreting the text to their congregation proves too much so extras are used and in this case the extras become other text which are strung together with no interpretation but merely giving the appearance of being biblical.

I also believe the idea is biblical that men should be called based on their ability to exegete the text versus having graduated seminary.


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## JOwen (May 6, 2010)

I think Lloyd-Jones would call these men pulpiteers. Long on talent, short on actual preaching.


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## yoyoceramic (May 6, 2010)

Very interesting distinction Frank. Thank you - I was edified by your comments.


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## ADKing (May 6, 2010)

I agree that you cannot make someone into something God has not called him to be. Absolutely! But it is worth noting too that no one is "born" a preacher in the sense of having it as a natural ability like an apptitude for art or music. God gifts men for the ministry sometimes from birth (like Jeremiah?) and in some cases the equipping and gifting comes long after birth.


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