# Check this out - Paul Washer : Shocking message!!!



## Mayflower

Has anyone ever heard of Paul Washer ?
See his sermon : [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuabITeO4l8"]YouTube - Paul Washer - Shocking Message (full length)[/ame]

Any thoughts ?


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## JonathanHunt

The man can preach.


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## Chris

Mayflower said:


> Any thoughts ?



Been listening to him for about a year now. I think I've got ~95 of his sermons on .mp3. 

He'll be speaking at a conference I'm going to in about a month: 

http://anchoredintruth.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=158&Itemid=64


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## kvanlaan

Love the guy.

See this thread from a while back. 

http://www.puritanboard.com/showthread.php?t=16655

As one person put it, "he usually provokes a strong reaction either way." No kidding.


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## blhowes

1st time listener. Listening now.


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## Augusta

I have listened to that sermon many times. It is what I wish my youth group growing up could have heard. I made my teenage niece listen to it while I did her hair for her prom. She heard the unadulterated gospel that day and I pray it will open her eyes. He is so Pauline in that sermon.


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## VaughanRSmith

I listened to that sermon a while ago, and just showed it to my wife.

I wish someone had spoken to me like that when I was a teenager.


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## ReformedWretch

I love Paul Washer and that Sermon is on and shall remain on my My Space!


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## shackleton

*Paul Washer*

We need more of this and less Rick Warren and Joel Osteen. This reminds of when Jesus told the Pharisees that they went over land and sea to make one convert and they make him several times over the child of Hell that they are.


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## Staphlobob

shackleton said:


> We need more of this and less Rick Warren and Joel Osteen. This reminds of when Jesus told the Pharisees that they went over land and sea to make one convert and they make him several times over the child of Hell that they are.



  

I was reading A. W. Tozer today and he saw a lot of this happening long ago. "Seeing that we humans were once created in the image of God and that we have by our sin fallen into a state of spiritual blindness and mortality, I would rather be a serious-minded dolt concerned about eternal life than to be an overpaid jester with nothing better to do than to make men laugh and forget that they must die and come to judgment."


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## Chris

> I would rather be a serious-minded dolt concerned about eternal life than to be an overpaid jester with nothing better to do than to make men laugh and forget that they must die and come to judgment



Citation for that? I might find use for it in the future......


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## Staphlobob

Chris said:


> Citation for that? I might find use for it in the future......



It's from "The Warfare of the Spirit: Developing Spiritual Maturity." The chapter is #5 entitled "Crowing the Court Fool." Christian Publications, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, 1993, p. 18.

I'm not sure where Tozer was regarding the doctrines of grace, but I know I need to go back to him once in a while to be straightened out, challenged, comforted, educated.


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## JM

Tozer talks about Calvinism in Temperament in the Christian Life. And a thread here.

j


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## Chris

Thanks!


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## JOwen

very interesting. I wonder how the lives of these kids were impacted in the years following?


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## MW

I appreciate what he does in the context he does it in; but I hope everyone understands that a minister cannot address his congregation like this week in/week out. Where there is faithful exposition and application week in/week out, this sort of confrontational preaching should not be necessary. Faithful biblical preaching founds Christian responsility on divine soveriengty, Christian service on divine grace, and therefore always includes the element of doxology. I hope the brethren on this list who extol Mr. Washer's sermons have carefully discerned that this element seems to be obscured. I would also caution people to beware of the medieval whip, whereby Christians gain some sort of psychological satisfaction from the pain of being awakened to their sins because conviction makes them feel spiritually alive. But I reiterate, I appreciate what Mr. Washer does in the context he does it in. Blessings!


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## Herald

armourbearer said:


> I appreciate what he does in the context he does it in; but I hope everyone understands that a minister cannot address his congregation like this week in/week out. Where there is faithful exposition and application week in/week out, this sort of confrontational preaching should not be necessary. Faithful biblical preaching founds Christian responsility on divine soveriengty, Christian service on divine grace, and therefore always includes the element of doxology. I hope the brethren on this list who extol Mr. Washer's sermons have carefully discerned that this element seems to be obscured. I would also caution people to beware of the medieval whip, whereby Christians gain some sort of psychological satisfaction from the pain of being awakened to their sins because conviction makes them feel spiritually alive. But I reiterate, I appreciate what Mr. Washer does in the context he does it in. Blessings!



Matthew - I'll take the bookends of your post "I appreciate what he does" and glean from them that you approve of Mr. Washer's message. He was delivering it to a youth conference with a mixed audience. In that setting it was what the doctor ordered. Keep in mind that Mr. Washer was addressing a Baptist conference. With a heavy heart I must confess that the American Baptist church is steeped in semi-Pelagianism and Finneyism. A wake up is needed, even if it is harsh. I agree that this type of preaching should not be the norm within the church. Thank God for those Baptist churches that do proclaim the gospel in power and truth. But those churches are in the minority. I pray that the Lord uses Mr. Washer's message to reclaim the majority churches for Himself.


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## Herald

JOwen said:


> very interesting. I wonder how the lives of these kids were impacted in the years following?



"Narrow is the way..."


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## JM

armourbearer said:


> I appreciate what he does in the context he does it in; but I hope everyone understands that a minister cannot address his congregation like this week in/week out. Where there is faithful exposition and application week in/week out, this sort of confrontational preaching should not be necessary. Faithful biblical preaching founds Christian responsility on divine soveriengty, Christian service on divine grace, and therefore always includes the element of doxology. I hope the brethren on this list who extol Mr. Washer's sermons have carefully discerned that this element seems to be obscured. I would also caution people to beware of the medieval whip, whereby Christians gain some sort of psychological satisfaction from the pain of being awakened to their sins because conviction makes them feel spiritually alive. But I reiterate, I appreciate what Mr. Washer does in the context he does it in. Blessings!


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## ReformedWretch

> I would also caution people to beware of the medieval whip, whereby Christians gain some sort of psychological satisfaction from the pain of being awakened to their sins because conviction makes them feel spiritually alive.



That must be me, because I often enjoy (GREATLY) this kind.style of preaching.


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## Chris

armourbearer said:


> I appreciate what he does in the context he does it in; but I hope everyone understands that a minister cannot address his congregation like this week in/week out. Where there is faithful exposition and application week in/week out, this sort of confrontational preaching should not be necessary. Faithful biblical preaching founds Christian responsility on divine soveriengty, Christian service on divine grace, and therefore always includes the element of doxology. I hope the brethren on this list who extol Mr. Washer's sermons have carefully discerned that this element seems to be obscured. I would also caution people to beware of the medieval whip, whereby Christians gain some sort of psychological satisfaction from the pain of being awakened to their sins because conviction makes them feel spiritually alive. But I reiterate, I appreciate what Mr. Washer does in the context he does it in. Blessings!




If you're concerned about Washer seeming to be imbalanced, by all means listen to some of his other sermons. Further, as Bill stated already, this sort of preaching is desperately, desperately, desperately needed amongst Baptists in America.


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## shackleton

*Youth Groups*

The youth need more strong biblically grounded teaching prior to going off to college. I think the number of kids that lose their faith in college is as high as 60-70%. Most youth groups (at least where I live) are more concerned with getting numbers in the door and making church fun. When they go off to school and they are confronted with the "facts" of evolution and atheism and all they have to draw on from what they learned in church is basketbal, soccer, concerts and other youth events, they are left with nothing! The churches need more good solid teaching, both with the youth and for the adults, in Sunday school and from the pulpit. If the parents believe it they will teach it and live it in the home. The problem is most pastors don't know anything. We need a new Reformation. 

I am speaking mostly from experience to my area, it may not apply to other areas.


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## Herald

Actually what teenagers need today is more parental guidance and proper biblical teaching in the home. In fact the teen years are too late. Children should be taught God's word from childhood. The church is a poor substitute for what parents ought to be doing. 

As far as the apostasy rate you cited, I am convinced that is the true measure of their spiritual condition. Youth groups are full of teens who are lost. They have just become 'christianized.' Parents need to wake up and fulfill their responsibility.


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## govols

A lot of youth groups are a place to hang out with your friends, maybe find a girlfriend, etc. Far too many are not grounded in their youth, as Bill said above. I was one of them.

I am listening to Paul now. Great stuff. There is sadly one thing you don't hear enough in some SBChurches - repentance. He is stressing that in this audio.


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## Chris

BaptistInCrisis said:


> As far as the apostasy rate you cited, I am convinced that is the true measure of their spiritual condition. Youth groups are full of teens who are lost. They have just become 'christianized.'  Parents need to wake up and fulfill their responsibility.



Amen.


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## ChristopherPaul

BaptistInCrisis said:


> Matthew - I'll take the bookends of your post "I appreciate what he does" and glean from them that you approve of Mr. Washer's message. He was delivering it to a youth conference with a mixed audience. In that setting it was what the doctor ordered. Keep in mind that Mr. Washer was addressing a Baptist conference. With a heavy heart I must confess that the American Baptist church is steeped in semi-Pelagianism and Finneyism. A wake up is needed, even if it is harsh. I agree that this type of preaching should not be the norm within the church. Thank God for those Baptist churches that do proclaim the gospel in power and truth. But those churches are in the minority. I pray that the Lord uses Mr. Washer's message to reclaim the majority churches for Himself.





armourbearer said:


> But I reiterate, I appreciate what Mr. Washer does *in the context he does it in*. Blessings!



I believe Rev. Winzer's accolades for Mr. Washer are specific to the setting you described, but not for the congregation to week-by-week "gain some sort of psychological satisfaction from the pain of being awakened to their sins because conviction makes them feel spiritually alive."

Well said Rev. Winzer.


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## Augusta

armourbearer said:


> I would also caution people to beware of the medieval whip, whereby Christians gain some sort of psychological satisfaction from the pain of being awakened to their sins because conviction makes them feel spiritually alive.



Thank you for this admonishment. I can see the danger now.


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## Herald

ChristopherPaul said:


> I believe Rev. Winzer's accolades for Mr. Washer are specific to the setting you described, but not for the congregation to week-by-week "gain some sort of psychological satisfaction from the pain of being awakened to their sins because conviction makes them feel spiritually alive."
> 
> Well said Rev. Winzer.



Chris, maybe there are some folks who would enjoy sitting under this type of preaching week after week. I can confidently say that I wouldn't enjoy it. I'd find it too painful. This type of preaching should drive people to repentance. If a church finds itself in such a bad way that this type of preaching is needed more than once in a blue moon, well...there is something seriously wrong. The words of the prophet Isaiah should be heeded:



> Isaiah 1:5 5 Where will you be stricken again, As you continue in your rebellion? The whole head is sick, And the whole heart is faint.



To a self-deceived heart, sermons like Mr. Washer's bounce off with little effect. As Mr. Washer said in his sermon, only those on the narrow way will heed the call to repentance. 

The real issue here is not whether this type of preaching is apropros. It is, given the spiritual condition of many churches. The real question is *why *this type of preaching is necessary. Bad theology has lead to bad practice across the Baptist spectrum. The problem is a spiritual epidemic. Corrective measures sometimes call for a harsh wake-up call followed by repentance, proper teaching and practice. By no means am I saying that Mr. Washer's sermon is the end-all, be-all of the true gospel. But for many Baptist churches where the, "...whole head is sick..." it is a message that has been a long time in coming.


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## MrMerlin777

There is a balance I think. 

This kind of sermon is needed badly in the spectrum into which Mr Washer is preaching it. But as previously stated be on our guard that we don't look to such preaching as merely some kind of spiritual cathartic.


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## Chris

Sermonaudio.com added 4 new sermons by Washer recently. 

http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakerOnly=true&currSection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Paul%5EWasher

I've downloaded them but haven't got room for them on the .mp3 player today. I'll have to listen tomorrow.


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## Barnpreacher

BaptistInCrisis said:


> Actually what teenagers need today is more parental guidance and proper biblical teaching in the home. In fact the teen years are too late. Children should be taught God's word from childhood. The church is a poor substitute for what parents ought to be doing.
> 
> As far as the apostasy rate you cited, I am convinced that is the true measure of their spiritual condition. Youth groups are full of teens who are lost. They have just become 'christianized.' Parents need to wake up and fulfill their responsibility.



A hearty  to that Brother Bill! Well said! As a pastor I see this time and time again. Parents think the church is supposed to 'Christianize' their kids while they don't set the example at home.


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## bookslover

Well, I've been Googling around, and I can't find out anything about Washer. Who _is_ he? Where was he born, and when?  Where did he go to school? What's his history as an evangelist? Where does he live? Where is his ministry based? Married? Kids? Does he mow his lawn regularly? (OK, I made that last one up...).

It was a very good evangelistic sermon, but I can't find anything out about this guy...


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## LifeInReturn

Paul Washer's website is *http://www.heartcrymissionary.com*.

I love PW... and that sounds weird b/c of the content of his sermons, but his style of preaching is much needed. I know many who were greatly affected by his sermons by the grace of God. I have listened to many of his sermons and sat somberly, unable to smile, because I've been reminded of the depths of my sin... which I think that we tend to sometimes forget.


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## LifeInReturn

You can also find many more of his sermons at *http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/viewcat.php?cid=442*.


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## Bladestunner316

http://www.heartcrymissionary.com/index.php?option=com_contact&task=view&contact_id=4


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## Dagmire

armourbearer said:


> I appreciate what he does in the context he does it in; but I hope everyone understands that a minister cannot address his congregation like this week in/week out. Where there is faithful exposition and application week in/week out, this sort of confrontational preaching should not be necessary. Faithful biblical preaching founds Christian responsility on divine soveriengty, Christian service on divine grace, and therefore always includes the element of doxology. I hope the brethren on this list who extol Mr. Washer's sermons have carefully discerned that this element seems to be obscured. I would also caution people to beware of the medieval whip, whereby Christians gain some sort of psychological satisfaction from the pain of being awakened to their sins because conviction makes them feel spiritually alive. But I reiterate, I appreciate what Mr. Washer does in the context he does it in. Blessings!




As he said, he was preaching as if he would never preach again. And while I agree with you that a pastor can't mimic this sermon week in/week out, I do think that there are elements of it that are sorely missing from most of the preaching that I hear.

I don't know where the standard for preaching today came from. To me it seems like entirely too much fluff and not nearly enough application. Sermons are entirely too comfortable in my opinion. I know many people in my church who do not live anything like Christ and have little or no concern over it. They sit in church and pay attention like they're at the theater, but they are not shaken. I want these people to quake because they know the truth is that they are not on the narrow path. 

I go to church and it's like a social gathering. I never hear spiritual conversation. We do not edify one another; we entertain one another. We do it in the pretense of brotherly kindness and maybe it is, but I don't know where the love is. If we loved one another, then we would cater to one another's soul. We have lunch every week. We bring more food than our congregation could ever eat and fatten ourselves on it, but no one brings spiritual food. I think my church may be under the delusion that as long as there isn't strife in the church, things are well.

It is also my understanding that possibly _none_ of our elders are actually fit to be elders, according to the Bible. I know certainly that two of them aren't. And I am not using any other judgment than the guidlines that Paul gave. I also have my own experience to back it up. They don't truly oversee the church.

I'm tired of this! There is such severe unwillingness in the church today to give up wordly things. I experience it myself, certainly, but I _know_ that I can't serve Christ with my hands buried in the world. I am sick to death of my own lack of godliness and I am sicker still of the church's willingness to tolerate it.



I am sorry for ranting and I hope none of this that I've said is inappropriate. I just had to express it. I'm having breakfast with my pastor in the morning, so hopefully I can speak with him about some of these things.





> The youth need more strong biblically grounded teaching prior to going off to college. I think the number of kids that lose their faith in college is as high as 60-70%.




I think a more accurate statement would be "I think the number of kids that _never had faith_ and express it in lawlessness during college is as high as 60-70%."

You can't escape God. You can't lose what God gave you. The kids you speak of are exactly the kids that Paul Washer was speaking to.


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## Chris

> I think the number of kids that never had faith and express it in lawlessness during college is as high as 60-70%."



Southern Baptist Convention: 88% of our kids 'leave' the faith. 

Interestingly enough, 88% is the same percentage that can't be bothered to attend a typical sunday-evening service (as of the last time SBC measured that statistic - we gave up on it in 1996....).


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