Some Thoughts about Preaching for Attention

What are our motives in preaching?

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Let me start by saying I don’t know your motives for preaching the gospel. I assume your motives to be good and honorable.

That said, I think it’s important to think about the danger of “preaching for the clicks” or “preaching for the amens.”

I’ve been consistently creating online content for about two years. I enjoy doing it, and it’s a simple, cheap way to reach people with the gospel of Christ. Some of you have been busy putting God’s Word out there to people online for much longer than I have, and I appreciate you!

But there’s something I’ve learned by experience in this “online world,” - and I think it’s something we need to be careful of in our preaching.

If you ever want to get more views, likes, or comments - create online content around emotionally charged topics like politics and controversial issues (homosexuality, for example). Or you could call out brethren or other churches for something they are or aren’t doing.

Now I want to be clear here - things like this must be addressed occasionally. We must stand for the truth and proclaim God’s Word (2 Timothy 4:2).

What I want us to consider - and what I’ve thought about for myself as well - is why we are addressing these issues. Is it because we really care about the truth and we genuinely care about people’s souls? I hope so!

Or - is it possible that we have become drunk on the attention we receive when we post about those “hot-button” topics?

Again - if we proclaim the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27), we will address these topics from time to time. We will proclaim what God has said about hot-button topics in our culture, like homosexuality (Romans 1:24-32). We will address Christianity and politics and how Christians should interact with their government (Romans 13:1-7). We will stand for the truth and address errors, perhaps even sometimes having to point out specific people’s false teaching (1 Timothy 1:18-20).

In this article, we are concerned about our motivation behind doing these things. I don’t know your motives, and you don’t know mine. Jesus knows our motives because He knows what is in us (John 2:24-25).

It is entirely possible to preach the truth and do so for the wrong reasons, jeopardizing our souls in the process.

Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. (Philippians 1:15-18)

Paul knew of some brethren who were preaching Christ - and it would seem they were accurate in their preaching of Christ - but they did so “from selfish ambition.” Today, these would be brethren who preach the truth but do “for the clicks.” They proclaim the truth, but they do so to increase their own reputation in the brotherhood.

May this never describe us as gospel preachers.

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Brethren, I appreciate your good work in the Lord’s kingdom. Continue proclaiming the truth!

May we all - myself included - continue to monitor our hearts and motives. May we make corrections when we realize we have strayed from what is right.

Let’s keep holding the mirror of God’s Word up to our own lives (James 1:21-25).