This is sad and dissapointing:Pastor John Rainey's sermons have become virtually unintelligible as he
constantly references Greek and Hebrew definitions, say parishioners at Oak
Creek Presbyterian. On a recent Sunday, only 20 percent of Rainey's sermon was
in English.
The article continues,
"We were scratching our heads the whole time," says one member. "I thought I understood the passage before, but when he got done explaining it, I was lost." During the sermon, Rainey read a passage from Obadiah and said, "The word used for 'provision' is the Greek 'kupkos', or 'chabed' in the Hebrew, meaning 'oikenatilus' or literally 'havet am rabed alshallai.' The original tells us, 'Kepkus oikenate dunamis rikesa,' a fascinating word construction, meaning not just once but continually, or, 'Akinitus kre dormitaron,' which corresponds to, 'Shevet ahim gamyahad.' If I may put it this way, 'Gelli toheron basmat evit yarna, khom harde dir shalom ette ramen novar chemyon.' Amen?" Rainey, who holds multiple seminary degrees, may feel pressure to put his knowledge to use, say befuddled church-goers. They have petitioned him to stick to English. Rainey bridled at the suggestion, saying he is "connecting people to the source material." Instead he plans to offer real-time English translations of his sermons on the church's overhead projectors "for those not sophisticated enough to understand what the Bible is saying in its original language."
So men, let us preach so our hearers can understand. This is what Ezra set his heart to do:
Ezra 7:10 10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Nehemiah did this as well...
Nehemiah 8:9-12 Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep ... And all the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them.
