Comments on: Authentic and Transparent Communication

By: CRAIG GROESCHEL PASTOR LIFECHURCH.TV EDMOND OKLAHOMA AUTHOR THE CHRISTIAN ATHEIST & IT GIVES INCREDIBLE ADVICE TO YOUNG PASTORS & PREACHERS: BE TRANSPARENT |

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 19:41:44 +0000

[...] best-selling author and pastor of Lifechurch.tv had some profound for pastors and preachers on his blog [...]

By: Jared

Jared — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:16:20 +0000

Enjoyed reading this post again! Great!

By: Lee S. Davidson

Lee S. Davidson — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:44:30 +0000

I would just like to add that I had a hard time getting used to the video of sermon that had been taped beforehand because when I first gave my life to Jesus at 19 in 1971 I began attending an old fashioned Holy Ghost led church and it took a while for me to get used to the format of LifeChurch. But it didn’t take long for Craig’s honesty and sincerity AND his obvious true dedication to being fully devoted. Most (I could probably say all) the other churches I’ve attended in my life it always felt like the preacher was talking down to me, though many of them probably didn’t mean for us to feel that way. The thing that got me hooked on LifeChurch is that I feel like Craig is someone you could sit down with over lunch and he would come across with the same genuineness and deep commitment to be of whatever help he could be to me or anyone else. Every experience I attend it is the same way. It’s like he is talking to me like I am his best friend and he is telling me what he has gone through and giving me advice on how to handle the same situations in life. I’m sure he would be just as willing to listen to me face-to-face and carry on a conversation exactly like he does when he preaches. He reaches me, to make it really simple. And one other thing, every other church I have ever attended we would go weeks, months, even years without seeing a single person give their life to Christ whereas at LifeChurch, every experience brings at least a few who have never given their life to Jesus but they make the decision to give their lives to the Lord. That makes a big difference to me to experience that. Thanks for the opportunity to share my thoughts. God’s best to you Craig! May He grant us an overwhelming harvest of souls so people can know what life is really all about and experience the pure joy and love in knowing Jesus. You have made a huge difference in my life and I am eternally grateful.

By: Tommie Harms

Tommie Harms — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:33:27 +0000

Hey does anyone from Life Church know of a song called “No Time”? My little brother told me about it and the it was on a CD put out by Life Church. He told me how it is changing his life. I would love to hear the message that this song has. Thank you to any one who can share about it. May you be blessed in serving the Lord today. Yielded and Surrendered, Tommie

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:38:10 +0000

Sorry…my following post should have read:

“I think I’m so far removed from this version/style/method/culture. . . ” rather than “I don’t think . . .”

God Bless.

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:36:26 +0000

Thanks for the follow-up. I didn’t know the story.

I think I’ll bow out of this conversation. I don’t think I’m so far removed from this version/style/method/culture of church that I can’t understand it anymore, and I think that in the “comment” venue any attempt to voice my questions might come off in a way other than it is meant.

God Bless.

By: Al Valdez

Al Valdez — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 07:03:16 +0000

Jimmy,
In response to Greg Laurie’s loss. His son was killed in a car accident. He decided to preach on the Sunday of his son’s death. There is no doubt in my mind, that it was very courageous of him to do such a thing. His courage spoke volumes to me because I am unsure if I would have been able to do that if I was in his situation. I have had friends who are pastor’s who were unable to do that in the same scenario. He clearly made a conscious choice to speak and was not forced. My thoughts are that being authentic and genuine means to be effectively transparent for the furtherance of God’s kingdom. In my opinion, Mr. Laurie, displayed why many people have been transformed through his ministry. The bottom line: preaching takes guts. He displayed some serious guts.

By: riddle

riddle — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:49:17 +0000

Ron,
It could just be how I read that but it sounded a bit biting or antagonistic. Hard to tell through a comment section. I’ll assume you’re asking because you genuinely are interested in dialogue. Fair?

I’d say in a comment section of a blog post, you are getting a pretty small glimpse of me. and I of you.

Would you agree?

By: ron

ron — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:04:02 +0000

Craig,
I get it. The heart of a man can come through in any venue (live, live feed, or in person). BTW, I feel the heart of God through the printed page… His Word. Great post.

Riddel,
Are we getting the “real” you in your comments here, or just a “representation” of you? Just curious, “bro.”

By: The Marshian Chronicles » Short Rounds #113

The Marshian Chronicles » Short Rounds #113 — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:04:40 +0000

[...] Authentic & Transparent Communication [...]

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 03:08:05 +0000

I guess I’m a little confused. I came here by following a link to this discussion. First, I have to be honest, I don’t get the video preacher thing. That’s fine…I don’t have to.

Second, I think the thing most troubling/confusing thing to me about this discussion and the post is that saying “bring yourself, be honest, etc” seems to be so ground-breaking or impactful. What has been the alternative?

Third, this is response to Al Valdez’ statement concerning Greg Laurie: “Here is a man who actually preached the Sunday after his 35 year old son’s death, who was expecting a child and left behind a small daughter and wife. Not only does he bring it weekly, but that spoke volumes to me as a preacher. He spoke of his trust in God. Message or illustrated sermon. Powerful either way.”

I’m unaware of the sitaution, so maybe I’m reading it wrong. I’m wondering what kind of situation takes place where someone feels the need or is expected to preach after such an event. What kind of community does this happen in, and when you say “it spoke volumes to me,” what do you mean?

Thanks

By: Scott Stephens

Scott Stephens — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 07:41:11 +0000

WOW! Thank you so much for your thoughts… you seem to write what I long for!! Each time i feel like im losing hope for a family that i can feel apart of and share my feelings of authenticity. Im always given hope by your words… that there are still people out there and churches out there who do live in the current.

your authenticity has allowed for real conviction (you know, the one without the guilt) in my own life. Thank you so much for “getting it”

By: Al Valdez

Al Valdez — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 05:19:28 +0000

Another great post. IMHO, I have never seen a guy bring “you” into it like Greg Laurie. Here is a man who actually preached the Sunday after his 35 year old son’s death, who was expecting a child and left behind a small daughter and wife. Not only does he bring it weekly, but that spoke volumes to me as a preacher. He spoke of his trust in God. Message or illustrated sermon. Powerful either way.

By: Robin Swieringa

Robin Swieringa — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:21:51 +0000

Hi, Craig and everybody else! I’m pastoring a group of people through what started as a “church revitalization” and is now a restart and transplant — we’re selling our old building and moving to an underresourced and disadvantaged section of our city. We’re using lifechurch.tv on Sunday mornings as our worship gathering, and it’s a real blessings to us. [Craig -- you should buy a book called "Porn for Women: Hotter, Hunkier, and More Helpful Around the House!" It has pictures of (fully clothed!) good-looking guys smiling and doing the things women wish they said they did, with captions, such as, "There! I put The Food Network ahead of ESPN on the TIVO priorities." "You are NOT dying your hair. I've been waiting YEARS for that sexy silver to come in!", etc. Every woman and man I've shown it to has laughed to the point of tears!].
ANYWAY, I’m thinking about you, riddle: I’m not understanding your theological point is. In other words, what “gospel” do you think you believe and what “gospel” do you think Craig believes? It appears to me that lifechurch.tv is creating Christian community — opportunities to watch, hear, and discuss The Word, to share resources in Jesus’s name, to pool financial resources to assist the poor, and so forth. And there does seem to be an emphasis on creating “local” groupings to do all these things, as well. Another way of getting at what I’m trying to say: Jesus is “real” — he is alive, in flesh — but we don’t ever experience him in the flesh — is he unreal, as you say Craig is? The Spirit and the Father exist but don’t have their own bodies for us to touch, but they interact with us, and are real. It seems to me that “real”, as Craig has used it way above, has to do with persons-who-communicate (which the Spirit and the Father are, though without bodies), and “real” means they accurately communicate what they think and feel and believe through both their words and their actions. Finally, I don’t think that any person “is” the Gospel; rather, I think the Gospel is the fact that the Kingdom of God is here, and through Jesus everyone can both know how to live in it and actually live in it now and forever. Our assignment: To live that way (follow Jesus’s commands), tell others the good news, and teach them to do the same. Perhaps Craig talking to us here and on lifechurch.tv is just the 21st-century equivalent of the “word of mouth” that led the hemorrhaging women, the blind man, the centurion, and others to believe Jesus was the Messiah before they acted on the belief by going to Jesus in the flesh and asking him for healing.

By: Gerry Mathisen

Gerry Mathisen — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:51:52 +0000

I began attending Willow Creek when I was going through a divorce, after teaching homiletics for ten years at a local college. It took me a while to figure out what it was about Bill Hybels’ speaking that drew me to him. Finally I realized that it was his transparency and authenticity. He was the first preacher I ever heard who was willing to talk openly about his experience of getting counseling and why he did it.

By: Jeremy Copeland

Jeremy Copeland — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:56:02 +0000

“Authenticity meter?” Let’s be honest, it’s a crap detector.

By: Brandon Duff

Brandon Duff — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:19:46 +0000

God is working through Craig and LC in amazing ways. As a Network church we have seen 30+ people accept Christ in a just a few months. We could argue theology, but I’d rather look at what God is doing. Thank God for the authentic communicators that God is working through within LC and other great churches.

By: Dave Ingland

Dave Ingland — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:03:18 +0000

Much love and kudos for all of the pastors mentioned so far! From a perspective of transparency, I’d confirm that Craig Groeschel exemplifies that in an amazing way. It was even communicated through his book It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It! However, one name I haven’t seen mentioned yet is Pastor Jentezen Franklin of Free Chapel in Gainesville, GA. He’s not the most transparent, but he is way up there when it comes to authentic…one of the most faithful and passionate preachers I’ve ever listened to.

By: Marc Millan

Marc Millan — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:26:08 +0000

Craig, GREAT job in C3 BRO, LOVED IT I still hear “Bring Christ, bring Christ, bring Christ”….Awesome.
Authentic Communication is everything, I’m a Worship Pastor, If I can’t identify with a song I have no right to be singing it, it’s false, hypocritical almost…

Love what you guys do….KEEP going…
Love from Flamingo Road Church

By: riddle

riddle — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:16:54 +0000

hi heather.
just for clarity.
not knocking one church, multiple locations, I lead one.
i believe we are one church, so don’t feel like I’m attacking you or that you need to take a defensive posture.
i get the campus pastor thing. I’m friends with several.
thanks for all the love in the posts.

I really am just wondering aloud about whether we believe the same gospel, and how the gospel is effected by the presence of the person doing the teaching.