Ridgell's Originals

I hear these discussion periodically. Who are the best preachers of our generation? Who do you most like to hear preach? Usually these discussions are conducted by young preachers. I did hear it phrased differently the other day: if you could only hear 10 preachers the rest of your life, who would you pick? When asked for my list, I was suprised by what my list had in common. Let me share the list (in no particular order) and then share with you what it made me realize.

Steve Ridgell (I know that's me, but if I don't want to hear what I have to say, why should anyone else and I am the best I have ever heard in terms of hitting the subjects that I personally need to hear :), Phil Ware, John Risse, Tim Archer, Jerry Taylor, Mark Edge, Skye Noe, Randy Harris, Rick Atchley, and Joe Don Ridgell.

Now for what I learned from making my list. These are Abilene preachers, Southern Hills preachers, Herald of Truth preachers, or people I am really close to as friends. And most of these are people who I know well. I am partial to people whose life I know to be authentic, who live what they preach, and whose lives support their sermon. I am partial to people I have heard many times. Any one can bring it on special occasions but I like the guys who are consistent. These guys are all heavy into the Word, so I like preachers of the Book. I realized I didn't fill my list with guys I alwasys agree with.

So I learned that how you live may determine how effective your preaching is, that if you stay in the text you'll be OK, and that some preachers get better the more I hear them (which probably says something about me). I learned that I don't want my preachers to agree with me because how else would I learn.

So take a minute to list your favorite preachers, and then figure out what it says about you.

Feel free to share the list (or not). I may find some people I need to go hear. But please share the common traits. I think those would help us all. So...what kind of preaching do you like to hear?