Lloyd-Jones on Fads and the Church

“Another argument that I would adduce at this point is that the moment you begin to turn from preaching to these other expedients you will find yourself undergoing a constant series of changes.  One of the advantages of being old is that you have experience, so when something new comes up, and you see people getting very excited about it, you happen to be in the position of being able to remember a similar excitement perhaps forty years ago.  And so one has seen fashions and vogues and stunts coming one after another in the Church.  Each one creates great excitement and enthusiasm and is loudly advertised as the thing that is going to fill the churches, the thing that is going to solve the problem.  They have said that about every single one of them.  But in a few years they have forgotten all about it, and another stunt comes along, or another new idea…and everybody rushes after it; but soon it wanes and disappears and something else takes it place.

This is, surely, a very sad and regrettable state for the Christian Church to be in, that like the world she should exhibit these constant changes of fashion.  In that state she lacks the stability and the solidity and the continuing message that has ever been the glory of the Christian Church.”  Preachers and Preaching, p. 35

Hear Lloyd-Jones' lectures on preaching here.