Preaching has been taken quite lightly by some, especially those in for “filthy lucre.� To find out if preaching is for real, it may be examined using instructional principles. It is basically teaching and so should fulfill the requirements for teaching if ever made an embellished form of whatever art. A true preacher would know that preaching too is science, and then some. Especially for the word of God, preaching should be clear, accurate, and understandable - and then should be able to fulfill its end of saving souls.

Today what we actually observe is an evolved form of inane art or a ritual of sorts with money as bottom line. That’s the sorry end: money. There is not even a dint of teaching there, but only types allowing superficial release of psychological burdens from worldly problems and then the whole thing is over. In places where this happens, no learning of God’s word is done, if ever.

Instead of teaching in these church groups, you hear of priests in some sing-song gibberish in Latin, some other language, or the dialect. Then comes the bowing, the genuflecting, the rising, the raising of hands, and the ringing of bells. Or the shouting of empty phrases and cries about love and Jesus, and some perceived healing complete with collapsing and some shaking. Nowhere do you hear of bible verses being expounded in these rituals, worlds apart from studying the Word of God. But you hear of stories with a sprinkling of chosen few verses to boot – to fit only an unwarranted belief. And then the collection comes. How these types of “teaching� could ever save souls is greatly mystifying. Philippians 1:15 says some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife. Without the necessary know-how, they too indulge in what they think is preaching – for filthy lucre’s sake, damning themselves in the process.

1Tim 6:10 says –
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Bro. Eliseo Soriano, presiding minister of the Church of God, International, has shown over the years his teaching the Word of God which is a different, incomparable type. While some use only bits and pieces of the Bible, he uses it whole. While some do not bother to teach the commandments in the Bible, he teaches these commandments in whole. He risks life and limb to teach the Word of God, to defend its truth, and to fight those who corrupt it like a true preacher would. As an expert on the Bible, he teaches for understanding and for learning - toward the salvation of souls. Different from others in caring, he is like Paul as described in Phil 2:20-21 -

For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

But why are thousands attracted to Bro. Eli’s preaching or teaching the Word of God despite claims that he curses?

The Basics First

Wherever he is preaching - in the television, in the radio, in bible expositions, before the congregation, Bro. Eli does not expect a so-called innate intelligence among his listeners when it comes to the Word of God. There could only be the willingness to respond to truth, or the denial of it. This world had offered more than a share of false teachings so long, they have to be corrected. For this, some work has to be done. Rom 10:14-15 says -

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?

Bro. Eli doesn’t make assumptions about what his listeners know. Point Zero to him would begin with illustrating what happens in these church groups. In here, he would be as candid as he can, calling idols as they are: wood, cement, stone, and yet one bows before them, touching them as though they had some life in them. He is trying to open his listeners’ eyes to the folly foisted on them by false teachers. Then to him, there would be no breakdown points of performance with every one wanting to be a Christian. It is hard to do what’s right, he says, but with guidance, there would be no learner left behind.

Skills, techniques and strategies are modeled successfully in Bro. Eli as a teacher. There is no emphasis of specific memory strategies and study skills. He would encourage frequent study however, and by this, shows that learning is not limited to just memorization, but with the involvement of God’s spirit. For those tending to critical thinking, they can have their day with Bro. Eli whose prowess in this aspect is easily explained from the Bible. Luke 21:14 -15 states –

Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

But he’s not the kind to push around. He knows if someone is asking with a desire to know, or asking in order to impose a mistaken belief. The teacher in Bro. Eli doesn’t give up easily, especially if one shows he is interested in truth. He knows one can improve, even in areas of weaknesses. Those already deceived can be taught not with sarcasm, shame, and humiliation and he shows that in his dealings with them. However, he too knows how to cut clean from hardened fools trying to waste time.

Cursing as his enemies would charge connotes irresponsible desire to have the other afflicted. But that is not what Bro. Eli would want. There is just his duty to expose with vehemence the deception being done by false preachers who may drag others to damnation with them. And as he can say things to the face of these false preachers with anger and in full force, it is illogical that he would curse and so spoil his labor in the process. For one who fully trusts in God to take charge, he could only do his part in rebuking. So when he shouts “Pwe� with full force, it means it is sickening to the stomach – the gall of pretenders who do things abominable to the eyes of God. When he shouts then, he is protesting like others in the Bible did their own protest, as he cares about what God would think of the way he interprets his own work. Who knows if from Bro. Eli’s rebuking them, these people may one day wake up to see their own folly? 2 Tim 3:16 says –

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

In exposing deception then, there is no need to take steps gingerly. This is why Bro. Eli doesn’t try to be diplomatic with fools; he simply says things as they are. He shouts if needed. What is foolish is foolish; what is sin is sin, no matter how one tries to dress it up. He calls a spade, a spade - no excuses. That is his work as far as he is concerned. He has to reprove, rebuke, and reproach no matter who gets hurt. He is not beholden to anyone but to God and in a way, this has been his strength through the years, he needed not preach for vested interests.

Sending a Clear Message

For a clear message, Bro. Eli would look at his hearers in the eye as he talked. He pronounces words clearly and with sufficient volume. Speaking at an unrushed pace, he would pause now and then, dividing his material into logical chunks. Now and then, he would speak in English, in the Pampanga dialect, in other languages of the country and in Spanish.

The teacher in Bro. Eli is clear and direct, but not simplistic. He doesn’t "talk down" to his listeners especially when he is doing Bible expositions. There are people yet babes in Christ, but he would not "water down� the Bible. He supports what he is saying with proofs, with the screen in full color, or with demonstrations by himself. In between preaching, Bro. Eli takes a breather – like give out news on current world and national events, or talk about medicinal food. Then he would go back to his topic. He doesn’t present material too rapidly or too slowly as to drone people to sleep. He uses repetition, paraphrases the verses, explains in more detail, and provides a written reference (the book, chapter, and verse) for what he says. Other preachers would say, don’t ask for verses or you are of the devil. Also, Bro. Eli would take time to summarize. He keeps looking for other avenues of stating information, and that’s why he sings. Now and then, he would ask if his listeners understood.

Teaching information in the Bible has genuine importance to Bro. Eli that he makes sure his listeners understand why. So he makes connections between day-to-day experiences and truth, and conveys the importance and usefulness of what he’s teaching. He would help his learners see rules, structure and patterns in the Bible with whatever they are learning. He would emphasize the "whys" and the "hows" to let them see embedded facts and details. In fact, most of the time his topics would begin with “Why� or “How.� He knows well to use the words of God to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. (1Cor 14:3).

There is no secret in the Bro. Eli’s being unique, singular, and distinctive. The Bible gives its’ own explanation in John 3:34 as him being sent, therefore speaks the words of God, who gave him unlimited spirit -

For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

Teaching Strategies

To clarify and reinforce concepts, he would use analogies and personal experiences to promote understanding. This preacher would capitalize on the church background of those aspiring to be members - most of which are what their false preachers do. For example, the confusing sign of the cross which is explained in the Catholic books as “pag-adya sa kaaway� or “precluding the devil,� but then used over the whole congregation by the priest to mean “blessing.� Making the sign of the cross is not taught in the Bible but pointed out in Revelations 13:16 as mark of the anti-Christ - in the right hand and in the forehead. He could be very funny in exemplifying, and his listeners would have their day.

He would sing hymns that he himself or Bro. Nicolas Perez, his predecessor, composed. These are songs of praise to God that he uses to magnify what he is trying to say at the moment. Such songs are expressive and instructive in nature, they do not bank so much on rhymes and rhythm. Without a chalkboard, these would be his educational technology. He would start the song and the congregation would join in – a wave of voices warmly responding in a concentrated pose to blend with his - surprising every guest that comes to observe. The reaction is spontaneous, and even this early, the aspirant to membership would feel esprit de corps, or the common spirit of the group.

The songs are not only the positives, however. He sings the “pasyon� and some love songs too. He sings out in the way that false ministers do, to show their impertinence. He wants to show what is true and what is false. With those who seem to have difficulty learning what he is teaching, he would intervene early and effectively to check if they are listening. With those walking and walking around (the Martha syndrome) while he preaches, and those tending to sleep, he would be very concerned if they cared at all about their salvation.

Arguing

In and out of debates, Bro. Eli does a lot of arguments like a critical thinker should. With an engineer’s mind, he tries to determine his parameters first - by the Book - then pegs them down. From there, he makes his arguments, respecting the boundaries. His enemies on the other hand do not bother to tie their edges down, they just roam sans parameters. And so, when Bro. Eli comes to the fore to examine their stand, they simply flail by the winds of their own ignorance. First, they don’t respect boundaries that they make assumptions.

Second, as a consequence of the first, they cannot pin down their definitions, flitting from literal to figurative to literal meanings. Third and most important, and the cause of their first mistake, their source of knowledge is from man.

The preacher in Bro. Eli has chosen not to dazzle viewers with far-out stories in terms of style and technique. Instructively, he wins plaudits without losing his strong connection with his audience. With him teaching and preaching, you could witness the audience clapping now and then. These would be at the points of revelation, at the points where embedded information in the bible verses are clarified. And then you could hear his audience chanting his name, “Bro. Eli…, Bro. Eli…, Bro. Eli….� You would wonder too why clapping is done in cognitive work where analysis would love silence more as most natural. From there, you can only guess that the brilliance he sports - brilliant as brilliance can be - is not natural but revealed or supernatural, founded on the strong foundation of faith.

But he doesn’t bask in those clapping, unassuming as he is. He returns to his topic with a sober mind bent on hammering truth until he is through with it. Should it not sound right (He gets vibes warning him, being a fearful, careful preacher), he would evaluate those clapping even days after that. A godly man that he is, he would say, “Kinabahan ako….pumapalakpak kayo.� (I had bad vibes…. You were clapping.), and then he would lay back the matter point after point perchance the brethren might not have understood deeply what he wanted emphasized. Sensitive to sin, he would not allow even a clap to pass if the audience only appreciated but did not understand the depth and breadth of the issue.

An "alternative" teacher, Bro. Eli’s clear style keeps his listeners grounded and connected, that they can better focus on issues and themes which he is seeking to dramatize and vivify. He can go beyond comedy, onward to the level of satire. He is so bent on pursuing his commission of saving souls that he is willing to do anything to achieve it – like hounding deceivers.

Hounding False Preachers

There is this church group that claims salvation is only through membership in their own organization. Ultimately they use the element of fear to cement their salvation package. Outside of their church are those for whom the lake of fire is reserved, they say. They then tell their members not to read the Bible because accordingly they cannot understand. Their founder is “the chosen one� whose teachings they follow, appropriating so many titles including being angel arising from the east, the Worm Jacob, the last messenger, and so many others. They foist the concept of being the covenant people - who have the function of giving, Then they enjoin their members to obey or else… Finally, there is a promise of goodness of God if they obeyed (which included giving). Very well knitted indeed. These are the kinds of deception that Bro. Eli would want to shatter. It is his work, the kind no preacher would dare take up, and so he too warns -

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed (Gal 1:8).

Consider this simplistic 16 question-answer Thursday lecture that doesn’t teach God’s ways but impress upon a false teaching so that their members could give more. Entitled “What God wants from each … member� prepared by their leader, this was said to be delivered by all their ministers all over the globe (http.//incworld.faithweb.com. Sep. 27, 2001). Of course, they came with biblical markers, but since their members are not encouraged to read the bible, they wouldn’t check. Note the flow of the primer (replete with errors, grammatical or otherwise) with just the questions to discern some pattern: Covenant, Disobedience/ Turning away, New group (“Fulfillment of a prophecy as people of God, this church being registered exactly when war broke out on July 27, 1914�), Obey, Thanksgiving, Give, Receive goodness forever.

The questions were as follows -

What is the covenant of God? Did the nation of Israel complied (sic) with the covenant with God to obey Him? What punishment did God gave (sic) Israel for their disobedience? Did the policy (sic) of God to choose His people stopped (sic) when Israel violated their covenant? Did the first century Church of Christ obeyed (sic) or kept (sic) the commandments of Christ and God? Which are (sic) the lies introduced to the first century Church of Christ? What became of the church that turned away (sic) from God and possessing the doctrines of demons? Did God chose (sic) a new group of people when the first century Church of Christ disappeared (sic)? How does God recognize those who don't belong to Him? How did these people defiled (sic) the earth? How do we members of the Church of Christ, chosen by God, give glory to the Lord? What is one of God's commands that we should obey? Aside from attending our worship services, what else is required of us to maintain our covenant with God? Besides bearing fruits, besides attending our regular worship services, besides preparing for our year end thanksgivings, what else is the instructions (sic) from God to us? Are we at the losing end if we comply or obey all the commands of God? What do we expect from God if we faithfully obey His commands?

Contesting a knitted deception is not the normal fare of an ordinary individual, much less hounding deceivers all by himself. It takes lots of guts and a backer not less than the Almighty. So aside from an incomparable understanding that Bro. Eli has for the Word of God., one other thing he does that is not duplicated anywhere in the world is his giving false prophets a run for their money.

Not of the Same Level

False preachers eagerly appraise Bro. Eli Soriano and readily pigeonhole him as “the enemy.� They then attach to him so many names as though that could excuse them of facing real issues. One group that has so distinguished themselves above the rest as “the only ones destined to be saved� says their minister is not of the same level with Bro. Eli so their minister could not come out to defend their teachings.

In the course of his preaching, Bro. Eli has gathered many enemies - firstly for his exposure of deceptive teachings. Again and again, he would be presenting videos on such teachings of liars to kingdom come. He would want to show their folly to those deceived and those they could deceive yet. And by the time one thinks of dismissing these things (the “god messages� publications of a certain church group, for example) as mindless drill, the astute strategist in him is again able to present new angles unheard of before.

He never would lack items that these could not be viewed as meaningless exercise. Awesome as he does things, it is safer to trust in him and the One backing him up, for why is it that with Bro. Eli, you haven’t seen everything yet, haven’t heard everything yet?

All Bro. Eli was doing was exposing their false teachings while they continued to spread lies about him. To their chagrin, they are forced to play along his hands by answering his questions. But Bro. Eli is clever too, and cannot be caught flat when it comes to the Bible. In effect, in their attempts to answer him, they display more of their ignorance for the whole world to see. They, in fact, do not even come up to the level of hiding under demands of exegetical justification and asking, “What rule did you use?� They simply call Bro. Eli names.

Very much like the enemies of Jeremiah before, they would also say –

Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words (Jer 18:18.

To evaluate by logic, the character or circumstances of Bro. Eli Soriano has nothing to do with the truth or falsity of the teachings of this church group. Attack on the person or argumentum ad hominem is a form of fallacy resorted to by people to divert attention from the real issues. So how could they be of the same level? Perhaps they meant university education, power, and riches – all of which are not the basis for being given an understanding of the Word of God. Instead of answering Bro. Eli Soriano’s contentions about their false teachings, their ministers would mouth tirades against him in their television programs.

But that is true in a sense; “they are not of the same level.� Bro. Eli focused on their false teachings while their group centered on his person. Bro. Eli focused on issues that matter while the other group attacked his being. In logic then, they can be called resorting to fallacies – not answering the questions directed at them, evading them, and so diverted the issue to looking for faults in the speaker.

Commitment

What is the end of preaching? By all means, Bro. Eli would use all resources in propagating the Word of God– the radio, the television, the internet, the print. As church history now spells out, he would get the ire of some censors’ board for mouthing some words irritating to “educated ears.� But he has proven God would use strong words, negative though they be, to mean what He says. He would get a string of malicious cases and be threatened to prison for speaking against false teachings of false teachers. But as a faithful preacher, it is his responsibility to expose them, to defend and protect the Word of God that it not be corrupted. Undaunted by all danger, he knows he is walking the same path taken by the apostles, hence the persecutions, inevitable as they are. Like Paul, he says -

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God (Act 20:24).

The extent of Bro. Eli’s commitment to God’s work is so total that it would strike some as bordering on extreme personal anger or hatred, when he strikes against false teachings. He simply hates deception because this has to do with salvation of souls or the absence of it. When he strikes, therefore, his tirades are part of the caustic satirical sizzle that gives his preaching its bite. With its sharp cathartic tone, it may yet purge the world of its filthiness – and how!
Jane Abao