Standing Behind the SERMONATOR

One of the most beloved radio preachers in my lifetime is Charles Swindol (pictured) and his radio boradcast, Insight for Living. I don’t think there is another voice on Christian radio that is more effective at taking even the deep truths of Scripture and putting them at a level that everyone can understand. Along with his voice, Swindol also has a very effective pen. He has written literally dozens of books, including one of my favorites called Laugh Again. I used to have a poster for this book which was a picture of Swindol wearing a black leather jacket and dark sunglasses while sitting on a Harley. Because this was back during the time of the hit move “The Terminator,” the title of this poster was called “The Sermonator.”

I recently read an article by an extremely conservative editor of a Christian website and radio network announcing their pulling of Chuck Swindol’s Insight for Living off of their radio broadcast schedule. Listen folks, if Chuck Swindol is not conservative and correct enough for this website and radio ministry, then I have to seriously question their own spiritual effectiveness and credibility. Swindol’s wife wrote a letter to the ministry that “pulled the plug” on her husband. I thought it was very well written and have included portions of it below. In my mind, Chuck Swindol is still “The Sermonator.”

“Chuck feels that we must be real, in order to meet real people in their real world. In other words, if people won’t come to the sanctuary because ‘it’s not relevant to my life these days,’ then we must make it relevant by delivering a message with which they can identify. Whether they live in the mansion on the hill or the inner city, the message must be capable of reaching BOTH or it misses the very souls who have the greatest needs.

In our opinion that is exactly what Jesus did. He ate with the publicans and sinners, in which events, I feel he was probably compelling in His persona and He charmed them into righteousness (meaning He extended grace to them). He repeatedly told stories illustrating an understanding of their real world. I sometimes ponder how He could have been so compelling that twelve totally different personalities would leave everything to follow Him. For this lifestyle, Jesus received much criticism from the Pharisees and others, but it did not deter His obedient pursuit to ‘do the Father’s will.’ If this message reached the life of just one person that might have been flipping the radio dial that day and, therefore, for the first time heard the Gospel, we feel it would have been worth it. In a day that is ‘ripe for harvest,’ we feel compelled and passionate to do what we can to reach the lost even though it means ‘eating with the sinners.’…

It is true that Chuck walks on the edge at times in passionately communicating God’s truth. He always has. Admittedly, this is risky, but that does not mean this is wrong. This has enabled him to connect with far more people-literally thousands who have said this is what has made the difference in their even ‘listening to a preacher.’ This will not change. He will never be a ‘safe’ communicator. Jesus wasn’t ‘safe’ either. Chuck will never go out of his way to be offensive, but we know some will be offended. So be it. We are passionately pursuing obeying what we believe to be the will of God for our ministries.”