Paul describes his approach as plain, cross-centered preaching in the power of God — not eloquence, not pleasing men, and not gimmicks.
In his letters, Paul says he came without excellency of speech, determined to know only Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Les Feldick emphasizes that Paul never quit preaching this simple gospel, even in weakness, and rejected any method that would dilute or corrupt the message.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 — Paul directly tells the Corinthians how he came to them — not with human wisdom or eloquence, but with a plain message centered on Christ crucified.
1 Corinthians 1:17-18 — Paul states his mission was to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, and that the preaching of the cross is the power of God to those being saved.
Paul describes his approach in unmistakable terms. When he came to Corinth he says, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2). His preaching was “not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4). He also explains, “Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect” (1 Corinthians 1:17), and “the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). Paul further describes his motivation: “for do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). He says he became “all things to all men, that I might by all means save some,” doing “all for the gospel's sake” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23). The message he delivered was the gospel itself: “how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Les Feldick shows Paul as a man with an unshakeable single burden: seeing lost people saved through the simple gospel. He points out that Paul did not arrive with oratory, smooth talk, or a promotional team; he simply went to the synagogue and the marketplace and began preaching the cross. Les notes that Paul's speech was not polished like Apollos or the Greek philosophers — people even called it contemptible — but the Spirit of God supplied the power. At Corinth, Les says, Paul set aside even his Jewish background and had one message: that Christ died for the sins of the world, died for me and for you. That message was the kernel of everything he preached — Christ died, was buried, and rose again. Les also stresses that Paul refused to please men or dilute the message to make friends, knowing that faithful preaching brings trials, imprisonment, and beatings. He would step into the mold of the people he was trying to reach, not coming down on them as a spiritual giant, but identifying with their weakness — all for the sake of the Gospel. And far from being naturally fearless, Paul was commonplace and could be shaking in his boots, yet he kept preaching because God works through weakness.
Paul says his speech and preaching were “not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4). He adds that he came to Corinth “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling,” determined to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2-3). Les explains that Paul was not a polished orator like Apollos; his speech was described as contemptible, yet the Spirit of God did the work. Les also says God has not ordained gimmicks and programs — the simple preaching of the Word is what brings life and growth.
Paul's message was the cross. He wrote, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2), and he defined the gospel as “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Les says that at wicked, Gentile Corinth, Paul didn't even rehearse his Jewish background; he only had one message — that Christ died for the sins of the world. Les laments that this plain gospel message is almost forgotten today.
Paul renounced “the hidden things of dishonesty” and refused to “handle the word of God deceitfully” (2 Corinthians 4:2). He preached “not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect” (1 Corinthians 1:17), and he asked, “do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). Les underscores that when you preach the Word you will not make everybody your best buddy. He also shows Paul pronouncing a curse on anyone who preaches another gospel, and enduring imprisonment, beatings, and shipwrecks rather than compromise.
Paul said, “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23). Les explains that Paul stepped into the same mold as the people he was trying to reach — understanding their weakness rather than coming down on them like a spiritual giant. His goal was never personal profit or recognition; it was simply to see lost people saved.
Paul described himself as with the Corinthians “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3), and wrote that even though he had received mercy and did not faint, he sometimes despaired of life itself (2 Corinthians 4:1; 2 Corinthians 1:8-9). Les says Paul was not a naturally courageous man — he shook in his boots entering strange places; yet he never quit preaching the simple gospel. Les adds that God told Paul it was in weakness that He makes him strong, so Paul had to rely on God's strength rather than his own.
Weakness, Despair, and God's Strength
Les shows that Paul's ministry was carried out in weakness — he despaired of life itself and had to rely on God's strength rather than his own.
No Gimmicks, Just the Word
Les explains that Paul didn't use oratory, smooth talk, or a big advance team; he simply preached the cross, and pastors today should do the same.
The Spirit's Power, Not Eloquence
Les says Paul's speech was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, and although his speech was considered contemptible, the Spirit of God did the work.
All Things to All Men
Les says Paul identified with the people he was trying to reach, understanding their weakness, all for the sake of the gospel and seeing lost people saved.
One Message: Christ Died for You
Les says Paul had one message — that Christ died for the sins of the world, for me and for you — a message that is seldom heard plain and simple today.
The Gospel Defined
Les explains Paul's mission was to preach the gospel without wisdom of words, so the cross would not be made of no effect; the preaching of the cross is what's at stake.
Pleasing God, Not Men
Les shows Paul refused to please men, knowing that faithful preaching brings trials, and calls anyone preaching another gospel accursed.
A Commonplace Man Used by God
Les says Paul was not naturally full of courage; he shook in his boots, but God uses the plain and weak things to confound the world.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5: And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
This is Paul's core statement of his approach at Corinth: no human eloquence, only Christ crucified.
1 Corinthians 1:17: For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
Paul clarifies that his God-given mission is to preach, not to baptize, and without human wisdom that would empty the cross.
1 Corinthians 1:18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Paul identifies the preaching of the cross as the power of God for those who are saved.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This is the content of the gospel Paul declared wherever he went.
Galatians 1:10: For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
Paul's goal was to be Christ's servant, not to win human approval.
2 Corinthians 4:1-2: Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
Paul renounces dishonest and deceptive methods in handling God's Word.
1 Corinthians 9:22-23: To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Paul adapted himself to reach every kind of person while keeping the gospel intact.
2 Corinthians 1:8-9: For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Paul's hardship was so severe he despaired of life, showing the weakness in which he ministered.
Paul meant he didn't rely on polished rhetoric or human wisdom to persuade people. As Les Feldick explains, Paul's speech was considered contemptible by some, but the Spirit of God did the work through the simple preaching of the cross.
Paul's mission was to proclaim the gospel — that Christ died, was buried, and rose again. He avoided making baptism the focus because he didn't want the cross of Christ to be made of no effect through human additions or wisdom of words.
No. Paul asked plainly, "Do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). Les Feldick notes that when you faithfully preach the Word, you won't make everyone your best buddy — Paul expected and endured opposition.
Les says pastors should forget gimmicks and programs and simply preach the Word. Paul's simple approach — Christ crucified and risen — is the way God has ordained for the church to find new life and grow.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Gospel Is Hidden From Some People — 2 Corinthians 4:1-4