Yes—pastors may avoid certain messages because they are afraid of losing income and the favor of the people listening.
Les Feldick points out that many preachers depend on the offerings and goodwill of their congregations, so they hesitate to say things that make people uncomfortable or disgruntled. Instead of teaching the harder truths of Paul's epistles, they may choose lighter, more acceptable messages. Scripture shows the danger of this because a perverted gospel can mislead people eternally.
Galatians 1:6-9 — Paul was amazed that believers were soon removed from grace into another gospel, and he pronounced a curse on anyone who perverts it—showing why truthful preaching matters.
In Galatians 1:6-9, Paul expresses amazement that the Galatian believers were so soon removed from the One who called them into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. He clarifies that this is not another gospel at all—rather, some were troubling them and wanting to pervert the gospel of Christ. Perversion here is connected to adding to or taking away from the message of grace. Paul then gives a stunning warning: even if he himself or an angel from heaven were to preach any other gospel than what he had preached, that person should be accursed. He repeats the warning in verse 9. These verses show that the content of preaching carries eternal consequences and must not be twisted to please listeners.
Les Feldick teaches that some pastors are up against a real pressure: their income and livelihood depend on keeping the people in the pews content. A pastor may fear that a clear or convicting message will offend someone, make people disgruntled, or cause financial support to stop. Les contrasts this with himself, saying he is not beholden to anybody and his salary does not depend on keeping everyone happy. Les also observes that pastors often avoid the doctrine found in Paul's epistles. He has seen churches that only use the four Gospels or 1 Corinthians 13, never getting into Paul's teaching. He urges pastors to get to the meat and preach the Word that addresses Christians today, rather than staying with attention-holding subjects like prophecy or Genesis. According to Les, the answer is not to avoid truth to keep a crowd. He says people sometimes have to be shook up and faced with biblical truths. Yet he also emphasizes approaching others with love, patience, and understanding—while not compromising the truth in the process. He points pastors away from gimmicks and programs and back to preaching the Word.
Les Feldick explains that many preachers are up against the need to keep everybody content, because if the money stops coming in, the pastor may have no income. In his own ministry, Les says he does not have that worry because his salary does not depend on keeping people happy out in the pew. As a result, he is free to teach truth even when it is not popular. He also notes that teaching Paul's epistles is harder to keep people's attention because it deals with the nitty-gritty of today, not exciting future events.
Paul's letter to the Galatians shows how serious this is. He was amazed that the believers had been removed from grace into another gospel, and he identified those who were troubling them as wanting to pervert the gospel of Christ. Les explains that perversion is not only something way down in the gutter; it is anything that twists the truth far enough off-center that it will mislead people. Perversion of the gospel includes adding to it and taking away from it. Paul then says that even an angel from heaven preaching another gospel should be accursed, and he repeats that warning.
Les tells pastors to forget about gimmicks and programs and simply start preaching the Word again, because that is the way God has ordained it. He has seen churches that were satisfied with sermons from the Gospels and 1 Corinthians 13, but he urges pastors to get into Paul's writings, calling it 'where the meat is.' He also says that people sometimes have to be faced with biblical truths even if they need to be shook up. At the same time, he models approaching people with love and patience, not compromising the truth in the process.
Perversion Defined
Les teaches that a perversion of truth is not necessarily immorality—it is any twisting of truth off-center that can mislead people.
The Accursed Warning
Les shows from Paul's words that adding to or taking away from the gospel is perversion, and that even an angel preaching another gospel is accursed.
Pastors Avoiding Paul's Doctrine
Les has seen churches that stay in the Gospels and 1 Corinthians 13, never teaching Paul's epistles, and he urges pastors to get to the meat of the Word.
Truth in Love
Les says believers should approach people with love, patience, and understanding, but must not compromise the truth in the process.
Preach the Word, Not Gimmicks
Les tells pastors to set aside gimmicks and programs and simply preach the Word, saying that is how God brings life and growth to a church.
People Need to Be Shaken
Les says people sometimes have to be confronted with biblical truths and shaken up, because everyone will be judged according to Paul's gospel.
Financial Fear Controls Preaching
Les explains that many preachers are beholden to their congregations because their salary depends on keeping people happy, so they may avoid hard messages.
Hard Truth Not Attention-Holding
Les acknowledges that teaching Romans and Paul's epistles is harder to keep people's attention than prophecy or Genesis, because it confronts present-day Christianity.
Galatians 1:6: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Paul was astonished that the Galatians had turned from grace to a different message so quickly.
Galatians 1:7: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
This verse identifies the false teachers who were troubling the believers and twisting the gospel.
Galatians 1:8: 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.
Paul pronounced a curse on anyone—even an angel—who preaches a different gospel.
Galatians 1:9: As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Paul repeated the warning to emphasize how serious it is to change the gospel message.
Les Feldick says many preachers are up against the pressure to keep everyone content because their income depends on it. They may fear offending someone, losing financial support, or having people become disgruntled, so they choose more comfortable messages.
Perversion is not limited to something way down in the gutter. It is any twisting of the truth far enough off-center that it is going to mislead people. Adding to or taking away from the gospel is a perversion.
Paul says even if an angel from heaven preaches another gospel, let him be accursed. This shows that the gospel message is so serious that changing it brings a curse.
Les urges pastors to forget gimmicks and programs and simply preach the Word. He says they need to get into Paul's epistles—the meat of the Word—while speaking in love and not compromising the truth.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul's Letters Are the Most Neglected in the Bible