Pep-Talks

I suppose pep-talks are related to platitudes, but rather than putting a demand on a person, they are meant to encourage a person. I will confess that I do enjoy a good pep-talk; I feel that pep-talks often give me that much needed boost on a Sunday. A pep-talk delivered by a well-known Bible teacher can be truly inspiring, and encouraging.

The Short Shelf-Life of Pep-Talks

But the only problem I have with pep-talks is that the positive feeling they give you doesn’t last very long. You can feel all pumped-up and excited when you walk out of the church, feeling as if you can take on the world. But as soon as Monday morning rolls around, quite often, the “buzz” has gone – being replaced by an altogether abrupt crashing-back-down-to-earth feeling as Monday morning blues sets in. It’s no longer, “I can take on the world”, but it’s, “I’ve got to take on the morning traffic!”

Who Are Pep-Talks For?

I suppose these pep-talks are for new Christians, more than mature Christians. I attend a large, contemporary church which gives an altar call at the end of every service. The focus of the church – the professional-level hosting, A.V. presentations, worship and so on – is all geared towards the goal of getting those hands raised at the altar call. So, if this is what pep-talks are for – I’m all for them. However, where does that leave me and other mature Christians?

Conclusion

What I’ve noticed about Bible teaching in general, is that you often find that you can’t remember what last week’s message was all about – let alone remember specific details of the message. But this does not matter if the teaching you hear is building-up your spirit and the knowledge is retained subconsciously. Given the seemingly short shelf-life of pep-talks – do we really need them?