Danger of an Unconverted Ministry
Gilbert Tennent delivered this explosive sermon at Nottingham, Pennsylvania on March 8, 1740, during the height of the Great Awakening. The sermon emerged from fierce conflicts between revival supporters and their critics within Presbyterian circles. Tennent, a key figure in the revival movement and son of William Tennent Sr., aimed his theological artillery directly at ministers who opposed the awakening, particularly those he viewed as spiritually dead formalists hindering God's work.
Tennent's central argument unfolds with devastating clarity: unconverted ministers are not merely ineffective but actively dangerous to souls. Drawing heavily on Christ's condemnation of the Pharisees, he contends that ministers without genuine conversion cannot offer what they do not possess. Such pastors, he argues, lead congregations into spiritual complacency through cold orthodoxy and opposition to revival enthusiasm. The sermon systematically dismantles the assumption that proper theological training and ordination guarantee spiritual authority. Instead, Tennent insists that only ministers who have experienced genuine conversion can guide others to salvation. He goes further, encouraging congregations to seek spiritual nourishment elsewhere when their own pastors prove spiritually barren, effectively advocating for itinerant preaching across parish boundaries.
The sermon's immediate impact was seismic, contributing directly to the 1741 Presbyterian schism between Old Side and New Side factions. Its influence extended far beyond denominational politics, becoming a foundational text for evangelical emphasis on personal conversion over institutional credentials. The work remains significant for understanding how revivalist movements challenge ecclesiastical authority and for its articulation of evangelical priorities that continue to shape Protestant thought.
Who should read this: Students of American religious history and those interested in the theological dynamics of revival movements will find this essential reading. Readers uncomfortable with harsh polemical rhetoric or seeking irenic approaches to church disputes should approach this work with caution.