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Fast Track to A Popular Ministry
You must not prophesy to us what is right, Speak to us pleasant words, Prophesy illusions. – Isaiah 30:10
The best, and easiest way I can think of to become popular in ‘the ministry’ is to proclaim and live God’s Word in a compromising fashion. Don’t apply, or asks anyone else to apply, any truth from God’s Word to anything we have figured out actually pays the bills, fills the pews or concert venues, or makes us popular.
If you are a preacher, tell the people what they want to hear, and they’ll fill those pews every service and love you, besides, it’s just not right to offend people. Make use of your liberty in Christ to develop programs, music and other fun stuff that appeals to all those lost people who will be coming in, and once you’ve got them attending regularly, keep at it. Don’t worry about the fallen nature of your congregation, things will work out.
If you’re a musical artist, appeal to the baser desires of people by using popular culture – you know, to draw in the crowd – and once you’ve got them together, entertain them just like your ‘secular’ counterparts. Don’t ask them to dress, act or speak like anything that would make them stand out from the rest of the world – you know, be separate. Both you and they need to blend in. This will be a lot easier if you proclaim doctrinal truths in your music or art, but be sure not to ask anyone to change anything – that would risk you losing popularity, money and fame. You lose that, and man, you’re ministry is a floating fish.
Bottom line: If it pays the bills, makes you popular or fuels a great career, talk about the character of God and all that – but never ask people to change. That would risk everything you’ve worked so hard for.
An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it? – Jeremiah 5:30, 31
5 Pt. Salt 
I attend worship at a Reformed Presbyterian church that is still faithful to the regulative principle of worship and sings Psalms only. In Sunday school last week, however, my pastor mentioned (without naming the church) that a local congregation had recently conducted a service using only Beatles songs; I also once accepted an invitation to visit a popular church in our community. They had a live band rather than a choir- but what really offended me was their version of open communion. They basically set the bread and wine on the elevated platform up front and said come and get it if you want it. No reverence at all, no questions asked about worthiness to recieve the sacrament- it was blasphemous in my opinion.
I’m not so sure that I would ask some one to change either, its one thing to present scripture and teach about sanctification , but I believe that the process of change is between the individual and God, granted that we should all evidence change in both our own lives and the lives of others.
One thing you DON’T want to do is teach on Romans chapter 9, or you will like likely lose some people. Just stick to the “whomsoever wills….”. Everyone likes those.