The Danger of Departing from the Way

We've all heard preachers who 'tone down' the message of the Lord to make it more pleasing to sinners, but have we considered the consequences of this?

Malachi contains sober warnings not only to the people of the Lord, but to the shepherds of the people. What are the dangers of ministers leading the people into error and how does happen? Why is 'man pleasing' so easy and yet so destructive? What will be the results temporal and eternal of 'changing the message' and departing from the way of the Lord?

AW Pink's solemn warning is applicable here:

The general characteristic of “false prophets” is that they make vital godliness to be a less strict and easier thing than it actually is, more agreeable to fallen human nature, and thus they encourage the unregenerate to be satisfied with something which comes short of true grace.