A new preacher needs to find his own voice and style as well as learn good patterns of study, reflection and prayer in the initial stages of his ministry. To do that, he needs to stay away from the plethora of conferences that will pepper his mailbox as soon as he takes his first assignment … More Advice for Young Preachers: Finding Your Voice
Tuesday is for Preaching Here’s my take on the first verses I would ask the elders of my church plant to memorize. Romans 10:14-15 (ESV) 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how … More First Verses for Elders to Memorize
The mail just arrive and I just read the story of a young pastor in Pennsylvania giving props to his seminary in an interview conducted for the seminary’s constituents. Somehow, though I have never attended this particular seminary, I am on the mailing list. Here’s one of the questions in the interview: What are you … More Pastors in America are Failing Their Congregations
Paying attention to the text of Psalm 107 Some observations filled with awe. Verses 6, 13, 19, 28 are identical Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble and he delivered them from their distress. Verses 8, 15, 21, 31 are identical … More He is a Hungry God
Listening to the word of God read. Reading it out loud yourself. Finding the rhythm of a story is sometimes more a matter of hearing than it is analyzing. The Bible was written to be heard. Jesus’ teaching has an oral/auditory dynamic that simply, … well …, must be heard. I heard things in the … More When Do Preachers Listen to the Word of God?
Tuesday is for Preaching It was the week I started a three week series at Chinese Christian Union Church in Chinatown the year before I became a consultant at Trinity Church in Watseka, IL. That Sunday the message was “The Repentance of a Man of God.” Their new pastor was going to arrive shortly and I … More The Precipice-Closeness of Spiritual Bankruptcy
Tuesday is for Preaching If you read this post today I want to invite you to leave just two comments. From your perspective, what is the best and worst thing about preaching, as you have experienced it, that you can think of? If you are a preacher, pastor, teacher, or the one who is taught … More The Best and Worst Thing about Preaching
Tuesday is for Preaching When you are finishing one book and beginning your preparation for the next book that you are going to exposit, where do you begin? I like to get a good, broad familiarity to the whole book. I do this by reading the book multiple times in multiple translations (my preferred translations … More How to Begin the Study of Your Next Book
Tuesday is for Preaching Why should a pastor preach expositionally? The content below is not mine. It is from 9Marks ministry. There is wisdom and challenge here for the young church planter to chew on. A pastor should preach expositionally because God works through God’s word. God speaking is God acting.* God created by his Word (Gen. 1:3; Ps. 33:6), and he recreates … More Is Expositional Preaching the Best Way to Unpack the Word of God?
Sunday Musings John Piper from 1995: Test yourself. What is your mindset? Do you begin with God and his rights and goals? Or do you begin with yourself and your rights and wishes? And when you look at the death of Christ, what happens? Does your joy really come from translating this awesome divine work … More The Delights of Christ and Cross
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