Archive for December, 2008
Christmas Blog Holiday
December 13, 2008I’m stopping posting from now till after Christmas.
I’ll be doing less of this:
…more of this:
A Christ-exalting and enjoying Christmas everybody!
Which Preaching is Hardest?
December 12, 2008Don Carson – The Evangelical Landslide
December 11, 2008UPDATE: The links at 9marks interviews are working again.
The latest 9marks interview with Don Carson really is a must listen.
Mark Dever asks Carson about the highs and lows of the evangelical landscape. Interview [73:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Happy 2nd Birthday
December 11, 2008730 days ago I launched a blog.
561 posts, 2193 comments and 352,350 hits later Unashamed Workman continues to be a simple blog for busy preachers.
To the glorious God whom I serve, my wife, and especially my fellow preachers and readers I owe a great debt of thanks for making the journey so enjoyable thus far.
Two more years?
Most Read Posts – #1
December 10, 2008Over its two year life span, Unashamed Workman’s most read post – by quite some margin – is 10 questions for expositors: Tim Keller. Its short but terribly insightful. Now all we need (Tim?) is a follow up Q & A to unpack these interesting answers further.
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I am extremely excited today about announcing a new series called “Ten Questions for Expositors.” In great faith, I have written to number of better-known preachers on both sides of the Atlantic. Each of them has been sent ten questions on the subject of preaching. Today and tomorrow I’ll leave you to chew over Tim Keller’s response. Next week, I’m delighted to have similar answers from Philip Ryken.
For those of you who don’t know, “Timothy J. Keller is an author, a speaker, and the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) in New York City, New York.” Find here a more complete biography.
1. Where do you place the importance of preaching in the grand scheme of church life?
It is central, but not alone at the center. Pastoral ministry is as important as preaching ministry, and lay ‘every-member’ ministry is as crucial as ordained ministry. I wouldn’t make a hierarchy out of these things–they are interdependent. But pastoral ministry and lay ministry is no substitute for strong preaching.2. In a paragraph, how did you discover your gifts in preaching?
I preached about 200 different expositions a year for the first nine years of my ministry (when I was age 24 through 33.) During that time I was considered interesting and good but I never got a lot of feedback that I was anything special. I’ve grown a lot through lots of practice.3. How long (on average) does it take you to prepare a sermon?
I pastor a large church and have a large staff and so I give special prominence to preparing the sermon. I give it 15-20 hours a week. I would not advise younger ministers to spend so much time, however. The main way to become a good preacher is to preach a lot, and to spend tons of time in people work–that is how you grow from becoming not just a Bible commentator but a flesh and blood preacher. When I was a pastor without a large staff I put in 6-8 hours on a sermon.4. Is it important to you that a sermon contain one major theme or idea? If so, how do you crystallise it?
I don’t know that I’d be so rigid as to say there has to be just one Big Idea every time. That is a good discipline for preachers in general, because it helps with clarity. Most texts have too much in them for the preacher to cover in one address. You must be selective. But sometimes a preaching-size text simply has two or three major ideas that are too good to pass up.5. What is the most important aspect of a preacher’s style and what should he avoid?
He should combine warmth and authority/force. That is hard to do, since tempermentally we incline one way or the other. (And many, many of us show neither warmth nor force in preaching.)6. What notes, if any, do you use?
I use a very detailed outline, with many key phrases in each sub-point written out word for word.7. What are the greatest perils that preacher must avoid?
This seems to me too big a question to tackle here. Virtually everything a preacher ought to do has an corresponding peril-to-avoid. For examples, preaching should be Biblical, clear (for the mind), practical (for the will), vivid (for the heart,) warm, forceful, and Christo-centric. You should avoid the opposites of all these things.8. How do you fight to balance preparation for preaching with other important responsibilities (eg. pastoral care, leadership responsibilities)
See my remarks on #3 above. It is a very great mistake to pit pastoral care and leadership against preaching preparation. It is only through doing people-work that you become the preacher you need to be–someone who knows sin, how the heart works, what people’s struggles are, and so on. Pastoral care and leadership is to some degree sermon prep. More accurately, it is preparing the preacher, not just the sermon. Prayer also prepares the preacher, not just the sermon.9. What books on preaching, or exemplars of it, have you found most influential in your own preaching?
British preachers have had a much greater impact on me than American preachers. And the American preachers who have been most influential (e.g. Jonathan Edwards) were essentially British anyway.10. What steps do you take to nurture or encourage developing or future preachers?
I haven’t done much on that front at all, and I’m not happy about that. Currently I meet to with two other younger preachers on my staff who also preach regularly. We talk specifically about their preaching and sermon prep.
More Tim Keller resources
Monergism’s links
Steve McCoy’s links (vast!)
Unashamed Homepage
Most Read Posts – # 2
December 10, 2008I probably don’t need to tell you that Alistair Begg is one of the most gifted preachers in contemporary evangelicalism. He is also a humble man, which is perhaps especially important when you are endowed with rich talents. Today’s Classic Materials is an excerpt from the excellent book he co-authors with Derek Prime, “On Being a Pastor.” I’m also mentioning this today to remind you to pray for Alistair, especially given his health situation.
“I remain fascinated by the variety of approaches that preachers take in preparing their sermons. In our preparation, as well as in our delivery we must ‘to our own selves be true.’ When I am asked to summarise my method of preparation, I mention the following points, which I learned from the late Leith Samuel….
1. Think yourself empty. As strange as it may sound, we must be careful to ensure that we do not avoid sound thinking. The temptation to respond emotionally to a passage (this is how this makes me feel) is not unique to our listeners. If we are to have ‘thinking’ congregations it is incumbant upon us to be ‘thinking’ pastors’! We do not want to be uncertain by the time our study ends, but it is surely right and proper to begin with the perspective, ‘I must know what this says, and I must learn what this means.’
2. Read yourself full.
3. Write yourself clear. Aside from the essential empowering of the Holy Spirit, if there is one single aspect of sermon preparation that I would want to emphasise, it is this. Freedom of delivery in the pulpit depends upon careful organisation in the study. We may believe that we have a grasp of the text, only to stand up and discover that somewhere between our thinking and our speaking things have gone badly awry. The missing link can usually be traced back to the absence of putting our thoughts down clearly.
4. Pray yourself hot. There is no chance of fire in the pews if there is an iceberg in the pulpit! Without prayer and communion with God during the preparation stages, the pulpit will be cold. In 1752 John Shaw reminded the incumbent pastor beginning his charge in Cambridge, Massachusetts: ‘All will be in vain, to no saving purpose, until God is pleased to give the increase. And in order to do this, God looks for prayers to come up to His ears. A praying minister is always the way to have a succesful ministry.”
5. Be yourself, but don’t preach yourself. A good teacher, like John the Baptist, clears the way, declares the way, and then gets out of the way.”
Most Read Posts – #3
December 10, 2008Today its my pleasure to interview Voddie Baucham. I first heard Voddie last year through a Desiring God Conference, and since then I’ve come to appreciate his preaching. Enjoy his responses below! (Just so that you know: over the next two weeks, we’ll be putting questions to some respected expositors in the UK – Liam Golligher and Vaughan Roberts.)
1. Where do you place the importance of preaching in the grand scheme of church life?I believe preaching is central to the grand scheme of church life (see Acts 2:42ff). Preaching/teaching sets the tone and the parameters for all other functions of the church. Our understanding of fellowship, evangelism, discipline, worship, etc., all arise out of our understanding of God’s word. Without sound preaching and teaching, all else will falter. Hence, preaching is of seminal importance in the grand scheme of church life.
2. In a paragraph, how did you discover your gifts in preaching?As a young college student, I went on a preaching mission with several teammates of mine. I was a relatively new believer and had no experience sharing God’s word. Two of my mentors guided me through the week and helped me discover my gifts in preaching for the first time. I felt as though something in me was awakened for the first time. I’ve been preaching ever since.
3. How long (on average) does it take you to prepare a sermon?
When we start a series (preaching through a book or section), it can 15-20 hours or more. However, once we are in the midst of the text much of the background work builds upon previous studies and cuts the time dramatically. Nevertheless, crafting the message, adding illustrative material and mining the text for that last nuance, is a process that never really ends until the preaching moment. That’s the only time I can truly say I am finished preparing the sermon.4. Is it important to you that a sermon contain one major theme or idea? If so, how do you crystallise it?
Absolutely! I am always looking for the central theme in a passage. There may be more than one, but I have come to realize that I am most effective when I limit myself to the main idea. I find that idea by analyzing the paragraph, then the broader context of the section, then the book as a whole, then its place in the broader revelation. Then I go through the process in reverse back down to the passage in question.
5. What is the most important aspect of a preacher’s style and what should he avoid?
The most important aspect of a preacher’s style is authenticity. When I started preaching, I thought my ‘style’ had to fit a certain category. As a result I mimicked some of my favorite preachers. I was constantly reinventing myself. Ultimately, I had to find my own ‘style’ and stick with it. That meant there was one less thing I had to manufacture. I had to realize that God gave me a unique personality and he intended to use it in unique ways. God gave us four gospels written by four unique men, from four different perspectives. I had to remind myself that it is as much of a travesty for me to try to be Tony Evans as it would have been for John to try to be Matthew.
6. What notes, if any, do you use?
The only notes I use are extended quotes. If there is a direct quote that I have not memorized, I will bring it to the pulpit with me. Other than that, the text is my only outline. I write everything out on a template and do an extended outline (Statement, explanation, illustration, argumentation, transition, etc.), but I leave it behind when I preach.
7. What are the greatest perils that preacher must avoid?Laziness, pride and the fear of men. Laziness will keep us from plumbing the depths of the Word. Pride will keep us from prayer, and the fear of men will keep us from preaching the hard things.
8. How do you fight to balance preparation for preaching with other important responsibilities (eg. pastoral care, leadership responsibilities)
Through ministering as a team. I am one of three elders at our church. All of us preach and all of us shepherd. We are also raising up young men to carry the load. We do not see ourselves as part of a clergy/laity divide. We are merely gifted men equipping other for the work (Ephesians 4:11). We do not believe God has called us to do the work ourselves. This is incredibly freeing.
9. What books on preaching, or exemplars of it, have you found most influential in your own preaching?
12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching, by Wayne McDill, Spirit Empowered Preaching, by Arturo Azurdia, and Preaching and Preachers, by D. Martin Lloyd Jones. As for exemplars, I am fond of men like Tony Evans, Alistair Begg and John Piper.
10. What steps do you take to nurture or encourage developing of future preachers?
Spending time with them, pointing them toward great resources and encouraging them to develop skills beyond the pulpit. So many young preachers pursue the pulpit because they have discovered unusual communication skills in themselves. However, preaching is about so much more. We must be theologians, historians, apologists, churchmen and above all exemplary men, husbands and fathers (see 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1). We must also love and serve the Church. So many young preachers long for conference ministries that reach millions. However, without a love for the local church that goal rings hollow. I want to see a young preacher sweep floors, pick up trash, lead small groups, share the gospel in the secret places, pray for the sick and the afflicted, and manage his home in such a way as to make it a beacon of hope for others. That’s the foundation upon which great preaching is built.
Most Read Posts – #4
December 9, 2008How Stott Prepares a Sermon (January 10th 2007)
I’m always interested in the preparation methods of others. While each preacher must ultimately find their own route to the sermon, much can no doubt be gained as we examine the rigourous methods of seasoned preachers.
I was intrigued, therefore, to recently come across a summary of John Stott’s preparation steps (putting in short form what he expands on in Between two Worlds -US/I Believe in Preaching -UK). Thanks to the website Xenos for this link which I’ve quoted in full.
I. Choose your text
A. It is best to rely on expository book studies for the steady diet of your people, because this ensures they will get “the whole counsel of God.”
B. However, the following may be occasions for special sermons:
1. Special calendar occasions: Christmas, Easter, etc.
2. Special external circumstances which are in the public mind.
3. Special needs discerned by the preacher or others.
4. Truths which have specially inspired the preacher.C. Keep a notebook to scribble down ideas for sermons, insights, burdens, illustrations, etc. Record them immediately wherever they come to mind, because you will usually forget them later.
II. Meditate on the text
A. Whenever possible, plan out texts weeks or months in advance. This gives the benefit of “subconscious incubation”.
B. Concentrated “incubation” should begin at least one week before preaching. It should involve the following:
1. Read, re-read, and re-re-read the text.
2. Be sure you understand what it means. Do your own interpretive work. Don’t use commentaries until you have formulated specific interpretive questions which you have been unable to answer, or until you have completed your interpretive work.
3. Brood longer over how it applies to your people, to the culture, to you, etc.
4. Pray for God to illuminate the text, especially its application.
5. Scribble down notes of thoughts, ideas, etc.
6. Solicit the insights of others through tapes, talking with other preachers, etc.III. Isolate the dominant thought
(This is the purpose of section II.)
A. Your sermon should convey only one major message. All of the details of your sermon should be marshaled to help your people grasp that message and feel its power.
B. You should be able to express the dominant thought in one short, clear, vivid sentence.
IV. Arrange your material to serve the dominant thought
A. Chisel and shape your material. Ruthlessly discard all material which is irrelevant to the dominant thought. Subordinate the remaining material to the dominant thought by using that material to illuminate and reinforce the dominant thought.
B. Your sermon structure should be suited to the text, not artificially imposed. Avoid structure which is too clever, prominent or complex.
C. Decide on your method of preaching for this text: argumentation, faceting, categorizing, analogy, etc.
D. Carefully choose words that are precise, simple, clear, vivid and honest. Write out the key sections, phrases, and sentences to help you in your word choice. Stick to short declarative and interrogative sentences with few, if any, subordinate clauses.
E. Come up with illustrations and examples which will explain and convict. Employ a wide variety: figures of speech, images, retelling biblical stories in contemporary language, inventing fresh parables, retelling true historical and/or biographical events, etc. Keep a file of these, especially if they do not come easily to you. Avoid making illustrations and examples so prominent that they detract from the dominant thought. Also, avoid applying them inappropriately or overusing them.
V. Add the introduction and conclusionA. The introduction should not be elaborate, but enough to arouse their curiosity, wet their appetites and introduce the dominant thought. This can be done by a variety of means: explaining the setting of the passage, story, current event or issue, etc.
B. The conclusion should not merely recapitulate your sermon–it should apply it. Obviously, you should be applying all along, but you should keep something for the end which will prevail upon your people to take action. “No summons, no sermon.” Preach though the head to the heart (i.e. the will). The goal of the sermon should be to “storm the citadel of the will and capture it for Jesus Christ.” What do you want them to do? Employ a variety of methods to do this:
1. Argument: anticipate objections and refute them
2. Admonition: warn of the consequences of disobedience
3. Indirect Conviction: arouse moral indignation and then turn it on them (Nathan with David)
4. Pleading: apply the gentle pressure of God’s love, concern for their well-being, and the needs of others
5. Vision: paint a picture of what is possible through obedience to God in this areaVI. Write down and pray over your message
A. Writing out your sermon forces you to think straight and sufficiently. It exposes lazy thinking and cures it. After you are thoroughly familiar with your outline, reduce it to small notes.
B. Pray the God will enable you to “so possess the message that the message possesses you.”
Most Read Posts – #5
December 9, 2008A Friday Question – Visual Props? (March 2, 2007)
For some time, I have pondered the usefulness of visual aids in the context of preaching. Many churches already utilise the likes of Powerpoint for musical items, but increasingly it is used during the sermon. However, I’ve heard some (including no less than John Piper) express their displeasure at this approach. Some would say it creates something of a lecture feel; others, that it distracts from the ‘word’ being preached. I’m not so sure. In our church, many have found it a helpful complement when sensitively used. To see an example from a recent sermon, click here.
So what do you all think? Yay, or nay?
Most Read Posts – #6
December 8, 2008The 6th most read post is also a permanent page: the resource on sermon preparation. Recently I have significantly expanded the list of links, as you will see below.
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Written Resources
- A Letter from Steve Cole on Sermon Preparation
- John Stott’s methodology
- Josh Harris’ Preaching Notes Series: Mark Driscoll, Tim Keller, Ray Ortlund Jr, CJ Mahaney, Mike Bullmore, Mark Dever.
- Tim Keller
- Mark Dever on how to prepare expository sermons
- Bryan Chapell
- Robert Talley
- Justin Buzzard
- Peter Grainger (part one; part two)
- Steve Weaver (six part series)
- David Wayne (Jollyblogger)
- Alistair Begg
- Calvin Seminary Guidelines on Preaching
- Four fruitful questions pt 1, pt 2; The Basic Flow; – Colin Adams
- Grudem’s 10 Tips for Biblical Interpretation-
- Ligon Duncan’s EY Mullins Lecture “Principles of Preparation and Normal Practices for Preaching at First Presbyterian Church.” (Sep 29th, 2004):
- Six study essentials: Driscoll
- A Sermon for Preachers by Alistair Begg (manuscript)
- Interview: The Preaching of Jonathan Edwards by John Carrick
- John Piper – Calvin: In Honor of Tethered Preaching
Video Resources
- Video: Interview with David Jackman about Expository Preaching
- Video: Mark Driscoll on “Putting Preachers In Their Place”
- Video: Matt Chandler: “Preaching the Gospel from the Center of the Evangelical World.”
- Video: John Piper on “Don’t Waste Your Pulpit”
- Video: John Piper on “How My Pastoral Ministry Shapes My Pulpit Ministry”
Audio Resources
- Audio: Bryan Chapell & Zack Eswine – 25 lectures (** highly recommended)
- Audio: Clowney and Keller on “Preaching Christ in a Postmodern World” – 25 lectures (**highly recommended)
- Audio: Steve Lawson on “The 10 How To’s of Expository Preaching”
- Audio: Mark Dever – “The Centrality of Expository Preaching.”
- Audio: John Piper on “Why Does Preaching Have Such a Prominent Place in Worship?” (Mullins Lecture)
- Audio: John Piper on “The Centrality of God in the Preaching of a Pastor”
- Audio: John Piper on “The Gravity and Gladness of Preaching”
- Audio: R Kent Hughes on “The Study and the Sermon”
- Audio: Don Carson on “The Primacy of Expository Preaching part one “
- Audio: Don Carson on “The Primacy of Expository Preaching part two”
- Audio: Don Carson on “The Primacy of Expository Preaching part three”
- Audio: Geoffrey Grogan – “Expository Preaching, some Important Principles”
- Audio: Arturo Azurdia on “Preaching – Must the Means Match the Message?”
- Audio: Dever and Ferguson’s Lectures on Preaching
- Audio: Mullins Lectures (including Jerry Vines, John MacArthur, Eric Alexander, Alistair Begg)
- Audio: Packer on Puritan Preaching
- Audio: Doriani and others at Westminster Preaching Conference
- Audio: Edward Lobb – Sharpening Up Your Preaching
- Audio: Mike Bullmore on “Things I’ve Learned about Preaching Having Taught it for 15 Years”
- Audio: Interview with Dick Lucas on Expository Preaching
Preach the Word Seminars
Study Resources
MyBibleTools.com
Bible Gateway
A list of Lexicons and Word Studies
Blue Letter Bible
Robertson’s NT Word Pictures
Online Hebrew Interlinear
Online Greek Interlinear
StudyLight.org
Application Grid (sample) & Application Grid (blank)
Alliterator Generator!
Other Resources
Regreek.com
Thebibletool.com
Nave’s Topical Bible
Vincent’s NT Word Studies
Bible Research by Michael Marlowe
The Biblical Studies Foundation
Monergism
Theopedia
Online Bible
The Sword Project
E-Sword
Jewish Encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia
Livius
Holy Land Photos
Britannia.com (Encyclopedia)
Merium-Webster Online
Cambridge Online Dictionary
Roget’s Thesaurus
Visual Thesaurus
Wikipedia
Desiring God Conferences
1995 Desiring God Conference for Pastors
January 30, 1995
D. A. Carson
The Primacy of Expository Preaching, Part 2
1995 Desiring God Conference for Pastors
January 31, 1995
D. A. Carson
The Primacy of Expository Preaching, Part 3
1995 Desiring God Conference for Pastors
January 31, 1995
D. A. Carson
Preaching Today: The (Almost) Forgotten Task, Part 1
1999 Desiring God Conference for Pastors
February 1, 1999
James Montgomery Boice
Preaching Today: The (Almost) Forgotten Task, Part 2
1999 Desiring God Conference for Pastors
February 2, 1999
James Montgomery Boice
Preaching Today: The (Almost) Forgotten Task, Part 3
1999 Desiring God Conference for Pastors
February 2, 1999
James Montgomery Boice
Ray Ortlund
- Power in Preaching: Decide
- Power in Preaching: Desire
- Power in Preaching: Delight
- Preaching Christ in the Power of the Spirit (part 1)
- Preaching Christ in the Power of the Spirit (part 2)
- Preaching Christ in the Power of the Spirit (part 3)
Dr Mike Bullmore– Annual lectures on October 7-9, 2008 at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School on “The Heart of Preaching and the Preacher’s Heart.”
- Session 1: The Functional Centrality of the Gospel in Preaching | 42:56
- Session 1: Q & A (beginning with responses from an M.Div. student, a Ph.D. student, and Pastor Lee Eclov) | 58:32
- Session 2: The Five Greatest Heart Challenges in Preaching | 41:18
- Session 2: Q & A (beginning with responses from Andy Naselli and Dr. Dick Averbeck) | 42:24
- Session 3: A Passion for the Gospel (Philippians 1) | 38:15
- Session 3: Q & A | 36:03
John Piper Q & A on Preaching and Teaching
Can a pastor preach to 12 people?
April 18, 2007
How can a pastor uphold good doctrine in a denomination that doesn’t?
February 11, 2008
How do you respond to criticism?
October 12, 2007
How should a pastor decide what to preach?
December 14, 2007
What are the pros and cons of using video preaching in the church?
November 12, 2008
What is the place of practical application in preaching?
March 26, 2007
October 24, 2008
Preaching Today Radio Broadcast
January 20, 1992
Most Read Posts – #7
December 8, 2008For some reason, you have been keen to access my personal info page. So here it is: number 7 in Unashamed Workman’s most read pages.
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Who are you and where do you come from? My name is Colin Adams. I am married to a wonderful woman, Nicki, and have three children, Glen (5), Rebekah (3) and Grace (1). I originally hail from Glasgow but live ‘cross culturally’ in Scotland’s other big city, Edinburgh.
What is your occupation? I have the privilege of serving as an Associate Pastor with Charlotte Baptist Chapel in Edinburgh. I have enjoyed fellowship with this church for almost six years. My responsibilities include regular preaching and some pastoral responsibilities with students. Before coming to Edinburgh I studied theology for four years at International Christian College in Glasgow.
What do you believe? Not less than the UCCF statement of faith, but in fuller terms, probably something more like the New Hampshire Baptist confession or the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. Most essentially: I believe in a personal, Triune, Creator God; a fallen humanity; a Christ who suffered for our sins, was raised to life, appeared to many witnesses and who will one day return to earth again. If all this is new to you, read this.
(from whence I have the privilege to preach)
What are your hobbies?
Between church and family commitments I don’t have much time for hobbies! However, I’ve always been an avid reader and particularly enjoy reading about preaching, theology and church history. I also enjoy the odd sports spectacle and (in the warmer months) put myself through the grueling regimen of jogging!
Which preachers do you most appreciate? There are too many to mention. Amongst those living expositors I greatly respect would include Don Carson, Steve Lawson, Ray Ortlund Jr, John Piper, Tim Keller, Bryan Chapell, Alistair Begg, Philip Ryken, Dick Lucas, Vaughan Roberts, Mark Dever, Mike Bullmore, John MacArthur and CJ Mahaney. I’d also have to add the Senior Pastor of my own church, Peter Grainger, from whom I’ve learned a great deal. Of course, none of this is to mention some of the great preachers of church history: from Chrysostom to Calvin, from Spurgeon to Lloyd Jones.
Why this blog? There are several preaching-blogs that I already appreciate (see my links). Nonetheless there is still fairly little blogging being done relative to such an important task as preaching. I hope Unashamed Workman will help fill in this gap. Personally, this is a space for me to think through how I can be a “workman” who is not ashamed, one who “correctly handles the word of truth.” Let me underscore that I speak as a student and learner of preaching, not as a teacher and expert!
Can I be contacted? Feel free to communicate through the posts, or alternatively drop me an email: adams.colinandrew@yahoo.co.uk. I can’t promise to always respond but I do try.
Note: every day on the blog I post “Workman’s Toolbox” at the top right hand corner of the blog – links that may be of interest to preachers. Click here for the link to use with your blogreader.
Return to main page.
Whitefield’s prayer for preachers:
“Yea…that we shall see the great Head of the Church once more . . . raise up unto Himself certain young men whom He may use in this glorious employ. And what manner of men will they be? Men mighty in the Scriptures, their lives dominated by a sense of the greatness, the majesty and holiness of God, and their minds and hearts aglow with the great truths of the doctrines of grace. They will be men who have learned what it is to die to self, to human aims and personal ambitions; men who are willing to be ‘fools for Christ’s sake’, who will bear reproach and falsehood, who will labor and suffer, and whose supreme desire will be, not to gain earth’s accolades, but to win the Master’s approbation when they appear before His awesome judgment seat. They will be men who will preach with broken hearts and tear-filled eyes, and upon whose ministries God will grant an extraordinary effusion of the Holy Spirit, and who will witness ‘signs and wonders following’ in the transformation of multitudes of human lives.”
unashamed 