Preach Judges! How?

I’m preaching through Judges.

It is brutal, bloody, and beautifully illustrative of God’s mercy.

My study has been the setting for slow sweaty work, as I have grappled with both the doctrine and application of each text. It has been perplexing at times: “How in the world do I preach this properly?”

An article by Steve Mathewson has been especially helpful to me.  In Preaching The Gospel In Judges, he explores how we should exposit judges in a Christ-centred way. I’ve found his three questions particularly useful:

1. What does this story proclaim about God and his relationship with his people?

2. How does this theological message connect with the Bible’s larger story or meta-narrative?

3. What admonition or exhortation does this story offer?

Thank you Matthewson.

The Secret to Preaching Old Testament

Dale Ralph Davis has a great technique for producing better Old Testament expositions:

I think the best process is for a guy to have a fascination with OT texts and a determination to preach them.

Read his whole interview at The Gospel Coalition.

Simeon’s Sweat Over Sermons

This is bound to make some of you preachers feel better. About Charles Simeon’s sermon prep:

“Few [sermons] cost him less than twelve hours of study – many twice that time: and some several days. He once told the writer that he had recomposed the plan of one discourse thirty times.”

(Bishop Daniel Wilson on Charles Simeon, in Among God’s Giants, J.I Packer, p 371)

Two Questions

1) How regularly do we pray that God will raise up preachers of His Word?

2) What is the proportion between our complaining about preaching standards, and petitioning the Lord of harvest about gospel-workers?

Hell Hesitant – Changing Attitudes in the UK

In light of the late discussion about Rob Bell’s new book, it is interesting to observe changing views among confessing Christians in the UK.  The Evangelical Alliance surveyed 17,000 people at various Christian festivals in the UK. They compiled the results in a report called 21st century Evangelicals.

Some of the results?

Only 54% of those consulted believe that the Bible, in its original manuscript, is without error. Only 59% believe that homosexual actions are always wrong. 51% think that women should be eligible for all roles within the church. And only 37% still believe that hell is a place where those condemned will suffer eternally. This last topic was the issue on which, the report said, ‘there is the greatest uncertainty’.

The shift away from Scripture is, to say the least, concerning. It seems that any doctrines we 21st century folk are uncomfortable with can be jettisoned from our statements of faith at a moment’s notice. The Bible is being politely, but umistakeably,  ignored.

• Read 21st Century Evangelicals – a snapshot.
• Read Evangelicals Now’s commentary on the report.

Alastair On Preaching

Alastair Begg was recently interviewed about his preaching.

A couple of stand out quotes:

‘There is a whole approach to homiletics that is leading people into the ditch because it gets people to think in such compartmentalized categories in relation to explanation, illustration, and application—that they buy books on sermon illustrations and research stories as hooks—spending more time on these things than looking closely at their Bibles or the world around them.’

‘Growing up, I primarily heard sermons from the Old Testament that were character studies that served as a platform for moralism. These kinds of sermon, for example, looked at Joshua and said, “You see, Joshua wasn’t afraid, so we shouldn’t be either”—without any connections made to the gospel. Moralism always shines the spotlight on human action, rather than on God’s grace.’

So, Why Can’t Johnny Preach?

Peter Mead reviews Why Johnny Can’t Preach.

A few problems with many preachers today, according to T David Gordon:

True preaching requires close examination and study of a quality text, something non-readers have no experience of today.  People don’t study classical languages.  They don’t read literature.  They aren’t equipped to really study a text.   People read for content, but don’t learn to look at how a text communicates.

True preaching requires careful composition.  But people don’t write letters anymore.  They talk on the phone. Instead of careful composition, we live in a day of easy and cheap talk.

True preaching requires a sensibility of the significant.  But the only way to watch hours of television is to turn off such sensibility, so most do.

Find Your Voice

‘I think a preacher needs to be himself.  To learn from other preachers but not when all is said and done to emulate them.  In a day where you can listen to anyone and watch anyone by simply clicking a button on you phone or computer I think it’s important to find your own voice so the kingdom doesn’t get a carbon copy of someone else.’ (Matt Chandler)

God’s Supremacy In Preaching

Dr Tim White is starting to review one of my favourite books on preaching: John Piper’s, ‘The Supremacy of God in Preaching.’ If you’ve never read this great book, have a look at the synopsis and then purchase the book.

Keller on Lloyd Jones

Tim Keller has started to review and comment on an influential book in his life: Martin Lloyd Jones’ “Preaching and Preachers.”

10 Questions for Expositors – Matt Chandler (pt 2)

Matt Chandler answers the last five questions about his preaching. By the way, to listen to some of Matt’s preaching, here is the page of his sermons.

6. What notes, if any, do you use?

My notes are a bit of a hybrid manuscript/outline.  I try not to look at them while I am preaching so I study those notes and pray a ton before I step out on stage.

7. What are the greatest perils that preacher must avoid?

The greatest peril for a preacher is wanting the acceptance and approval of his listeners.  This is a serious thing that we have been called to and we will regularly have to say things that our culture thinks is foolish and the religious find offensive.

8. How do you fight to balance preparation for preaching with other important responsibilities (eg. pastoral care, leadership responsibilities)

It’s important for me to do both so I set aside blocks of time each week for both.  Tuesdays and Thursdays are study days for me.  I put together sermons and pray and study on those two days.  The rest of the week I am meeting with people and trying to shepherd well the people God has asked me to lead.

9. What books on preaching, or exemplars of it, have you found most influential in your own preaching?

John Stott’s book “Between Two Worlds and John Piper’s “The Supremacy of God in Preaching” are two of my favorite books on preaching.  I more recently read Tony Merida’s book “Faithful Preaching” and thought it was excellent.

10. What steps do you take to nurture or encourage developing or future preachers?

The main two ways we nurture and encourage is reps and feedback.  We want to create different venues for our young men to preach and then we want to give them honest and straight feedback about how they handled the text, how they engaged the crowd, whether they communicated clearly etc.

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Preacher’s Peril – Seeking Approval

“The greatest peril for a preacher is wanting the acceptance and approval of his listeners.  This is a serious thing that we have been called to and we will regularly have to say things that our culture thinks is foolish and the religious find offensive.” (Matt Chandler)