See Part One here. 1. Review your history As a minister of the gospel you will inevitably encounter “distractions.” The word distraction for our purposes is a fluid term. Right now, I am easily distracted by the fact that my wife has cancer. I can be knee-deep in a riveting exercise of exegetical study only [...]
Archive for October, 2010
27 Oct
Remembering Luther
We remember Luther best when we proclaim Christ and the gospel to our world of need. And we do so fully clothed in our humanity. Stephen J. Nichols, The Reformation:How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World (Wheaton: Crossway, 2007), 38.
22 Oct
How to preach when your wife has cancer (or some other “distraction”)
I must have been absent the day they covered such things in seminary class. The professor might have addressed it the day I skipped school with my friend Eric to go snow boarding in the mountains north of L.A. However, I’m certain this topic was not covered in any preaching class. I have shelves of [...]
21 Oct
Luther on sermon length
In September of 1532, Luther said in his Table Talks (2643a): I hate a long sermon, because the desire on the part of the congregation to listen is destroyed by them, and the preachers hurt themselves. A few months before in June he said (3137): I cannot bring things together short and to the point [...]
14 Oct
Is the Sabbath required for Christians?
I have touched on the issue of Sabbath a few time here at ET with a few comments and quotes (See Is the Sabbath for everyone?, Is Sunday the Sabbath?, Is the Sabbath abolished?, Remember the Sabbath?). To date, the best book I’ve read on this is the classic From Sabbath to Lord’s Day edited [...]
8 Oct
We’ve got Spirit, yes we do!
Doug Wilson can turn a phrase better than most. His preaching style is probably not your style and his theology is probably not your theology in all points but here he provides a few thoughts on the role of the Holy Spirit and sermon preparation. Even if you don’t tuck in your shirt when you [...]
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