Preaching Controversial Theological Issues - Part 2
Yesterday I began this post on how to preach a passage that may tread on some toes. Sometimes there are informed members of the congregation who hold a particular position theologically. Often there are relatively uninformed members of the congregation who hold a particular position tenaciously. What should we do when we have to preach [...]
Preaching Controversial Theological Issues - Part 1
In different church settings there are different theological issues. The kind of issues that may polarize a group of believers, or at least some within the group. It may be the Calvinism/Arminian debate. It may be some aspect of eternal security. Or perhaps differing positions on the millennium. Maybe there are both dispensational and covenantal [...]
Buy a Stained Glass Window
There is always a danger for preachers preparing to preach. It is easy to slip into a pragmatic mode of studying a text to find a main idea and develop a message. All very accurate, very professional, but having lost touch of the reality of what is going on. As we spend time in God?s [...]
Vague Preaching Ideas
When you study a chunk of biblical text, you are looking to state the idea of that chunk. The idea encapsulates, condenses, summarizes and usually abstracts from the details present. In terms of the hermeneutical process, we sometimes refer to the stage of principlization (coming between interpretation and application). The reason for deriving the principle [...]
Minds Full of Questions
Another variation on what I wrote yesterday. People have questions. But when do they get answers? Perhaps perplexing Biblical questions are a good set up for a series of messages. However, there are many questions people have that can be answered in a few minutes. Consider having a panel Q&A, or a pastor Q&A, now [...]
Congregational Calendar Input
When planning a preaching calendar, don?t forget a key resource ? your target audience. I heard of one pastor who would ask his congregation for passages or doctrines they found hard to understand, then would schedule a series responding to those subjects the following summer. The advantages included that people felt their needs were taken [...]
Preaching Psychologically Prepared
I don?t want to stir up a reaction against the word psychology. What I mean is that your emotional state as a preacher can and will color your message. Before you preach, take time to process any tension in any relationships, any frustrations with how your week has gone, any worries about what lies ahead, [...]
Invest Some Time to Save Hours
Perhaps you are in charge of the preaching calendar. Perhaps you are not, but sometimes get called on to preach. Either way, it is worth investing time ahead of time to plan out some preaching plans. Considering the needs of the people and how those might best be addressed from the Bible is an exercise [...]
7 Reasons to Preach A Lesser Known Book
Most preachers do what most Christians do. They tend to stay in the familiar books of the Bible. The gospels, the epistles, and maybe some Psalms or well-known Old Testament narratives. But what about Nahum, Obadiah or Joel? What about Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, or even 2nd John or Jude? Here are 7 reasons to [...]
Preaching Where Preaching Is Undervalued
I received an email from a friend who feels alone in his passion for preaching. Others don’t see preaching as a significant life-changing ministry. Consequently the preaching that results is often content-heavy, but application-light, and regularly communication-ineffective. The tedium of dull preaching continues, or worse, the random ramblings of unprepared preaching. Just this morning I [...]
