Monthly Archives: May 2007

After you preach, then what happens?

In his book The Seven Laws of the Teacher, Howard Hendricks refers to an English bishop who said, “You know, wherever the apostle Paul went, they had a riot or a revival. Wherever I go, they serve tea.” (p165.) While … Continue reading

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Filed under Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Stage 5 - Message Purpose

Review: Preaching with Variety, by Jeffrey Arthurs

Sub-title – How to Re-Create the Dynamics of Biblical Genres. I hope this book gets the recognition it deserves. This is a power-packed paperback that seeks to stimulate Biblical preachers in developing variety in their preaching through awareness of how … Continue reading

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Filed under Homiletics, Preaching, Review

Preaching a Text with a List

What should you do when your passage includes a long list? For example, I recently preached 2nd Timothy 3:1-9, which includes a list of almost twenty elements in verses 2-4. With a list this length, to preach through it one … Continue reading

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Filed under How to . . . ?, New Testament, Preaching, Specific text, Stage 2 - Passage Study

Review: Preaching and the Literary Forms of the Bible, by Thomas Long.

Thomas Long provides a solid introduction to the literary forms of the Bible and how a preacher should interact with them. The book begins with a relatively brief consideration of reading different genre and the process of moving from text … Continue reading

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Filed under Preaching, Review

Introductions: The Essential Ingredients

What should go into a good sermon introduction? So much is won or lost in that first minute or two. In fact, so much is won or lost before you even open your mouth – but that might require a … Continue reading

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Filed under Delivery, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Stage 8 - Message Detail

Preaching Psalms

The other day I preached a Psalm in a University Bible study. A young lady came up afterwards and said, “I always expect to get something from the Gospels or Epistles, but I don’t expect much from the Psalms, but … Continue reading

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Filed under Genre, How to . . . ?, Old Testament, Preaching, Stage 2 - Passage Study, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail

When is persuasion actually manipulation?

Paul contrasts his approach to preaching the gospel (1Cor.1-4) with the Greek rhetorical approach which relied on “persuasive words of wisdom.” Duane Litfin has argued that the significance for us as preachers is that we must not take decision-making from … Continue reading

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Filed under Delivery, Preaching

Preaching OT – one more tip

Fantastic jump into a pool of muddy water Peter! It seems as though many preaching practitioners prefer the easy way out when it comes to communicating the Old Testament through homily. Short-cuts of allegorizing, spiritualizing, exhortation to imitate characters, moralizing … Continue reading

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Filed under Genre, How to . . . ?, Old Testament, Preaching, Stage 2 - Passage Study

Missing in Action

Just a short post that might stimulate a different type of discussion. When I listen to preachers, or evaluate my own preaching, I find some things are often missing in the pulpit. For example, Robinson highlights the importance of the … Continue reading

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Filed under Delivery, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 6 - Message Idea

One tip for preaching narrative (ok, two tips!)

Have been thinking about the issue of preaching narratives (stories) from the Old Testament. Actually, much of this would also apply to preaching from the gospels or Acts as well. It is tempting to take the short-cuts of allegorizing, spiritualizing, … Continue reading

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Filed under Genre, How to . . . ?, Old Testament, Preaching, Stage 2 - Passage Study, Stage 3 - Passage Purpose, Stage 5 - Message Purpose