Monthly Archives: June 2008

by | June 20, 2008

Selecting Sermon Form: The Preacher’s Strategy – Part 2

Yesterday I noted that if you find a good sermon form, you should not become a rigid adherent to that one form.  If sermon form is a matter of strategy (how to best accomplish the sermon goal), then there are … Continue reading →

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by | June 19, 2008

Selecting Sermon Form: The Preacher’s Strategy – Part 1

Over the next days I will re-assert a basic commitment of expository preaching on this site – there is great flexibility on form.  You can preach a text deductively or inductively, or a combination, or using some variation on these … Continue reading →

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by | June 18, 2008

Stopping Matters

Last week I wrote about the importance of stopping when you get to your sermonic destination.  I just want to add an important principle.  After an ideal landing is missed, extra minutes are not neutral, they are negative.  Once listeners … Continue reading →

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by | June 17, 2008

A Plea to the MC: Careful of Careless Closure

Perhaps an MC will read this post.  Perhaps a worship leader.  Perhaps one Sunday you will not preach, but will “chair” the service (as they say in England), for a visiting speaker.  I have a plea.  Please, please, please be … Continue reading →

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by | June 16, 2008

Mythbusting – Experience Is Key?

Howard Hendricks has a habit of getting at the heart of an issue. I was just reading a book he co-authored on teaching and he nails a key issue for us as preachers. How are we to know that we … Continue reading →

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by | June 15, 2008

Preach First and Last Sermons

I don’t know if you count.  My temperament tends to count.  I keep track of what I’ve preached, when, to whom, etc.  I keep records partially out of necessity and partially out of interest.  Whether or not you count sermons, … Continue reading →

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by | June 14, 2008

Review: The Moody Handbook of Preaching, edited by John Koessler

It’s been a while since I added a book review to the site, so here’s a fresh book worthy of your consideration. This new work from Moody Press recently dropped through my door. I have not read it all, but … Continue reading →

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by | June 13, 2008

Be You

There are many elements of style that can be studied and worked on.  But one thing that is really important is to be you.  Philips Brooks’ famous definition of preaching as “truth through personality” is important to remember.  It is … Continue reading →

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by | June 12, 2008

The Tone of the Shepherd

One of the central roles of a church leader is to protect the flock from false teaching.  It is a responsibility to take seriously.  However, without very deliberate thought it is easy to fall into one of two extremes. Extreme … Continue reading →

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by | June 11, 2008

At The End – Stop

Yesterday I wrote about knowing the end from the beginning.  Preach as if you’re going somewhere and when you get there, stop preaching.  It seems obvious, but it is important to note that good sermons end. As a preacher, once … Continue reading →

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