Posted in Christianity, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, Review, tagged Authentic, Authentic Books, Making of a mentor, Ron Jenson, Ted Engstrom on July 6, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Subtitle: 9 Essential Characteristics of Influential Christian Leaders, 2005.
A decade ago I took a class on mentoring and had to read Howard Hendricks (As Iron Sharpens Iron) and Ted Engstrom (The Fine Art of Mentoring) among other books. They convinced me of the critical importance of this subject. From my experience in life and ministry, [...]
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Expository Preaching, Harry Stack Sullivan, Mentoring, Ron Jenson, Ted Engstrom on July 4, 2009 | 1 Comment »
I’ve written before on the critical subject of mentoring. It’s easy as a preacher to be too busy to invest in mentoring relationships. It’s also easy to miss the heart of what we are called to in ministry. I’ve just started The Making of a Mentor by Ted Engstrom and Ron Jenson. Pointing to Paul’s [...]
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Al Mohler, Albert Mohler, Expository Preaching, He is Not Silent on July 1, 2009 | 1 Comment »
In recent decades many churches have moved from having the Scripture preached with authority to a watered down “talk” so committed to connection and amateurism that it completely lacks authority. While the “watery talk” may have proved ineffective in achieving anything other than a voluntary social club under the name of church, we need to [...]
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Homiletics, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Expository Preaching, Lloyd-Jones, Martn Lloyd-Jones on June 29, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Martyn Lloyd-Jones held preaching to be the highest calling. Many pastors and church leaders consider it the central calling in their ever increasing list of tasks. In reality preaching is only ever one part of a bigger package. There may also be counsellor, crisis-management, events organizer, team coordinator, small group leader, tension diffuser, visionary leader, [...]
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Homiletics, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged ELF, European Leadership Forum, Hungary on June 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
On Saturday I shared a couple of reflections on the ELF in Hungary as related to preaching. Here are a few more to ponder together:
3. Watch your language for second language listeners. In some ways I’d expect this to be obvious, but obviously it wasn’t for one or two speakers. When there are people in [...]
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged ELF, European Leadership Forum, Hungary on May 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
This week I had the privilege of attending the European Leadership Forum in Hungary. This is an outstanding event that seeks to connect ministries and leaders across the continent via various “networks” that meet during the forum, then stay in touch in between. The event was exceptionally well run. A few random thoughts as far [...]
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Explosive Preaching, Ron Boyd-MacMillan on May 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The title today is surely misleading. A few weeks ago I asked “What font do you preach in?” and received comments with suggestions on the best font to use for powerpoint. Oops, it is a good idea to read the post before sharing your timely tips! Nevertheless, I leave today’s title as it is.
I’m going [...]
Posted in Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Billy Graham, Explosive Preaching, Martin Luther King, MLK, Robert Schuller, Ron Boyd-MacMillan on May 25, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Most chapters in Explosive Preaching prompt me to think of several posts. Hopefully Boyd-MacMillan will forgive my leaning on his book for ideas so often in recent weeks in exchange for my encouragement to others to buy it for themselves. Chapter 28 in the book is a chapter that stands out as unlike anything I’ve [...]
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Explosive Preaching, Jesus’ Preaching, Ron Boyd-MacMillan on May 23, 2009 | 3 Comments »
I have been impressed and helped by Explosive Preaching (written by Ron Boyd-MacMillan). I’ll share a couple more highlights and then finish with a final review of the book.
Near the end of the book, MacMillan shares some tips for effective preaching from the example of Jesus. I won’t go into detail in my words or [...]
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion on May 15, 2009 | 3 Comments »
Here are a few sneaky landmines that we need to be very wary of . . . what would you add as a warning to the rest of us?
Pride (I don’t need you) – Pride is a perpetual danger for all believers. It can sneak up on us from such things as position (ecclesial titles), [...]
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Homiletics, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Explosive Preaching, Ron Boyd-MacMillan on May 14, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Taking some prompts from Boyd-MacMillan and blending them with my own thoughts, here are a few comments to prompt our thoughts on what to do when listeners aren’t satisfied:
9. Know your own inner landscape. We all have emotional baggage buried inside. Criticism has a unique ability to slip through, stir up a deep wound and [...]
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Homiletics, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Explosive Preaching, Ron Boyd-MacMillan on May 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Taking some prompts from Boyd-MacMillan and blending them with my own thoughts, here are a few comments to prompt our thoughts on what to do when listeners aren’t satisfied:
6. Anonymous feedback is borderline useless. It’s too easy to blast away from the cover of anonymity. It is better not to dwell excessively on ecclesiastical mortar [...]
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Homiletics, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Explosive Preaching, Ron Boyd-MacMillan on May 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Taking some prompts from Boyd-MacMillan and blending them with my own thoughts, here are a few comments to prompt our thoughts on what to do when listeners aren’t satisfied:
3. Remember that you answer to God. This is not to excuse bad preaching or oblivious ignorance of helpful critique. This is to protect us from the [...]
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Explosive Preaching, Ron Boyd-MacMillan on May 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Preaching is complex. Take, for example, the matter of listener satisfaction. If they aren’t satisfied, it could be a good sign, or a bad sign. Likewise having everyone happy may mean something is wrong. So how do we navigate the issue of listener satisfaction, after all, dissatisfaction expressed is seldom water [...]
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, Stage 2 - Passage Study, Stage 3 - Passage Purpose, Stage 4 - Passage Idea, tagged Expository Preaching on May 8, 2009 | 4 Comments »
It is so important to understand the text before you preach it! I don’t mean just knowing what the big words mean. I don’t mean just having a collection of exegetical insights to share. I don’t mean even having a sermon vaguely based on certain parts of the text. I mean really understanding what the [...]
Posted in Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Expository Preaching, Time Magazine on May 7, 2009 | 3 Comments »
Sitting on my desk is a recent copy of Time Magazine. The main reason that I still get it is that they offered to almost pay me to receive it (that’s an exaggeration, before you start asking for details). It is the edition with the world’s 100 most influential people. Interesting collection of people from [...]
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, Stage 2 - Passage Study, tagged Bible study, Inductive Bible Study, Personal Bible Study on May 2, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Here are the last three points of rationale for my list. This follows on from the last two days of posts.
5. The brick wall approach urges book by book study – By definition it helps avoid the “mastery of preferred proof texts approach,” or the “selected doctrines based on preferred theology approach,” or other less [...]
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, Stage 2 - Passage Study on May 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Yesterday I shared my foundation and brick wall approach. This post won’t make sense without reading that one first. Here are seven of the underlying thoughts that make me think this approach is a healthy one:
1. Motivation is Key – This approach is designed primarily to facilitate the motivation of the individual. Too often Bible [...]
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, Stage 2 - Passage Study, tagged Bible study, Inductive Bible Study on April 30, 2009 | 4 Comments »
Back on April 7th I wrote about the need for us all to prioritize mastering, and being mastered by, the Bible. Winston commented and asked for my suggestions on this. I’ll share my thinking briefly here. I’d encourage you to read the earlier post again to refresh your memory and stir the motivation – it [...]
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Expository Preaching, Preaching Training on April 29, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I received this comment a few days ago from a reader of this site:
How do you convince a man who fights against every opportunity placed in his way that he needs, that he requires, further training in preaching?
Answer that and I’ll be grateful! I know the need, but a lay-reader in my congregation has no [...]
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, Stage 2 - Passage Study, Stage 3 - Passage Purpose, Stage 4 - Passage Idea, tagged Expository Preaching, Prayer on April 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
There are a couple of short-cuts taken by many preachers that need to be highlighted for the sake of Biblical Preaching. Please be sure to read the explanation as well as the heading (it’s amazing how people miss the point of what’s written sometimes!)
1. Prayer. Prayer is not a short-cut. It is a necessity. It [...]
Posted in Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Luther-King, Martin Luther King, Mentoring, MLK on April 24, 2009 | 2 Comments »
I believe we need repeated prodding on this issue. It’s a critical issue in ministry and church health. I believe it is the heart of biblical ministry. Here’s a prod from Explosive Preaching, 145:
There is no greater tragedy for preaching today than the senior pastor who claims to be too busy to mentor preachers.
I say, [...]
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Explosive Preaching, Ron Boyd-MacMillan on April 22, 2009 | 1 Comment »
No reason for the French numbering of this series, just a sprinkling of creativity! So far we’ve considered the GS, the SE, and the FC people in a congregation. There’s one category left, according to the pastor cited in Boyd-MacMillan’s book, Explosive Preaching:
AH = Apathetic Horde. This is usually the majority of the congregation. They [...]
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Explosive Preaching, Ron Boyd-MacMillan on April 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Ok, so thankfully not everyone in a church is a government spy or a sworn enemy (although it may feel like that in some churches!) There are two other categories, according to an Eastern European Pastor quoted in Explosive Preaching, p141:
FC = Fan Club. It can be just as dangerous to accept the ego-stroking adulation [...]
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, tagged Explosive Preaching, Ron Boyd-MacMillan on April 20, 2009 | 1 Comment »
In Explosive Preaching, the author refers to a system he learned from an Eastern European pastor. It is a simple categorization system used with a list of church members that helps him know how to love different people in his congregation. Here it is in simple form, for more, see p140ff:
GS = Government Spy. Not [...]
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