Monthly Archives: July 2009

Authorities and the preacher’s unbelief

Life

| | 3 comments

 

After two decades of living the Christian life and almost a decade of preaching the Bible regularly, it’s easy to think that I trust God’s word. But this week I’ve been confronted by my unbelief.

What’s your instant reaction to reading this passage?

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. (Rom 13:1-2)

(more…)

Why Johnny can’t preach (Part 2)

Pastoral Ministry

| | 1 comment

If you wanted to find our about the ANZAC’s legendary Gallipoli campaign, how would you go about it? Watch Peter Weir’s classic 1981 Gallipoli (“What are you legs? Steel springs”)? Go to the Australian War Memorial? Borrow a book or two from the local library? Read a Wikipedia article? Go to the new ABC 3D interactive site?

In this second discussion of T David Gordon’s Why Johnny Can’t Preach (read part 1), I want to reflect on the first reason Gordon gives as to why Johnny can’t preach—that is, Johnny can’t read (texts).

(more…)

The theological importance of criminal profiling, or The case for church history, Part 1

Thought

| | 13 comments

It is a great honour and pleasure, being invited to contribute a few guest blog posts to The Sola Panel in advance of my forthcoming visit to Australia. Given the fact that a fool is generally known by his much speaking, I have decided to focus my posts on what I know best—church history, but not in some tedious here-are-a-few-names-and-dates-manner; rather, I want to argue for the importance of church history as a vital discipline for theological education, both in seminary training and in the day-to-day life of the church. Those who do not know history may not be quite as doomed to repeat its mistakes as the famous proverb would imply, but understanding how it can be useful might yet help one or two of us to avoid some embarrassing potholes, or it may just save us from having to reinvent the wheel all over again, fun as such reinvention undoubtedly is (once watching the grass grow and the paint dry has lost its appeal, that is).

(more…)

Thinking about emotions (Part II)

Thought, Sola Panel

| | 6 comments

Christians are arguing about emotions and passionate outpourings. Some exalt in these experiences, and see in them the revival of true and authentic Christianity; others decry the emotional hysteria of easily manipulated crowds, and assert that rational, mature Christianity needs to rise above such gross displays of experientialism.

Sound familiar? It is a (rough) description of the mid-18th-century American context for Jonathan Edwards’s classic work A Treatise on the Religious Affections.

(more…)

A call to plant more churches

Pastoral Ministry

|

It’s time for the start of a new Saturday series, and in light of the recent Church Planting conference, I thought it might be time to stop and reflect on some of the challenges to plant churches that we’ve made in The Briefing over the years. I’m reproducing these in the hope that they will stir our hearts to pray to God to raise up new congregations of his people through the preaching of the gospel all over the world.

(more…)

We need more pathetic preaching

Pastoral Ministry

| | 5 comments

 

I’m not sure exactly where Tony is going next with his series on emotions, but his post connected with some other thoughts I’ve been having—specifically, the importance of addressing the whole person when we preach. I’ve come to the conclusion that we need more pathetic preaching.

(more…)

Wisdom for church planting

Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel

| | 4 comments

Paul, you beat me to the post! Yes, the Church Planting conference at Moore was excellent, and I enjoyed the Thursday as much as you did the Friday, and for all the same reasons. (Although, speaking editorially, if you ever again use the word ‘awesome’ in that fashion while writing on Matthias Media time, I may have to reconsider your contract.)

Three things occurred to me during the day.

(more…)

The story of the glory of God (Part 1)

Thought

|

We may not often think about it, but the glory of God is integral to our salvation. In part 1 of a two-part series, Rob Smith takes a look at this theme and shows why it encapsulates the very heart of God’s character. (Read part 2.)

(more…)

The denomination, the pastor and the work of gospel ministry

|

Denominations can be a mixed blessing for the pastor: when they work well, they give your ministry wings; when they don’t, they can feel like a straitjacket. In this Pastor’s brief, we look at how you can work with church structures to ensure that gospel ministry prospers.

A wise colleague once told me that regardless of the nature of any particular form of church government, good people will make it work and sinful people will endeavour to corrupt it to their own ends. In other words, while some structures may be better than others, none are ideal, for none can guarantee our freedom to do the work of gospel ministry.

(more…)

The torn curtain

Thought

|

Joel Edwards takes another look at the Gospel account of the tearing of the temple curtain.

When Jesus breathed his last and died, the curtain of the temple tore in two, thus symbolizing that the way is finally open for all believers to enter God’s presence. By Christ’s sacrifice, the barrier has been removed, and all who rely on that sacrifice have open access to God. Or so I used to think. But a look at the Old Testament understanding of the tabernacle and temple has made me think again. (more…)

Sick of Bible study? Read on.

Resource Talk, Sola Panel

|

Are you sick of reading the resource talk column each month?

I know I’m sick of writing it. Here we are again with another 800 upbeat, encouraging words on some aspect of Christian ministry and the resources we produce to support it. It’s tiresome to write and (I feel sure) a bit of a drag to read. (more…)

Making the most of retirement

Everyday Ministry

|

Terry Morgan shares his story about how he decided to put Jesus first in his thinking and decision-making post-retirement.

I retired in 2001. Back then, I had to decide how I would use my time and how I would be involved in the life of my local church, St Paul’s Carlingford. But I didn’t want to rush too quickly into new commitments, so I deliberately chose not to do anything new for six months until I had sorted things out. In hindsight, that period was most difficult. Since then, however, I’ve had a ball! Let me explain.

(more…)

Face mask

Ministry in the year of swine flu

Up front, Sola Panel

|

How would your congregation of 120 members continue to function—with no regular church gatherings of any kind, and no small home groups (except for groups the size of three)? (more…)

The God of infinite power

|

It is easy to read about God in the wrong way. Yes (*yawn*), he is big. Certainly (*stretch*), he is powerful. Absolutely (*droop*), he does stuff in our world. These truths are so commonplace, they sound boring to sinful ears. But this extract from D Broughton Knox’s The Everlasting God unfolds the biblical witness to reveal a God whose power is so immense, it’s frightening. And yet his power is the only guarantee of comfort in a broken world. We pray that you might read this slowly and learn again of the God who is there—the God whose infinite power is directed towards you, his friend.

(more…)