Martin Luther, as a middle-aged monk, was engaged in a political and theological debate over indulgences.[1]Martin Luther, and Tryntje Helfferich, The Essential Luther, Hackett Classics. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc, 2018. Accessed 1-6-2020. T... Read More »

Authority of Preachers Fred Craddock’s book, As One Without Authority, opened the door towards the concept of a “new” homiletic. The book is one of the best-selling books on preaching in the last 40 years, and homileticians who advocate narrative theolog... Read More »

Jeff Ray (1860-1951) was the first professor of preaching at Southwestern Seminary. His convictions concerning expository preaching in the early 20th century played a critical role in laying a foundation for a text-driven movement among Southern Baptists. Ray�... Read More »

Sound biblical preaching is the foundation of Jesus’ church. Jesus commissioned His disciples to preach, Paul exhorts Timothy to preach, and God blesses the local church with the gifts of pastor-teachers. Needless to say, a church will rise and fall give... Read More »

The apostle Peter tells the elders of the churches in Asia Minor, “shepherd the flock of God that is among you” (1 Pet 5:2). The task of the pastor-elder, the very nature of pastoring, should be understood as shepherding the church. This should change how ... Read More »

In January of 2018, my wife and I moved to a new city to embark on my first pastorate. We live in a parsonage that is about a mile away from the church. This is nice, given that we were straight out of seminary. But it also has its drawbacks, as many can attes... Read More »

Loss is real, and grief plagues everyone to some degree. The struggle of grief can present itself through the loss of a family member, a pet, or even a job. The overwhelming emotion of grief can hit at any time. Grief, known as the emotion experienced after lo... Read More »

“Is there no balm in Gilead?”   The nineteenth-century British luminary Joseph Parker said, “Preach to the suffering, and you will never lack a congregation. There is a broken heart in every pew.” We live in a broken and hurting world. There are f... Read More »

God wants his disciples to grow in their faith. It is the desire of God that those who come to know him as Savior also begin to follow him as Lord. The Lord wants us “growing into maturity” (Ephesians 4:13) and he is never satisfied for us to remain weak, ... Read More »

Sheep in biblical times were essential to the culture for religious sacrifices, food, and clothing. They were commonplace to many of the authors of scripture.[1]Henry Chichester Hart, The Animals Mentioned in the Bible (London: The Religious Tract Society, 188... Read More »

I generally eat every day. Some days more than others; some less. Some meals are more memorable than others. Some are more pleasurable than others. But all serve a vital purpose in my life. I eat because food is necessary for life. In the same way, spiritual f... Read More »

It seems each Holiday season comes with a litany of new blockbuster films. Often these films involve fictional heroes facing monumental battles. The screens are filled with grand images, the soundtracks are loud, and the story moves briskly as the hero snatche... Read More »