Text-Driven Blog
Preaching the Letter to the Ephesians
The letter that Paul wrote the church in Ephesus is a high-water mark of the New Testament. It’s been called both the “Grand Canyon” and “Crown Jewel” of the New Testament for its masterful presentation of “the mystery of th... Read More »
When God Seems Silent: The Preacher’s Perspective
“Can you hear me now?” is the question that the actor with the horn-rimmed glasses, Paul Marcarelli, made famous after asking the question over and over again on Verizon commercials from 2002 to 2011. Many times, it is easy to feel just like Marcarelli whe... Read More »
Take Your Shot: Preaching in a Liturgical Context
Some of the best marksmen in the world are known for hitting targets at distances over a mile away. Imagine attempting to hit a target you can barely see with your eye! Shooting with that type of precision is no simple task. A precision shooter will account fo... Read More »
The Pastor as Theologian-in-Residence
Therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. (Gen 3:23) It’s astounding the impact these words have on the relationship of humanity to their Creator and the world He created. However, it is the pasto... Read More »
The Text: Removing Assumptions
Recently my family and I visited a local amusement center. Our youngest daughter invited a friend to join us. If observers of our family that day were to make assumptions, they might conclude that of the two little girls, the Caucasian one with the dark hair w... Read More »
The Pastoral Context of Preaching
The expectations placed upon the pastor in the modern day can be overwhelming to anyone who occupies the office. Each day confronts every pastor with overwhelming obligations. These obligations are sometimes expected and often unexpected. In order to meet the ... Read More »
5 Confessions of a Preacher
I’ll never forget the call I received one Wednesday afternoon. I was putting the finishing touches on the sermon I would preach to college students later that night. It was a call from North Phoenix Baptist Church asking me to pray about entering the process... Read More »
Force and Conviction in Preaching
I studied Speech Communication in college. Essentially this means I took quite a few courses that required public speaking, generally in the form of a presentation of some kind. Near the end of my undergraduate study, I was able to teach an introduction to pub... Read More »
Preaching that Builds Congregational Unity
The human race is diverse. Billions of individuals in hundreds of countries represent diversity in nationality, race, occupation, religious belief, political conviction, culture, hobbies, and dozens of other aspects. Unfortunately today, diversity almost alway... Read More »
When God Seems Silent: The Congregation’s Perspective
Steve’s alarm goes off Sunday morning. He irons his clothes, eats a quick breakfast, gets the kids ready with his wife, packs up the minivan, and drives to church. When Steve gets to church, he checks his kids in, goes to his Sunday School class, and then wa... Read More »
The Text: Touching the Preacher First
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 »
As One with Authority and Humility
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 »