I just returned from my fortieth high school reunion. Although it was a delight to see so many friends, I walked away realizing that some had not changed at all. Even though so many of us looked so old, there were so few of us making a real go at maturity. The... Read More »

Any good driver will know the importance of staying in your lane. Bad things happen if you drift too far to one side of the road. The same thing can be said of any good bowler. He/she learns quickly that it’s not enough even to stay in your lane, but that th... Read More »

The Puritan “plain style of preaching” is generally organized into three main parts: exegesis, doctrine, and uses (or application). While there is much to be gleaned from our Puritan forebears’ emphasis on interpreting a passage and unlocking the doctrin... Read More »

As we, for a moment, gaze back into the history of Puritan preaching, it is clear that Puritan preaching affirmed that all biblical doctrine assuredly points to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. J.I. Packer, when writing on the Puritans, noted that “Doctr... Read More »

We barely notice the cough medicine on the shelf until the day the allergies hit. We don’t give a second look to the gas station until the needle points toward empty. And the car commercials? We flip the channel until our clunker finally gives up the ghost a... Read More »

The Bible is relevant. God’s Word is just as living, active, and penetrating today as it was when the Spirit first inspired its writers to record its truths for its original recipients. Unfortunately, we preachers sometimes muddle its relevance as we attempt... Read More »

There is a distinct connection between sermon application and spiritual disciplines. After reflecting on my seminary training, I lament a thorough exposure to sermon application. Sermon application is the portion of the sermon whereby listeners are encouraged ... Read More »

Every preacher has strengths and fears, inclinations and antipathies. One knows he is effective when he sticks close to his manuscript, another has excels at extemporaneous speech because he easily memorizes his main points and quotations. One focuses on the c... Read More »

To talk about the connection between preaching and application is almost superfluous. Study for study’s sake alone flirts with absurdity. The progression from “study” to “sermon” is virtually axiomatic. In fact, any sermon is an attempt to bring Scri... Read More »

Engaging exposition that is faithful to Scripture will not only explain the text, it will, of biblical and theological necessity, apply the text. It will be God-centered and Christ-focused even as it exhorts hearers to respond, react, and conform to the messag... Read More »