What I Value Most in Preaching

"A sermon is very much a jar of clay; even the best are far from perfect. Even though they bear the flaws of the preacher, God is still pleased to graciously work through humble servants and their earthly efforts (1 Cor. 1:21; Col. 1:28; 2 Tim. 4:1-5).

The more I preach, the more I witness confirmation that the Spirit must supernaturally illuminate the Word of God in the hearts of people in spite of my feeble attempt to explain and apply it. I don’t think there’s a formula or process that can guarantee this, other than actually preaching from the Scriptures.

I’ve recently been asked what I value in a sermon. The more I thought about it, I figured I should put these values down on paper if only for the purposes of accountability. So, upon reflection, here are 6 values I hope are reflected in my preaching.  It is my goal that my sermons would be:

1) Expositional– An expositional sermon is one in which the main idea of a text of Scripture is the primary point of the sermon, and ideally the sermon would show the congregation how (here’s a nice summary by Mike Bullmore on expositional preaching). This is where all the original language, grammar, history, genre awareness, and literary analysis pay off in studying a passage.

2) Informed by Biblical Theology– The sermon’s content and main idea should be nuanced in light of the whole of the Scriptures. It’s easy to become so focused on the passage in question that the forest of Scripture is lost. In this I want to be aware of NT/OT connections, as well as the way certain themes are developed in the whole of the canon.

3) Saturated with Pastoral Exhortations– Local Church pastors are commended to "reprove, rebuke, and exhort" the flock with "great patience and careful instruction" (2 Tim. 4:1-5).  One will benefit from listening to the likes of John MacArthur.  Just realize that as a local church pastor he is preaching a specific message to his congregation.  A sermon should be infused with examples of how the passage should be believed, applied, and/or obeyed. Shepherds are called to pastor the flock through the pulpit ministry of the church.  As a sheep you want to come to worship with this expectation.  You should expect your toes will be stepped on and should be grateful for such correction (see Proverbs 9:8).

John Stott on Hyper-grace Sanctification and Legalism

Photo Credit: http://www.pentecostaltheology.com/

For some time evangelical church leaders have expressed various biblical concerns with the theological trajectory of the free-grace/ hyper-grace sanctification movement.  In recent years certain Christian authors and preachers have attempted to outdo one another in effort to be even more "gospel-centered" and "grace-orientated" than the next guy (or gal).  As such, a large number of books have been published on gospel-centered preaching, gospel-centered parenting, gospel-centered counseling, gospel-centered athletics, gospel-centered dog rearing, etc.  No Christian is against genuine, grace-driven ministry and gospel-centered living.  But just like the super market, not every product that claims to be "organic" is truly pesticide free.  Such is the case with some gospel-centered literature.  Upon careful consideration some gospel-centered material is actually off-centered.  

Biblical discernment is essential.  We must be aware of the true so we can beware of the counterfeit.  We must ask God to help us discern the very subtle differences between right and almost right.  Christians must know their Bibles, love theology, and be actively part of a Word-saturated local church led by qualified shepherd-leaders.  

In the judgment of this Christian blogger, Bryan Chappell (slightly) over-corrected his theology many years ago in effort to avoid the potential ruts of "legalism."  Elyse Fitzpatrick and Tullian Tchividjian went much further and as a result have gotten themselves into trouble (see sanctification, grace, and the obedience of faith;  The continued folly of hyper-grace sanctification).  Tullian was removed from the Gospel Coalition and Elyse was uninvited to the annual Woman Discipling Woman conference.  

Tullian, a leader of the hyper-grace movement, was later found to have been living a double life of gross sexual sin/adultery, etc and was removed from pastoral ministry.  In hindsight, it appears Tullian passionately promoted a hyper-grace sanctification paradigm to appease his guilty conscience.  From Tullian's point of view, how can I uphold what the Scriptures teach concerning progressive sanctification and personal holiness if I am secretly sleeping with congregants?  Sometimes people change their theology in order to accommodate their own beliefs and private practices. Hence passages like 1 Timothy 4:16, Pay close attention to yourself and to the teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

Letting God's Word Do Its Work Among God's People

Happy New Year! As we launch into 2020 I have the great privilege of preaching my 125th Sunday morning sermon since taking over as the Senior Pastor at Lake Country Bible Church in June of 2017. My family and I have been overwhelmed with gratitude as we consider how blessed we have been since moving to Nashotah, Wisconsin. This congregation loves God's Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, the lost, and one another greatly! Lake Country Bible is a very special church family and we are so blessed to be part of what God is doing here. To Him be the glory, honor and praise!

Since assuming the lead teaching role within this church, I have done my best to preach sermons that are Text-driven (2 Tim. 2:15/4:1-2), Spirit-filled, and contagiously worshipful (AKA-"expository exultation").

In this vein, I have worked hard (per Ezra 7:10) to "declare the full counsel of God" (per Acts 20:27-28). During corporate worship I have exposited a number of Old Testament passages, such as: Genesis 1-2; 12:1-4; 15; Exodus 18:13-27; 2 Samuel 7; Psalm 100; Hosea 3; Isaiah 7:1-16. Other gifted teachers in other contexts have taught through Joshua, the Psalms, and the Minor Prophets, Galatians, 1 Peter, and 1 John.

I have also carefully walked through a number of New Testament texts with the congregation, including: Matthew 1:18-23; 24:29-51, 25:31-46; Luke 1:5-66; 13:34-35; 19:11-44; 23:34; Romans 11:13-36; 13:1-7; 1 Corinthians 3:1-7; 16-17; 11:1-16; 15:1-19; Galatians 3:13-14, 29; Ephesians 6:1-4; Philippians 4:2-3; Colossians 1:28-29; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 5:12-13; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 4:13-14; 2 Timothy 2:15; Titus 2:1-15; Hebrews 6:11-19; 11:10; 13:17; 1 Peter 2:1-3; 5:1-5; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Jude 22-23; Revelation 5:9-14; 14:6-11; 19:1-22:21.

We have also considered a few overview messages of the Gospel of John, Acts, Colossians 1-2; and Revelation 6-18.

We have looked at the Great Covenants of the Bible; what the Word of God really teaches concerning Mary and Roman Catholic outreach; we have considered Paul's inspired "Philosophy of Ministry" statement, and have had special Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas themed expositions. We have studied what the prophesied future holds (the future Tribulation, the coming Kingdom of Christ, the glories of heaven, the agonies of hell, the delights of the New Jerusalem, etc). This past summer we spent many months seeking to establish a robustly biblical shepherdology, sheepology, and ecclessiology (the doctrine of the church) before starting our Gospel of John series.

During the Sunday School hour I provided a detailed overview of what the Old and New Testament Scriptures teach concerning "Biblical Manhood and Womanhood," as well as addressing the (now) controversial subject of gender and sexuality. I also had an opportunity to teach some sessions on "the Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life;" (how to mature in the Christian faith).

During Wednesday nights I taught a special summer series in 2018 on "the Plight of Israel: a Historical, Biblical, and Theological study."

In the spirit of 2 Timothy 2:2, one of my favorite ministry roles has been to guide our men's leadership training and discipleship ministry. Over the past 2 1/2 years 50+ men have studied/discussed a number of subjects/doctrines and have read many helpful books. As “iron sharpens iron” so one brother has helped equip another.

I have also enjoyed providing pre-marital, marriage/family counseling, and discipleship. The one constant in all of these ministries is the inerrant, infallible, and sufficient Word of God. Everything this local church does is grounded in the timeless truths of Scripture.

During the Protestant Reformation one of the chief leaders made a humble and profound observation- that is equally true of my pastoral ministry. I close with this quotation: "I/we simply taught, preached, wrote God's Word, otherwise I did nothing; the Word did it all...I did nothing; I left it to the Word...!"

Ephesians 3:20-21; Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Colossians 1:28-29; We proclaim Him (Christ), admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.


Together for the Gospel,

Pastor Caleb Kolstad

Whatever Happened to Expository Preaching (pt. 2)

In his book, He Is Not Silent, Dr. Al Mohler raises a provocative question: “If you picked an evangelical church at random and attended a Sunday morning service there, how likely is it that you would hear a faithful expository sermon, one that takes its message and its structure from the biblical text?”  In most communities the odds would not be very good. As Dr. Steven Lawson has suggested, when it comes to solid Bible preaching there is nothing short of a famine in the land.

In the eyes of many, expository preaching is simply no longer relevant because it fails to connect in any kind of meaningful way with the average person in today’s culture. This criticism, of course, is hardly new. Back in 1928, a prominent liberal Baptist minister named Harry Emerson Fosdick wrote an article for Harper’s Magazine entitled, “What’s the Matter with Preaching?” In the article, Fosdick wrote:  Many preachers indulge habitually in what they call expository sermons. They take a passage from Scripture, and, proceeding on the assumption that the people attending the church that morning are deeply concerned about what the passage means, they spend their half hour or more on historical exposition of the verse or the chapter, ending with some attendant practical applications to the auditors. Could any procedure be more surely predestined to dullness and futility? Who seriously supposes that, as a matter of fact, one in a hundred of the congregation cares (to start with) what Moses, Isaiah, Paul, or John meant in those special verses, or came to church deeply concerned about it. Nobody else who talks to the public so assumes that the vital interests of the people are located in the meaning of words spoken 2000 years ago.

Fosdick himself died in 1969, but his view of expository preaching lives on. Many still see it as the epitome of dullness and futility. Many still insist that it fails to connect to the vital interests of the average person in the congregation. Many still believe it is doomed to failure because it hasn’t kept up with the evolving needs of contemporary culture.

According to Mohler, this rapid decline of expository preaching has been one of most troubling developments of the last several decades.  Numerous influential voices within evangelicalism are suggesting that the age of the expository sermon is now past. In its place, some contemporary preachers now substitute messages intentionally designed to reach secular or superficial congregations—messages that avoid preaching a biblical text and thus avoid a potentially embarrassing confrontation with biblical truth.

Various alternatives to expository preaching may indeed connect with the masses and fill the pews, but at what cost? Time will eventually tell.

Article written by Pastor by Matt Waymeyer

Whatever Happened to Expository Preaching (pt. 1)

In September of 1982—more than a decade before the rise of the Internet—journalist Allen Neuharth launched a newspaper that would revolutionize the world of print media. What made USA Today so unique is that its approach and design were based on the most thorough market research ever performed on behalf of a newspaper. By surveying readers about their likes and dislikes, Neuharth was able to present the news in a way that catered to the desires of his potential audience.

In his research, Neuharth discovered that people liked lots of color, lots of pictures, and lots of graphics. They wanted short, easy-to-read articles that didn’t continue on a later page. They wanted less international news and more human interest stories. In short, they wanted something that reminded them more of television than a newspaper. So that’s what he gave them. And even though critics began referring to USA Today as “the junk food of journalism,” the end product was an amazing success, at least in terms of circulation.

Unfortunately, many churches today have taken a similar approach to designing their worship services. The trends reveal that people want less doctrine and more drama, less preaching and more props, less declaration and more dialogue. They want short, easy-to-listen-to sermons that don’t get too deep and that don’t focus too much on God and not enough on me. In short, they want something that reminds them of the Sunday morning edition of USA Today. And that’s exactly what they’re given.

5 Myths about Preaching

Five False Dichotomies about preaching.  Which is your kind of preaching—expository or relevant? That is an example of a false dichotomy—a logical fallacy. False dichotomies operate under the assumption that there is no alternative, including no way to combine the qualities entailed in the so-called opposites.

One of Satan’s methods to mislead by means of the false dichotomy. By setting two valid ideas against each other when they really belong together, the devil can use the appeal of one truth to attack another. If we swallow the bait, then the devil’s hook and line pull us away from faithful preaching and we lose both sides of the truth. Here are five myths—false dichotomies—that can catch preachers and hearers alike.

Myth #1: Preachers must be either exegetical lecturers or church motivators.

The exegetical lecturer is the pastoral version of a Bible commentary. The preacher is determined to avoid subjectivism; his sermon will be only the pure Word of God... As the saying goes all truth without the Spirit and the church drys up.  All Spirit and little truth and the church blows up.  Truth plus the Spirit and the church grows up.  Expository preaching is not merely a collection of word studies, historical background, and fifty minutes of textual commentary.  A sermon is not a lecture though both should involve teaching and passion.

Offended by the barrenness of lectures (sometimes called expository sermons), the church motivator seeks not to inform but to transform by convincing people to adopt certain courses of action or programs. However, though he may lace his messages with Bible quotations, he sounds more like a motivational speaker or even a cheerleader than a messenger of God.

The faithful preacher takes the best from both sides of this dichotomy, for he strives—with the Spirit’s blessing—to have his expositions of the Holy Scriptures burn as fuel inflaming the church to holy affection and action.  Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said that preaching is "theology on fire!"

Myth #2: Preachers must be either spiritual directors or doctrinal instructors.

The spiritual director—a fatherly figure—doles out specific advice to his children in the Lord. His mouth is full of wise counsel and practical directions, but he does not bother much with lofty doctrines of the faith such as the Trinity, the holiness of God, or Christ’s atoning work.

The doctrinal teacher—knowing how shallow Christians can be if they do not know what they believe—thoroughly explains the system of Christian faith revealed in the Holy Scriptures. However, he says little to nothing about application...

In reality, we must avoid both extremes, since “All Scripture . . . is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). The faithful preacher must have his eyes on Christ as revealed in the doctrines of the Bible and his feet on the ground to apply that doctrine to the needs and lives of his hearers.  Let God’s Word shape your sermons into preaching that is faithful to Scripture and relevant to your congregations sanctification.

The First 18 Months: Reviewing the Expository Pulpit of Lake Country Bible Church

The First 18 Months:  Reviewing the Expository Pulpit of Lake Country Bible Church

“You guys have been in Revelation for a long time.”  Well, yes and no. Between Pastor Sal and the new guy it has taken us quite a while to exposit and digest twenty chapters and nearly four hundred verses of what is often called “Scripture’s greatest prophecy.”  Since the end of the story (Revelation 6-22) is Divinely intended to impact the here and now we have been in no hurry to move on to something else; (note Dr. Vlach’s insightful article- “7 Reasons Your Church Should Take Eschatology Seriously”). 

Having said that, in the past year and a half we have considered many different themes, subjects, and biblical books during our corporate worship service. My first message as the new Senior Pastor of Lake Country Bible Church was on “Satan’s Strategy Against Christ’s Church” from 1 Corinthians 3:1-7; Philippians 4:2-3.

Next, we reminded ourselves what a robustly Biblical Philosophy of Ministry looks like.  During this expository study we took four weeks to carefully examine Paul’s inspired mission statement from Colossians 1:28-29.  For two decades this text, along with Ephesians 4:11-16 and Matthew 28:18-20, have shaped the ministry of LCBC.  Lord willing, these passages will continue to define our mission for a long time to come.

Along the way I’ve preached a few standalone sermons from both the Old and New Testaments (Hosea 3:1-5; 2 Timothy 2:15; Jude 22-23) as well as a few holiday themed messages for Easter and Christmas (1 Corinthians 15:1-10; Isaiah 7:1-16).  I have also preached a few big picture messages such as “The Three Key Words of Biblical Prophecy.”

During a miniseries in 2017 we spent many weeks trying to get our arms around how the ancient covenant promises of God are related to the Church (Gal. 3:13-29; Heb. 6:11-19), to Israel, and to the prophesied end times (Revelation).  During this study, we studied Genesis 12; Genesis 15; and 2 Samuel 7; while Dan R. provided an overview message on the New Covenant during a Wednesday evening service.  We then considered how these grand covenant promises provide the basis of Messianic and future hope for the people of God in Luke 1:5-56.  One cannot fully appreciate the joy of Christmas or the details of Revelation without understanding the grand covenants of Scripture.

The Devil is in the White Spaces by Jerry Wragg

"Second Timothy 4:3 predicts that “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching.” Too often people assume these opening words to mean that one day, as evangelical ministry marches on with expansive gospel-momentum, a blatant, rather foul stench straight from hell will mount an offensive against sound doctrine so sudden and obvious that all who love Christ will cry out in unison, “Condemn the heresy!” If only that was the way it worked.

Instead of opposing the truth with blatant lies, Satan does a far greater work in the white spaces between Paul’s words. When the apostle warns that “a time is coming,” we shouldn’t imagine a sudden plunge from the heights of doctrinal precision, but rather a slow, imperceptible decline via subtle spiritual optical illusions. The enemy knows that discerning shepherds would never allow their sheep to suddenly deny truth and turn aside to doctrines of demons. His tactics have to be implemented over long periods of time, introducing slight, unnoticeable deviations to the truth. So just exactly how was the enemy able to bring us to the place where we no longer endure sound, in-depth preaching and teaching, and yet celebrate casual conversations with false teachers?

Here’s a sketch of Satan’s scheme:

(1) Cultural degradation pressures the church to morally drift along with it, and believers, eager to promote peace and perpetuate “our way of life,” begin to compromise.

(2) Meanwhile, pastors shrink from declaring the whole counsel of God to accommodate this increasingly worldly admixture of ideas the sheep are embracing.

(3) Serious, powerful Bible exposition is increasingly viewed as tedious compared to new media-driven forms of communication.

(4) The church begins to explore less challenging “styles” of teaching, emphasizing aesthetics and form over substance–the response from an already dulled populace of church-goers is overwhelmingly positive, and moral unbelievers become quite attracted to it!

What Does a Good Sermon Cost? The Glad Sacrifice of Christian Preaching

What Does a Good Sermon Cost?  The Glad Sacrifice of Christian Preaching by David Mathis.

The Mondays. Sometimes they even creep into Sunday nights.

Various physical, emotional, and even spiritual letdowns often follow pouring yourself out in the pulpit. Lows that inevitably come after the highs of corporate worship. Regrets about what I didn’t say, or didn’t say quite right, or said and should not have. Even when “it went well” from all the preacher can tell, we feel an emotional deficit because of all it takes to prepare and deliver a sermon.

Maybe the most underrated aspect of the Mondays isn’t what’s now past, but what’s still ahead: next Sunday. Another week of preparation. Another seven days to shoulder the burden. Another week of pondering what to say, and the often harder work of what not to say. Another week of waiting on God to provide a word from his word to again feed and preserve the people.

Good Christian preaching and teaching requires regular, and at times enormous, self-sacrifice. In the preparation. In the moment. And outside the pulpit. It’s often a quiet, private, behind-the-scenes mantle the preacher’s wife and children see, but the congregation does not. It is not heavy lifting physically, but it can be unusually taxing spiritually and emotionally.  It is a burden good preachers gladly bear, and yet it is a blessed burden.

Mid-Sermon Mirage-  Every Christian knows what it’s like to hear a sermon, but very few know the personal costs involved in faithfully giving one. Hearing a sermon takes half an hour or so. Giving one takes days, if not weeks, and in some sense a lifetime. How easy it would be for a listener to sit comfortably in the pew thinking, I could do this, and better. It’s simple to see what he’s doing wrong. It would be a quick fix if he just asked for our help, right?

One of preaching’s many paradoxes is the disparity between how hard it is to stand up and preach well, and how easy it is to sit there and take it lightly.

Wouldn’t it be great if I were up there and telling people what I think? Wouldn’t it be nice to have all these people listen to my thoughts? All with little to no consideration of the actual pressure, the demands and deadlines, the dying to one’s own perfectionism and putting yourself forward to be misunderstood and criticized. Pride in some of us dreams of ourselves up front as the center of attention. Pride in others terrifies us from saying anything firm to so many, especially in public, face-to-face with a crowd of potential critics.  Pride will not only jump to speak when it’s puffed up, but button the lip when insecure. Preaching bids a man come and die to both.

The Antidote to Anemic Worship

"Evangelical Christians have been especially attentive to worship in recent years, sparking a renaissance of thought and conversation on what worship really is and how it should be done. Even if this renewed interest has unfortunately resulted in what some have called the “worship wars” in some churches, it seems that what A. W. Tozer once called the “missing jewel” of evangelical worship is being recovered.

Nevertheless, if most evangelicals would quickly agree that worship is central to the life of the church, there would be no consensus to an unavoidable question: What is central to Christian worship? Historically, the more liturgical churches have argued that the sacraments form the heart of Christian worship. These churches argue that the elements of the Lord’s Supper and the water of baptism most powerfully present the gospel. Among evangelicals, some call for evangelism as the heart of worship, planning every facet of the service—songs, prayers, the sermon—with the evangelistic invitation in mind.

Though most evangelicals mention the preaching of the word as a necessary or customary part of worship, the prevailing model of worship in evangelical churches is increasingly defined by music, along with innovations such as drama and video presentations. When preaching the word retreats, a host of entertaining innovations will take its place."

Traditional norms of worship are now subordinated to a demand for relevance and creativity. A media-driven culture of images has replaced the word-centered culture that gave birth to the Reformation churches. In some sense, the image-driven culture of modern evangelicalism is an embrace of the very practices rejected by the Reformers in their quest for true biblical worship.

Music fills the space of most evangelical worship, and much of this music comes in the form of contemporary choruses marked by precious little theological content. Beyond the popularity of the chorus as a musical form, many evangelical churches seem intensely concerned to replicate studio-quality musical presentations.

Ready to Preach?

"Every now and then someone in the church will ask me before a sermon, 'Are you ready?' When asked, I greatly appreciate the loving care for me as a pastor and the anticipation for the preaching of God’s Word, and yet I always have to smile to myself as I think how to answer. 'Are you ready?' How do you answer that question?

From one perspective, I don’t know that I am ever fully ready to preach God’s Word. The holy weight of the task demands humility, brokenness and dependence. Preaching is a sobering task for which no one is ever fully ready, able or worthy. The pastor is merely a redeemed sinner that God graciously works through. We are but beggars, longing that God would magnify Himself through us as unworthy broken vessels. Therefore we preach, praying that God would graciously do what only he can do—cause growth (1 Cor 3:7).

In addition, no matter how much preparation one does, there is always more that can be done: more to read, more time in the text, more prayer, more time in crafting the sermon, more time on illustrations or application, etc. Readiness can imply the arrival at some point as if one is finished or has exhausted all that needs to be done. There is always more than can be done! From this standpoint, one is never fully ready. At some point in the preparation process, the pastor has to trust in the grace of God and get up and preach. We work hard in study and prayer and then trust the Lord to work.

The Preaching Moment and Why It is So Special

"Another week means two more sermons for me to prepare. And that means the weekly ritual of opening my Bible, clicking on the Logos program on the Mac, and grabbing my favorite fountain pen and the familiar canary legal pad.

It’s amazing that after doing this thousands of times, the first thought that comes into my mind as I start is, “Now what am I really doing and how am I actually going to do it?”  Word studies, diagrammatical analysis, Greek and Hebrew, homiletical outlines, illustrations, introductions and conclusions, applications, implications, transitions, titles—sermon prep is not for that faint of heart or the lazy of spirit. But I have to admit that I love it. Really, it is my favorite part of my 'job.'

But it is far easier to forget what the design of preaching is than I would like to admit. In the forward to The Salvation of Souls edited by Richard A. Bailey and Gregory A. Wills, George Marsden provides this insightful context and quote from the preaching of Jonathan Edwards:  In the midst of debates over the Great Awakening, Edwards, made a revealing comment about the effects of preaching. During intense periods of awakenings, evangelists often preached to the same audience daily, or even more frequently. Opponents of the awakening argued that people could not possibly remember what they heard in all these sermons. [Jonathan] Edwards, responded that “The main benefit that is obtained by preaching is by impression made upon the mind in the time of it, and not by the effect that arises afterwards by a remembrance of what was delivered.” Preaching, in other words, should be designed primarily to awaken, to shake people out of their blind slumbers in the addictive comforts of their sins. Though only God can give them new eyes to see, preaching should be designed to jolt the unconverted or the converted who doze back into their sins (as all do) into recognizing their true estate (pp. 11-12).

The Overcooked Steak: Personal Reflections On Sermons that Lasted Too Long

I've only been to really expensive steakhouses a few times in my life.  During these delicious feasts I discovered a simple principle: You really don't want to overcook an expensive cut of meat.  For most meat lovers a well-done steak represents a wonderful meal that was simply overcooked.

Most expository preachers who have received proper mentoring and exceptional seminary education know the plight of the overcooked steak.  How so?  When a large percentage of Spirit-filled believers (see 1 Peter 2:2; Psalm 119:97) go away talking more about the duration of your message rather then it's content the spiritual meal was likely (inadvertently) over baked.  Recently, I have had to own up to a few messages during a series on the Kingdom of God that fit this description.  Sometimes less truly is more.

Exactly how long should the sermon be?   Many factors need to be considered when answering this question.  Such as the communication/oratory ability of the preacher (in general, novice preachers and/or less gifted communicators should deliver shorter messages), the pulpit history of the congregation you are addressing (what was the average sermon length of your preaching predecessor?), and the specific context in which you are preaching (is it an outdoor wedding in 100 degree weather; are you a guest preacher; are you the Sr. Pastor; etc).  One of the best articles on this subject was written by a missionary to Africa; (you can read his post by clicking on the link above).

Three Factors for why Sunday's sermon may have been slightly (or greatly) overcooked: 

1) Excitement and personal passion.  This past week a group of church members attended a Milwaukee Brewer game.  As I watched the 3 hour 15 minute sporting contest unfold I could easily discern different levels of interest, excitement, and/or boredom in the crowd. Some interest waned by the second inning, others by the seventh, and some not at all.  The die-hard Brewer fans were easy to distinguish from some of the children who were simply there for the food and entertainment (two of my daughters fit this bill).  Whenever a preacher enters the pulpit he should be a man on fire.  By the time the expositor closes in prayer the goal is for the Holy Spirit to ignite that same holy fire for the truth in the hearts and minds of one's hearers.  An over-baked message can inadvertently lessen the potential for this kind of spiritual impact. 

For preachers, it is wise to "deliver every sermon as if it were your last" so long as you keep in mind the principles listed in paragraph two and three.  I am learning that a overcooked sermon may not be boring it may have simply exceeded the reasonable saturation point of your flock.  A few of my recent sermons should have been turned into a two part message series.  To goal of all Christian ministry is to "present every believer in your spiritual care MATURE in Christ" (Col. 1:28-29).  Raising the spiritual bar in your ministry contest is a good thing (Heb. 5:11-14; Eph. 4:11-16) so long as it done with proper care and proportion.

2) Personal growing pains.  When I started preaching and teaching on a regular basis 13 years ago I would bring 17-19 half sheets of paper into the pulpit with me.  For good and bad, I said very little that wasn't in my sermon manuscript.  As I have grown and developed over the years I now try and bring fewer than 6 half sheets of paper into the pulpit. 

Preaching Without Authority?

Preaching Without Authority? 

"In 1971, Fred Craddock rocked the preaching world. His book As One Without Authority proclaimed that preaching would continue “for another generation as ‘a marginal annoyance on the record of a scientific age’” if it did not change its methods. His underlying message was that the authority determining the value of any sermon was the hearer. The result was a radically altered presence in America’s pulpits. 

According to Craddock, preachers cannot preach with authority. He insists, “The preacher exists as one without authority.” Instead of preaching with authority, they had to appease the listeners with sermons that tickled their ears and made them feel good. In essence, Craddock was calling for a new homiletic. Preachers should no longer preach deductively from the Scriptures, but should preach inductively, targeting the hearer as the true authority on the quality, quantity, and content of the sermon. Craddock’s book was a kind of canary in the coalmine for biblical preaching. With the rise of the church-growth movement and emerging spirituality, authoritative preaching has fallen out of fashion.

Nevertheless, true preaching—biblical preaching—must be authoritative preaching. The nature of the message we preach necessitates authority. If we are faithfully exegeting and preaching the Scriptures, then our message necessarily comes with authority, because it comes from God.

On the Preparation of Expository Sermons

"Dear Brethren,

You must ever consider it a sacred duty to bestow diligent care on the preparation of your sermons. You are not at liberty to go into the pulpit without having something to say to the people.

The days of inspiration are past. I am aware the fact is sometimes referred to that the Savior commanded the Apostles not to think beforehand what they should say when brought before kings and governors. It may be safely assumed that this language is inapplicable to ministers of the gospel now.

You will probably ask what I mean by preparation for the pulpit. I mean that you must understand the subjects you intend to discuss and that the method of discussion must be distinctly arranged in your own minds. If this is not the case, though you may say a great many good things, you will say them in a disjointed miscellaneous manner, and will not in fact deliver sermons. What you say will not be suggested by your texts.

Nothing deserves to be called a sermon which does not grow out of the text. One of the chief excellences of sermonizing consists in an exhibition of the natural connections between the subject and the discourse founded thereon. If such a connection is not shown, why have a subject at all?

Future Things: What God Wants Us To Know About the Real Armageddon (pt. 1)

Discerning Fact from Fiction (Revelation 19:11-21)

              Revelation 19:19-21

Future Things: What God Wants Us To Know About Armageddon

 (pt. 1)

INTRO-  Super Bowl XX: This much-anticipated event was over before it began and is a

real-life illustration of total dominance. 

What does this have to do with Revelation 19:19-21?

Why does the Bible include so many prophecies about “future things?” (AKA- eschatology)

How do some so-called “bible teachers” exploit people’s fears in relation to apocalyptic events like Armageddon? (survival kits, etc).

What God Wants Us To Know About Armageddon  (click to listen to sermon)

1) It coincides with the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ!

(Revelation 19:11-16; Matthew 24:27-30; Zechariah 12-14; Luke 12:37-40)-

2)  It’s the Final Conflict between Good and Evil (the light and the darkness, Christ and the Antichrist, the people of God and the big bad world)!

(Zech. 14; Revelation 16:13-16; 19:19-21)

  The future/final “Axis of Evil/unholy trinity” is comprised of:

i) Satan (the Dragon)

ii) the Antichrist (the Beast)

iii) the false prophet

6 De-churching Trends: When the Local Church Is No Longer Central in the Christian Walk

One of the least obvious—and yet most tragic—changes Christianity has experienced in the past fifty years is the diminishing of the centrality of the local church in the life of many Christians. The Lord’s Day, once considered a special day dedicated to the worship and service of God, is now treated like any other day by many professing believers. And local church life, once considered the center of indispensable relationships within our spiritual family whom we love, encourage, and to whom we remain accountable, is now treated like an extra-curricular activity rather than an essential ingredient of the Christian life. 

The signs of the diminishing priority of the local church are many. However, I will only mention the six trends that Kent Hughes highlights in his book, Set Apart: Calling a Worldly Church to a Godly Life.

1. Hitchhiker Christians: “The hitchhiker’s thumb says, ‘You buy the car, pay for repairs and upkeep and insurance, fill the car with gas—and I’ll ride with you. But if you have an accident, you are on your own! And I’ll probably sue.’ So it is with the credo of many of today’s church attenders: ‘You go to the meetings and serve on the boards and committees, you grapple with the issues and do the work of the church and pay the bills—and I’ll come along for the ride. But if things do not suit me, I’ll criticize and complain and probably bail out. My thumb is always out for a better ride.’”

2. The consumer mentality: Many of today’s Christians shop for a church like they build their supper at a cruise ship buffet. “Ecclesiastical shoppers attend one church for the preaching, send their children to a second church for its youth program, and go to a third church’s small group. Their motto is to ask, ‘What’s in it for me?’” This has often been rightly called, Cafeteria Christianity.

3. Spectator Christianity: “Spectator Christianity feeds on the delusion that virtue can come through viewing, much like the football fan who imagines that he ingests strength and daring while watching his favorite pro team. Spectator sports and spectator Christianity produce the same thing—fans who cheer the players on while they themselves are in desperate need of engagement and meaning.”

4. Drive-through Christians: “The nice thing about drive-through restaurants is that you can get what you want in a minimum of time with no more effort than a turn of your power steering.

1 Corinthians 4:1-2

1

"Feed My Sheep!"

It is a blessing to preach God's Word to hungry believers (1 Peter 2:2) Sunday after Sunday. 

I love this photograph because many in the picture are studying their own copy of the Scriptures-like faithful Bereans!

"The pastor's goal is not to please the sheep, but to feed them- not to tickle their ears, but to nourish their souls.  He is not to offer merely light snacks of spiritual meat, but the substantial meat of biblical truth.  Those who fail to feed the flock are unfit to be shepherds (Jer. 23:1-4; Ezekiel 34:2-10)."

Like Paul in 2 Timothy 4, Charles Spurgeon warned that “A time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the church will have clowns entertaining the goats."'

Jesus commands pastors to "Feed My sheep!"

The Marriage of the Lamb

Revelation 19:1-10 

The Marriage of the Lamb! 

(pt. 4)

INTRO-   “Marriage, that blessed arrangement, that dream within a dream...”

“From heaven He (Christ) came and sought her (the Church)/ to be His Holy Bride and with his own blood He bought her/and for her life He died!” Eph. 5:25-33

In order to better understand and celebrate “the Marriage of the Lamb” we will use 4 Marriage Headings (click to listen to sermon):

1) The timing of this marriage celebration; (think "save the date").

2) The location of this marriage celebration; (think "venue").

3)  The  bridal party of this marriage celebration.

4)  The blessings and benefits of this marriage celebration.

For Further Reflection/Application:

In your own words, what features contribute to the “perfect marriage?

Why do you think the Godhead chose the metaphor of marriage to describe the spiritual relationship between Christ and the Church? (see Eph. 5:22-33; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2; John 3:29)

In layman’s terms, briefly explain what “the Marriage Supper of the Lamb” is?

Why is this such a big deal (see Rev. 19:6-10)?

Where are we at in big picture of redemptive/history? (see chart)

What are some of the reasons why Christ delays His return to earth (see 2 Peter 3)?