The Greatest Single Need of the Church Today is __________

Over fifty years ago Merrill F. Unger made a plea for expository preaching: The greatest single need of the contemporary church is undoubtedly the strengthening of the local pulpit.  This fact is not difficult to realize in the light of distressing present-day conditions in this phase of the Christian ministry and in view of the key place pastoral preaching holds in the carrying out of the divine program.  The progress of God's work depends primarily on the local church, and the local pastor has the most strategic position for weal or woe in this important activity.  In no way can the individual pulpit be strengthened for its momentous task than by a diligent return to the Bible injunction: 'Preach the Word.' The benefits of such a ministry are incalculable."

L. Scott Kellum goes on to say, "The good news is that many people seem to have convinced conservative evangelicals of the primary place of such preaching in the pulpits.  Unfortunately, few do it well."  To which Dr. Thomas Schreiner adds, "It seems that almost everyone trumpets the importance of expository preaching, and yet genuine and powerful expository preaching seems to be in short supply."  "

I concur with both Unger and Schreiner, in this regard, Kellum  adds.  Sequential (verse-by-verse) expository preaching is best for the steady diet of the believer.  Tragically, "those who preach the Word with skill and power are few and far between."

"Endure Hardship as a Good Soldier" (2 Timothy 2:3)

Some people have asked why I started writing personal reflection pieces on the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of church revitalization ministry?   If you allow me to summarize the larger context it will hopefully shed some light on how "Post Tenebras Lux" started and why I write what I write here.

I grew up in a loving Christian home in a solid, small town Bible church. One does not realize what an amazing privilege this is until you experience the new birth, grow in discernment and come to understand just how undiscerning, shallow, and immature most evangelical churches in America are.  A. W. Tozer warned us many decades ago of a new wind blowing across the fields of the church, 'If I see aright, the cross of popular evangelicalism is not the cross of the New Testament. It is, rather, a new bright ornament upon the bosom of a self-assured and carnal Christianity. The old cross slew men; the new cross entertains them. The old cross condemned; the new cross amuses. The old cross destroyed confidence in the flesh; the new cross encourages it'. 

While growing up as a elder's/pastor's kid I watched my dad persevere through some very trying times in some very difficult church ministry contexts.  In many ways Kent Kolstad is the kind of shepherd-leader I am striving to be.  Despite these hardships my parents never stopped loving the local church (As a footnote, my parents now serve in a wonderful church context in Arkansas).

"Therefore, We Do Not Lose Heart...(Don't Give Up)!"

Having observed the American church for most of my life as a pastor's kid and upon completing my first decade of pastoral ministry I have learned that most shepherd-leaders face far more attacks from "worldly Christians" then they ever do from the outside world.  The epistle of 2 Corinthians is case and point.  If I am being honest with you however it is only recently that I have come to appreciate the pathos of this glorious letter.  Sure I understood Paul was "depressed" and that his ministry in Corinth had come under heavy fire from within but I did not understand why this fearless leader was so discouraged and heartbroken. What gives Paul?  Weren't you the apostle who told others to, "Act like men and to be strong and courageous(1 Cor. 16:13)?!?"  Why then did you retreat from Corinth like a puppy dog with his tail between his legs (2 Cor.1:23-2:4)?  How come you sent someone else to interact with the congregation on your behalf?   That does not sound very manly.   Why so many tears (2 Cor. 2:4; 12:19-21)?  Do you think you have it worse off then Jeremiah, besides, haven't you endured much greater suffering than this?  If you were actively trusting in Christ than why did you still "have no rest in your spirit? (2. Cor 2:13; 7:5-6)?  Why do you appear to threaten this immature and fleshly congregation of what will happen if they don't repent, submit, and make things right (1 Cor. 4:21; 2 Cor. 13:10)?  Isn't this approach a little heavy-handed and/or domineering?  And why do you invest so much ink talking about all the things "you have endured for sake of God's elect" (2 Cor. 4:8-18; 2 Tim. 2:10)?  Isn't your list of what you've been through in 2 Corinthians 11 a little "self-serving?"  Finally, why are you even defending the integrity of your ministry and the validity of your apostolic authority (2 Cor. 11:1-12:21)?  Shouldn't ministers of the New Covenant just be faithful and leave our reputations and ministries in God's hands?   Suffice it to say, it took over twenty years for me to understand and appreciate the agony of Paul as expressed in the raw letter of 2 Corinthians.  Experience is often a wonderful teacher (painful as she sometimes is).

How New Covenant Believers Relate To Old Testament Law?

Photo Credit: https://jamiesheardotcom.wordpress.com

Perhaps more than any other genre in Scripture the place of the “Law” in New Covenant preaching is the most challenging, demanding, and controversial.  Many different solutions have been proposed with various degrees of overlap between the major camps.  Certain Reformed Baptist preachers following the pattern of the Westminster Confession of Faith divide the Mosaic Law into three categories: moral, civil, and ceremonial. Many in this camp argue that the civil and ceremonial laws were fulfilled in Christ but that the moral aspect of the Mosaic Law is still binding.[1]   New Covenant theologians and Progressive Dispensationalists often teach that the entire Mosaic Law under the Old Covenant was fulfilled in life, death, and resurrection of Messiah Jesus. New Covenant believers are now under the “Law of Christ.”[2]  Some in the Classic Dispensationalist camp teach that the “law of God” and the “law of Moses” are one and the same and that no distinction between them is justifiable.[3]  A few Classic Dispensationalist also believe that New Covenant believers are now under grace (without law).  Such statements, without appropriate qualifications, have been rightly labeled “Antinomian.”[4]  Finally, the Theonomist camp rejects the traditional Reformed belief that the civil laws of Moses have been abrogated.  As such Theonomists believe that the moral and civil law codes of Moses remain in effect today.  Suffice it to say, before “preaching Law” the student of Scripture needs to have some understanding of the proper relationship between the Old and New Covenants.[5]  Without a larger understanding of biblical and systematic theology a preacher may teach a variation of "Theonomy" or "Antinomianism" and not even know it.

The Mandate For Expository Preaching

Photo Credit: Lukas Van Dyke (Shepherd's Conference)

A.          Expository Preaching Mandated (Lecture notes from dr. Steve Lawson)

When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; or He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes (Matthew 7:28-29).

These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you (Titus 2:15).

·               This truth led John Calvin to say: Let the pastors boldly dare all things by the Word of God, of which they are constituted administrators. Let them constrain all the power, glory, and excellence of the world to give place to and to obey the divine majesty of this Word. Let them enjoin everyone by it, from the highest to the lowest. Let them edify the body of Christ. Let them devastate Satan’s reign. Let them pasture the sheep, kill the wolves, instruct and exhort the rebellious. Let them bind and loose, thunder and lightning, if necessary, but let them do all according to the Word of God. [1]

·               This understanding of the preacher’s role produced a pro found sense of humility in Calvin as he rose to preach. He saw himself as standing under the authority of the Word. As Hughes Oliphant Old explains:

“Calvin’s sermons . . . [reveal] a high sense of the authority of Scripture. The preacher himself believed he was preaching the Word of God. He saw himself to be the servant of the Word.”[2]

Life Lessons

Photo Credit: http://beggarsbread.org/2012/10/14/hand-to-the-plow/

A friend suggested I read this article today and I am glad he did. Even though I have only completed ten years of ministry I can "amen" most everything that Brian Croft wrote as he reflected on twenty. By the grace of God (1 Cor. 15:10) some of these lessons have been consistently fleshed out in my life, and/or in the life of First Baptist. However, some of the lessons Pastor Croft has learned are still a ‘work in progress’ in my heart/ministry and/or in the lives of our leadership/congregation. No pastor and no local church is perfect. I am convinced that the foundation, direction, and the philosophy of ministry at FBC is biblical.  We are moving in the right direction and we are growing spiritually in the Lord.  In view of this we must keep pressing on toward the goal of the upward calling. Providentially, God has provided in supernatural ways to keep this local church afloat financially during dry seasons and difficult times.  Let us keep our eyes on the Author and Perfecter of our faith! 

The following lessons were most encouraging:

1. God’s Word Is Sufficient to Build Christ’s Church

On my first Sunday as senior pastor, I sat alone in the sanctuary wondering if the doors would be open in a year. I realized all my cleverness and worldly wisdom couldn’t stop the decline. But I knew God, by his Spirit and through his Word, was sufficient to build and revitalize his church. Over a decade later, I’ve watched him do this very thing.

Famine in the Land (The Dearth of True Bible Exposition)

 If the following definitions rightly reflect the sense of what true exposition of Scripture is then we must admit that there is a dearth of true preaching in America today.  It is no exaggeration to declare that there's a serious famine in the land! (Amos 8:11, “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD).  The devastating draught conditions in California is a microcosm of what is true spiritually throughout the United States.

In some cities and countries famished Christians (1 Peter 2:2-3) cannot find preaching that satisfies the deepest longings of their soul.  Grace To You says that they receive phone calls every week from people who want meaty exposition like what they hear on the radio (MacArthur, Lawson, Begg).  They long for this kind of feeding from the pulpit because they want to grow in the knowledge and grace of the Savior (note Colossians 1:28-29)

In other places, faithful expositors cannot find a "Christian" community that is really interested in the meat of God's Word.  In many cities, churchgoers are more interested in finding a casual atmosphere with musical styles that appeal to their personal tastes than they are in sound doctrine and the true exposition of Scripture.  Is it any wonder then why shallowness (Heb. 5:11-14) and biblical illiteracy so dominate the landscape of American Evangelicalism?  One would never know it but "spiritual immaturity" and the "lack of discernment" are not badges of Christian honor (note Ephesians 4:11-15). 

If reformation and revival is to take root in the Christian church it will be ushered in with a return to this kind of preaching (see below).  As the Reformer's rightly noted, "As the pulpit goes, so goes the church!"  To this end we labor, strive, and pray.

Theology on Fire!

Maintaining Balance

in

Expository Preaching 

        

 

       

         These extremes need to be avoided like the plague.

 

1.      1.  All Exposition, No Preaching  (EG. all information, no exhortation, and very little transformation; this kind of preaching produces tadpole Christians with big heads and little bodies. Cerebral preaching-produces full heads/empty hearts; or all hearing but little doing; or enlarged brains but paralyzed feet/hands)  

 

2.            All Preaching, No Exposition  (all theatrics and no theology; this preacher fills the building and the building is full but the preacher never fills the pulpit).

 

B.           Merging Together Exposition and Preaching (a perfect marriage)

1.            Paul: “Preach the Word”

“Preach the Word” (2 Timothy 4:2).   Biblical preaching involves teaching but it is not just teaching.  We are called to herald the word.  We have a message from the King!  Do a word study on the Greek word kerusso if you are still confused. 

2.            The Puritans: “Fire in the Pulpit”

What Is Expository Preaching? (Dr. Steve Lawson)

I.             the essential terms

 
A.          The Word “Expository”

 ·               According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word expository means “a commentary, explanatory, instructive, informative, the setting forth of principle themes.”

 ·               Expository emphasizes the kind of preaching that, first and foremost, explains the God-intended meaning of a passage of Scripture and, then, shows its relevance in daily living.

 

B.           The Word “Preaching”

 ·               The word preaching must also be understood. We are not addressing mere exposition teaching, but expository preaching. Those two words—expository teaching—would be redundant, having essentially the same meaning.

 ·               Expository preaching indicates that the exposition must come with a delivery that has a particular authority and passionate tone to it that accompanies preaching. It describes the presentation of the truth that is marked by all that the word preaching involves.

 ·               The word preaching means that the Scripture must be proclaimed in the power and energy of the Holy Spirit.

 ·               Preaching involves all the various elements of proclamation, declaration, confrontation, correction, persuasion, passion, consolation, exhortation, invitation.