Thank you Bro. Randy for the encouraging words, I feel like God is truly doing something in my life. I also know I have probably hindered the Spirit with my poor attitude that I display from time to time, hopefully God will weed all that out and I can be used. Thanks again for the encouragement.
This week I will be reading chapters 155-164 in the book written by Haddon Robinson and Craig Brian Larson titled: The Art and Craft of Biblical Preaching. Chapter 155. Imagination: The Preacher's Neglected Ally. Chapter 156. Preaching that Magnifies God Chapter 157. When is a Sermon Good Enough? Chapter 158. Making the Most of Your Computer. Chapter 159. How to Build a First Rate Library Chapter 160. What Makes a Sermon Deep? Chapter 161. Before You Preach Chapter 162. Inspiration Points Chapter 163. Simplify Chapter 164. Using Someone Else's Sermon Chapter 165. Planning for Richer, Deeper Sermon Series.
I need to explain how this book is actually printed. Haddon Robinson and Craig Brian Larson have compiled this book by publishing written articles of other preachers which actually makes them editors. I should have made this clearer earlier and I apoligize for that.
Chapter 155: "Imagination: The Preachers Neglected Ally, written by Warren Wiersbe. Mr. Wiersbe writes that an imagination is not taught but is gained by living. He explains the differences of imagination, and fancy. Fancy is something that helps a person escape reality, but imagination helps penetrate and understand reality. Our imagination is what takes us to the Red Sea, to the battle of David and Goliath, and to all those places in which we have only heard about. Bro. Wiersbe puts it this way:" information needs imagination if there is to be communication". As preachers we have to get into every heart and mind that we speak to and imagination is how to do it. He quotes C.H. Spurgeon as saying: " Don't just throw the seed at the people, grind it into flour, bake it into bread, and slice it for them, and it wouldn't hurt to put a little honey on it too! One more thing he said was: we must have information otherwise our preaching is just noise. AMEN!!!
Chapter 156 titled: "Preaching that Magnifies God" is written by Lee Eclov, who is becoming one of my favorite writer/preacher. This chapter is about idolatry. Idolitry is not what it used to be, today it is more concealed in our everyday life. What used to be golden calves, or alters to unknown gods has quickly became T.V., internet, and text messaging. Bro. Eclov speaks of himself as a spotlight operator, he knows where to shine the light and therefore shining on Jesus and the work he has done for you and me, will diminish all other things that might take his place. Beware of idols whatever image they may take on. AMEN!
Stephen Gregory writes chapter 157 titled: "When is a Sermon Good Enough". Bro Gregory speaks on the issue of having time to prepare. Being senior pastor he would sometimes feel guilty when the time set aside for preparing would get interupted by church business or a call to go to the hospital, or an out of town friend would stop by, or just anything. After sometime of dealing with this issue he decided that is how God must have wanted it. Teaching himself to use the time that he does have wisely. Busy for God, that can't be all bad. Praise the Lord.
"Contemplative exegesis", now that is a dollar word in my ten cent mind, that is how to go deep with a sermon. Chapter 161 is written by Lee Eclov and he titles it:"What Makes a Sermon Deep". Contemplative exegesis is what he calls the gift of seeing deeper and having fresh thoughts from scripture. I, as Bro Eclov, have often wondered how a preacher gets so much out of a passage of scripture when I can't see it, so many facts, so much history, so much application, and all from the same passage that I have read. Bro Eclov says that this gift is called "wisdom preaching", being able to see scripture through a telescope instead of looking through binoculars. Looks like I need to invest in a telescope! Bless you all.
Chapter 163: "Simplify", written by Charles Swindoll. The writer speaks about simplicity, the difference in something being elegant and elaborate, the difference in class nad common, the difference in just enough and too much. Bro. Swindoll offers this summary, Make it clear, Keep it simple, Emphasize the essentials, Forget about impressing, Leave some things unsaid. Just let it be simple.
Haddon Robinson writes chapter 164, titled: Using Someone Else's Sermon. In writing this chapter Bro. Robinson defines "plagiarism". In simple terms it is stealing. There is an ethical code in sermon preparation, and if that code or issue is not followed it is simply stealing. There are certain issues involved in using someone else's sermon and that is "motive and honesty". Either they said it better than you or they have more authority than you, so should you use another preacher's sermon you should give that person credit for what is being said. If you have to use some one else's sermon you might question your own integrety.
Haddon Robinson has written chapter 165 and he titles it:" Planning for a Richer Deeper Sermon Series". He suggest you take a week away from everything and work on your series with your Bible, a few commentaries, and a calander. Choose the subject, choose titles for each sermon, and give it simmer time. Get a flow going and watch what the Lord can do. Amen!
You will notice some posts below that relate to various topics of discussion by our online community of preachers.
One of the purposes of Preachers' Meeting is to provide a place for young ministers or those recently called to preach to interact around the principles in a course of study recommended by our local group of preachers in the Southern Illinois area.
We invite you to look in on our conversations. If you would like to add comments as a guest, you are welcome to do so. If this looks interesting to you, you may join us as we start a new session. You can look in the side bar (or sometimes it is moved to right below this post) to see the weekly requirements. We start new courses every 8 or 9 weeks. As already mentioned, you are welcome to comment as a guest before that time.
Below these posts, you will see the word, "comments." Just click on it, and you will see a box on the right side of the screen where you may add your comments.
Look around. Enjoy yourself, and come back often!
Weekly Requirements
Here is a review of the general requirements for each week.
You have three assignments each week
(1) Make at least two initial posts in your posting area. The first one will be the name of the course, and the names (or numbers of the DVD's) of the chapters or lectures you will be covering during the week. The second one will be a comment on one of those chapters. You will receive one point for getting the first post in on Tuesday or Wednesday. You will also get a point for getting at least one more initial post in.
(2) Go to your fellow student's posting areas, and ask them a question or make comments about their intial posts. You will recieve one point for completing this assignment before 12:00 a.m. on Friday morning (that would be before midnight on Thursday).
(3) Answer the questions asked.
(4) On Fridays, I will also give directions for making remaining posts during the week. Be sure and read those, and take them into account when making at least one of your remaining posts.
In all, we want to make at least nine posts during the week. You will receive points for that as follows:
9 or more posts - 12 points
6-8 posts - 10 points
3-5 posts - 6 points
1-2 posts - 3 points
You will have the extra points you had accumulated by getting things in on time. Those are bonus points that will be used only to move your grade closer to 100 if you need them. They will be awarded each week if needed to move your grade up to 12 for the week. If you do not need them for that week, they will be carried over to the next week(s). Remember the posts that count for points will be at least three sentences long.
Thoughts on Application
Roger gave some good thoughts on application:
"Chapter 75, titled: 'Apply Within' is a lesson in application. The writer explains why it is sometimes difficult applying a sermon to real life situations. I will list some of the reasons application is not applied to our lives.
"First it is "hard work", it is hard to find application to every situation in the congregation,
"second, is wrong assumptions, assuming the audience is able to apply any and all biblical truths is totally a wrong assumption,
"third, is fear, fear of being to deep or to simplistic in the text and failing at application, and then there is training or lack thereof,
"many preachers know the text, and the history and the order of things but are totally untrained in application. One gentleman said it this way," how can you be a good football player when you can pass the ball, or when you can kick the ball, or when you can run with the ball but you don't know the rules of the game."
If you live in the souther Illinois area, we would like to invite you to a Couples' Marriage Enrichment Seminar on Saturday, February 27. It starts at 6:00 p.m and will run to 9:00 p.m.
After the welcome, there will be a dinner. Then there will be an opening session, followed by two breakout sessions, then a short closing.
The Keynote Speaker is Dr. Randy Carney (That's me :)!) and Roger and Janet Dutton will be speaking during the breakout sessions (That's Roger, who is commenting on this blog during this term!). Randy and Rhonda (my wife!) Carney will also have a breakout session discussing "Keys to Marital Bliss."
The Keynote Address will be on the topic of "The Way to a Successful Marriage: The Shocking and Surprising Truth."
Roger and Janet will be talking about "Hope for Restoring your marriage."
The cost is $15.00 per couple and that includes a dinner and all seminar materials. A nursery and childcare will be available. (Please indicate that you need these services when you register.) A book table with resources from Handfuls on Purpose Christian Bookstore will be available.
The seminar is for couples of all ages, ranging from newlyweds to marriage veterans!
To register, call 618-627-2228 to let the church know how may will be attending. Payment can be made at the event. (Make checks to TFBC.) For more information, call the church at 618-627-2228.
The Greatest Love
Since Valentine's Day falls on Sunday this year, I imagine there will be a ton of sermons going out on the topic of love.
Paul talked about love and respect in marriage (Ephesians 5), but he was really saying that that was an illustration of the relationship between Christ and the church.
Christ
Left Heaven to come to this earth.
He
Overcame adversity while here. He even conquered death!
He
Valued mankind so much that He gave Himself on the cross.
He desires fellowship with us. He reconciled the world to Himself, so that people could have an
Intimate realtionship with Him.
He meets all of our
Needs.
He is the supreme example of
Giving.
Do you see the word, LOVING, there? That is what He is--our LOVING Savior! Because of that, we should love one another.
Course 11 Week 4
Scroll down to the week 4 area to begin commenting.
Dealing with the Closed American Mind
One of the chapters Roger is reading is entitled, (something like) "Dealing with the Closed American Mind." I don't know if it is mentioned in the chapter, but I suspect that if you tak about something where a person has a felt need, you can gain their hearing somewhat.
What are your thoughts?
You may scroll down and comment in the week 3 comments area. Visitors are welcome to comment also.
Connecting with Postmoderns
This is something most preachers do every Sunday. If you have young unchurched visitors in your church, you will be trying to reach postmoderns. Even some of your church youth are more influenced by postmodernism than by their previous Sunday school teaching.
Here is my reply to one of Roger's posts:
"Roger, what tips stand out to you for commecting with postmoderns? I think the term modern referred to an age in history that related to new thoughts in science, etc. (If I am off base, refresh my memory.) Post modern refers to the time following that era. Connecting with postmoderns is something you have to do, whether you realize it or not, almost every time you preach."
I will post some of his answers here if he sees the question in time.
Preaching--Proclamation of God's Word
Preaching, by one definition, is the proclamation of God's Word. As such, a person, can take the Scriptural passage and find some of its main points and emphasize those points.
While I believe we should learn all we can about the grammatical construction of the words of Scripture, and that we should learn all we can about the historical setting for when those words were originally spoken; the nice thing about proclaiming the Word is that you can just take what the text says and emphasize it. Then the Word will not return void.
People with all different types of backgrounds have been called to preach throughout the centuries. Some very "unlearned" (as the world would put it) men have had great results by simply taking the main ideas of Scripture and simply emphasizing them. As long as we do not twist the meaning, this simply shows the amazing power of the Word of God.
New Format
I am going to try putting my comments for each day in this left sidebar. The comments areas for the remaining weeks are displayed to the right. That is where you will place your comments for each week.
11 comments:
Thank you Bro. Randy for the encouraging words, I feel like God is truly doing something in my life. I also know I have probably hindered the Spirit with my poor attitude that I display from time to time, hopefully God will weed all that out and I can be used. Thanks again for the encouragement.
This week I will be reading chapters 155-164 in the book written by Haddon Robinson and Craig Brian Larson titled: The Art and Craft of Biblical Preaching.
Chapter 155. Imagination: The Preacher's Neglected Ally.
Chapter 156. Preaching that Magnifies God
Chapter 157. When is a Sermon Good Enough?
Chapter 158. Making the Most of Your Computer.
Chapter 159. How to Build a First Rate Library
Chapter 160. What Makes a Sermon Deep?
Chapter 161. Before You Preach
Chapter 162. Inspiration Points
Chapter 163. Simplify
Chapter 164. Using Someone Else's Sermon
Chapter 165. Planning for Richer, Deeper Sermon Series.
I need to explain how this book is actually printed. Haddon Robinson and Craig Brian Larson have compiled this book by publishing written articles of other preachers which actually makes them editors. I should have made this clearer earlier and I apoligize for that.
Chapter 155: "Imagination: The Preachers Neglected Ally, written by Warren Wiersbe. Mr. Wiersbe writes that an imagination is not taught but is gained by living. He explains the differences of imagination, and fancy. Fancy is something that helps a person escape reality, but imagination helps penetrate and understand reality. Our imagination is what takes us to the Red Sea, to the battle of David and Goliath, and to all those places in which we have only heard about. Bro. Wiersbe puts it this way:" information needs imagination if there is to be communication". As preachers we have to get into every heart and mind that we speak to and imagination is how to do it. He quotes C.H. Spurgeon as saying: " Don't just throw the seed at the people, grind it into flour, bake it into bread, and slice it for them, and it wouldn't hurt to put a little honey on it too! One more thing he said was: we must have information otherwise our preaching is just noise. AMEN!!!
Chapter 156 titled: "Preaching that Magnifies God" is written by Lee Eclov, who is becoming one of my favorite writer/preacher. This chapter is about idolatry. Idolitry is not what it used to be, today it is more concealed in our everyday life. What used to be golden calves, or alters to unknown gods has quickly became T.V., internet, and text messaging. Bro. Eclov speaks of himself as a spotlight operator, he knows where to shine the light and therefore shining on Jesus and the work he has done for you and me, will diminish all other things that might take his place. Beware of idols whatever image they may take on. AMEN!
Stephen Gregory writes chapter 157 titled: "When is a Sermon Good Enough". Bro Gregory speaks on the issue of having time to prepare. Being senior pastor he would sometimes feel guilty when the time set aside for preparing would get interupted by church business or a call to go to the hospital, or an out of town friend would stop by, or just anything. After sometime of dealing with this issue he decided that is how God must have wanted it. Teaching himself to use the time that he does have wisely. Busy for God, that can't be all bad. Praise the Lord.
"Contemplative exegesis", now that is a dollar word in my ten cent mind, that is how to go deep with a sermon. Chapter 161 is written by Lee Eclov and he titles it:"What Makes a Sermon Deep". Contemplative exegesis is what he calls the gift of seeing deeper and having fresh thoughts from scripture. I, as Bro Eclov, have often wondered how a preacher gets so much out of a passage of scripture when I can't see it, so many facts, so much history, so much application, and all from the same passage that I have read. Bro Eclov says that this gift is called "wisdom preaching", being able to see scripture through a telescope instead of looking through binoculars. Looks like I need to invest in a telescope! Bless you all.
Chapter 163: "Simplify", written by Charles Swindoll. The writer speaks about simplicity, the difference in something being elegant and elaborate, the difference in class nad common, the difference in just enough and too much. Bro. Swindoll offers this summary,
Make it clear,
Keep it simple,
Emphasize the essentials,
Forget about impressing,
Leave some things unsaid.
Just let it be simple.
Haddon Robinson writes chapter 164, titled: Using Someone Else's Sermon. In writing this chapter Bro. Robinson defines "plagiarism". In simple terms it is stealing. There is an ethical code in sermon preparation, and if that code or issue is not followed it is simply stealing. There are certain issues involved in using someone else's sermon and that is "motive and honesty". Either they said it better than you or they have more authority than you, so should you use another preacher's sermon you should give that person credit for what is being said. If you have to use some one else's sermon you might question your own integrety.
Haddon Robinson has written chapter 165 and he titles it:" Planning for a Richer Deeper Sermon Series". He suggest you take a week away from everything and work on your series with your Bible, a few commentaries, and a calander. Choose the subject, choose titles for each sermon, and give it simmer time. Get a flow going and watch what the Lord can do. Amen!
Roger, another great week of you giving us nuggets of wisdom you have gleaned from your readings. Thank you for giving us some 'handfuls on purposeA'!
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