Wednesday, February 29, 2012

James Smith - The Christian's Hope


James Smith - The Christian's Hope

Colossians 1:5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel

Philippians 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

James Smith playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=096D74E48C1F1243

A Treasury of Ageless,
Sovereign Grace,
Devotional Writings http://www.gracegems.org/

James Smith was a predecessor of Charles Spurgeon at New Park Street Chapel in London from 1841 until 1850. Early on, Smith's readings were even more popular than Spurgeon's!

The habit of laying up a text of Scripture in the morning, to be meditated upon while engaged in the business of this world through the day—is both profitable and delightful. It is as a refreshing draught to a weary traveler!

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

How Should a Single Guy Prepare for Marriage?

Pastor Mark and Grace answer this question during a live Q&A. Just because you're single doesn't mean you can't be loving your wife right now—even if you're still waiting to meet her. One practical idea? Write letters to your future wife in a journal to let her know how you're growing, how you're praying for her, verses you're meditating on, etc. and then give them to her when you get married.

This clip is excerpted from the sermon "Sex: God, Gross, or Gift?" part 6 of the Real Marriage sermon series. It was preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll at a Real Marriage Tour event at Crossroads Christian Church in Corona, California and released online on February 20.

Watch the full sermon here: http://marshill.com/media/real-marriage/sex-god-gross-or-gift

Want to see if there's gonna be Real Marriage Tour event near you? Check out the schedule here: https://www.facebook.com/rmtour?sk=events

Monday, February 27, 2012

Book Review: "Mere Apologetics: How to Help Seekers & Skeptics Find Faith"

Mere Apologetics: How to Help Seekers & Skeptics Find Faith

Baker Books / 2011 / Paperback

Retail:$16.99 US

In the spirit of C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, Alister McGrath's Mere Apologetics seeks in his own words to equip readers to engage gracefully and intelligently with the challenges facing the faith today while drawing appropriately on the wisdom of the past. Rather than supplying the fine detail of every apologetic issue in order to win arguments, McGrath aims to teach a method that appeals not only to the mind but also to the heart and the imagination. It is an introduction to apologetics.

Focusing on the core themes of the Christian faith and its effective communication to the non-Christian world, McGrath sees this as a mindset of engagement that interacts with the ideas of our culture rather than running away from them or pretending they can be ignored. His states that his aim is to convert believers into thinkers, and thinkers into believers, engaging our reason, imagination, and our deepest longings. He does not see this as a defence or hostile reaction against the world per se, but sees it as a welcome opportunity to exhibit, celebrate and display the treasure chest of the Christian faith. He encourages believers to appreciate their faith and to explain, and commend it to those outside the church, in all its intellectual, moral imaginative and relational richness. (p.11).

McGrath states that he is not committed to any particular school of apologetics but drawn on their collective riches. Although not defined as such, I would see his approach as primarily an evidentialism approach to apologetics with slight hints of presuppositionalism and classical apologetics. He takes great pains to avoid using such terminology and states that he will give "pointers to more advanced resources that will allow you, the reader, to take things further in your own time" (p.12).

Starting at perhaps a classical apologetic base, McGrath begins with Augustine, and quotes 1 Pt. 3:15 seeing apologetics is essentially “a defence” (15). He states the basic themes of apologetics, first with defending (p.17). Searching out the barriers to faith, arising from misunderstanding or misrepresentation he draws on apologetics like Pascal and shows how apologetics engages the mind (Mt. 22:37; Rom. 12:2). Secondly, in Commending, he sets out to allow the truth and relevance of the gospel to be appreciated by the audience (p.19). Third, in Translating, he draws on apologists like Lewis to show how the Christian faith is likely to be unfamiliar to may audiences and the need for it to be explained using familiar or accessible images, terms, or stories (p.20). He distinguishes apologetics from evangelism (p.21) and gives the limitations of apologetics (p.23).

Chapter two moves from Modernity to Post modernity showing how each age generates its own specific concerns and critiques of the Christian faith (p.28). McGrath defines his approach in first understanding the faith, the audience, communicate with clarity, find points of contact,  present the whole gospel, and practice, practice, practice. He is helpful in specifics such as finding points of contact through the witness of history that are already embedded in human culture and experience (Acts 14:17) but misses a key opportunity to succinctly define what he means when he says in presenting the whole gospel. A simple, succinct, scriptural statement is woefully lacking on this point.

In the third chapter McGrath specifies that apologetics is not a set of techniques for winning people to Christ or a set of argumentative templates designed to win debates, but a willingness to work with God in helping people discover and turn to his glory (p.41). The approach almost seems anti-Christocentric, and frankly made me a bit nervous at this point. Thankfully he begins with setting things in context with a story from the ministry of Jesus in Mark 1. McGrath seems to be drawing on more presuppositional thoughts in specifying that conversion is not brought about by human wisdom or reasoning, but is in its deepest sense something that is brought about by God (1 Cor. 2:5). He is a little weak in saying that human nature is only wounded and damaged by sin (and not dead in trespasses and sin) yet accurately states that people are not capable of seeing thing as they are (2 Cor. 4:4). He concludes the chapter in a very helpful picture of how the cross and resurrection of Christ achieves victory over sin and death, brings healing to broken and wounded humanity and demonstrates the love of God for humanity.

Using Peter’s Pentecost sermon (Acts 2), Paul’s sermon to the Athenian philosophers (Acts 17),  and Paul's legal speeches to the Romans (Acts 24-26)  McGrath sums up their approaches to address specific audiences, identify the authorities and use lines of argument that will carry weight with the audience (p.68).

McGrath then goes on to show the "Reasonableness of the Christian Faith" showing how apologetics is an important tool in “persuading people that Christianity makes sense” (71). His evidential base shines here in his statements of how apologetics shows that there is a good argumentative or evidential base for core beliefs of Christianity. He sees such an approach to include developing intellectual arguments for the existence of God, or historical arguments for the resurrection of Jesus (p.72).  His metaphysical treatment of science is insightful showing how science can give explanation as the identification of causes, the quest for the best explanation and the metanarrative of the unification of our view of reality. For someone who is so careful to avoid terms to classify each approach of apologetics, this chapter certainly defines elements of an evidentialism approach. .

Chapter six, Pointers to Faith: Approaches to Apologetic Engagement, has some of the best apologetics treatment in the book. In the section entitled Clues, Pointers and Proofs he moves into the concept of `worldviews` to signs pointing to the greater reality of God. He makes an important point that `No one is going to be able to prove the existence of God... yet one can consider all the clues that point in this direction and take pleasure in their cumulative force` (p.95). McGrath then gives clues from origins of the universe, design, structure, morality (ontology), desire-longing, beauty, relationally, and eternality in how they all weave together clues as to a pattern. These address “both the ‘reason within’ and the ‘reason without’—the rationality of the human mind, and that embedded in the deep structure of the universe” (102). He contends that these identifying “clues about the meaning of the universe . . . are significant pointers to the capacity of the Christian faith to make sense of life” (121). He charges that the apologist then must demonstrate how these pointers actually direct us to the reality God has graciously revealed in his Word. 

Chapter seven moves into Gateways for Apologetics in Opening the Door to Faith. McGrath states how the classical rational defence of the faith is largely ineffective in the contemporary post-modern culture. He states that ``Apologetics is about building bridges, allowing people to cross from the world they already know to one they need to discover. It is about helping people to find doors they may never have known about, allowing them to see and enter a world that exceeds anything they could have imagined`` (p.127).  He  states how we must answer questions such as: Who am I? Do I really matter? Why am I here? Can I make a difference? It must be kept in mind that: ``Neither science nor human reason can answer these questions. Yet unless they are answered life is potentially meaningless… There are times when it is just as important to show Christianity is real as it is to show it is true’ (p. 138). We must remember that ``Many Christians… prefer to use words…to commend our faith. Yet we need to be aware that, in a post-modern context, images [have] special authority and power, transcending the limitations placed on words’ (p. 149). Linking historical examples, he moved from approaches of explanation, argument (from design, origination, coherence and morality), stories to images. He provides some of the most balanced treatments in this section giving both arguments, examples and critiques of each approach.

If it is not quite evident at this point, the challenge of apologetics is enormous: ``Apologetics is about communicating the joy, coherence, and relevance of the Christian faith on the one hand, and dealing with anxieties, difficulties and concerns about that faith on the other`` (p. 157). McGrath encourages the apologetics to develop a personal approach in reflecting on: ``the questions being asked, the situation of the people asking them, and the resources available to answer them, yet never to give an answer to a question that doesn't satisfy you in the first place`` (p.159). He then proceeds to give some basic points to be gracious, consider the real question, and don't give pre-packaged answers to honest questions. Real biblical wisdom is employed here by McGrath: ``One way of dealing with this issue that I have found helpful is to welcome the question, and then ask the questioner if he would mind sharing why this is a particular concern for him. This helps me work out what the real question is and address it properly (p.161). Finally, McGrath suggests we learn from other apologists, in noting both the tone and content of their responses. In putting the theory to practice, McGrath considers two of the most common challenges in apologetics of why God allows suffering, and if Christianity is just a crutch. He considers these topics theologically and then provides apologetic responses. If this wasn't insightful enough, McGrath explains why he approached these question in the manner in which he did.

The final paragraph sums up the book well: ``This short book can never hope to teach you everything about the science and art of apologetics. It can only get you started. yet hopefully if will have gotten you interested in this field, and helpful you to appreciate why apologetics is to stimulating and important. Don't be discouraged if you have found the ideas difficult to master or apply. This book simply maps out the territory, now it's up to you to explore in depth and in detail-something that is both fascinating and worthwhile. And how many things in this life are like that? (p. 185). The sections ``For Further Reading`` at the end of each chapter enable the research to continue. The rest is up to each apologist. The rationale, theory, and explanations are given for the task. There are no excuses left. This is no mere theoretical exercise, souls are at state.

My only wish, was that McGrath would have included the technical categories, at least in footnotes, to allow for precise classification and further study. Without these, the book becomes limited for formal study in a seminary or bible college. For the everyday reader, it is hard to come up with a more comprehensive yet readable volume for defending the faith. May God use this work to change lives for His kingdom.

Product Information

Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 208
Vendor: Baker Books
Publication Date: 2011
Dimensions: 9.00 X 6.00 (inches)
ISBN: 0801014166
ISBN-13: 9780801014161

 “Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group“.

Book Review: "Pastors in the Classics"

 
Pastors in the Classics: Timeless Lessons on Life and Ministry from World Literature Leland Ryken, Philip Graham Ryken, Todd A. Wilson Baker Books, 2012-01-01 - 192 pages

I am sure that many a pastor or author wished that someone had taken the time to look into all the novels, plays, morality tales, and poetry where pastors played a prominent role and provide "a road map to literary masterpieces in which the pastor's experience is a major part of the story" (p.11).  The authors are amazingly explicit in their aims and goals: "first to facilitate the reading of some great works of literature", show "ways in which the works portray and clarify issues in the minister's life and vocation",  finally to place "the minister's life within the broader Christian context" (p.12). These are in essence the differences between telling and showing what to do and not do in ministry.

There are four uses that the authors foresee for this collection: to enhance a reader's enjoyment and understanding of the works that are discussed, group discussion, improve the ability to make right moral choices and finally to be a readers' guide to the works that they cover (p.13). Two of these are excellently achieved, one is weak and another is woefully inadequate. Pastor's in the Classics will help with the enjoyment and understanding the work covered. I would have preferred Ryken to have more input on the moral choice objective by providing more of a biblical framework. Finally, the group questions are so brief, that any group would really need to take extensive notes of the primary sources to discuss the themes. The four "Portraits of Ministers" questions (p.14) really need to be kept in mind in examining any of the works in question.

From the author's description, part 1 is a reader's guide to twelve important classics written over four centuries and covering seven different nationalities. Each chapter not only describes and interprets the work in question, it also highlights a specific feature of pastoral ministry explored in the work. One of the most helpful features are the scriptural passages that begin each chapter. I would have appreciated an index of these texts that would have enabled an expositor to refer to the work in question as a sermon/lesson illustration. The topics vary from sexual sin, to slander, love, and suffering. Although the reviews are of classic sources, they read like everyday issues: challenges of ministry, complaints about church meetings, how hard it is to love the sheep, the relentless approach of next week's sermon, opportunities for personal ministry, candid revelations from the congregation and asking the lord to help moment by moment (p.106). Like the scriptural references, a thematic index would be helpful for future reference. Most of the topic headings are clear, but a few (eg. Witch Wood) can be a bit cryptic at times.

The authors describe Part 2 as a handbook on fifty-eight entries on works of literature that include significant discussion of ministry and illuminate issues in ministry (p.113). They see these of works that define the canon of literary masterpieces that deal with the pastor's experience, offering reading suggestions for both ministers and lovers of literature. From the familiar (The Canterbury Tales; Cry, the Beloved Country; and The Scarlet Letter) to the lesser-known (Silence, Witch Wood) to the surprising (A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man). They describe this as a collection that uncovers the good, the bad, and the ugly ways in which pastors have been presented to the reading public for the past half millennium. They are much briefer than the first section and are presented in a helpful alphabetical order.

Pastors in the Classics is a very useful resource to summarizing this and it's almost amazing that this work has not been written earlier. With few explicit biblical references and with some scriptural quotations at the beginning of the chapters more applicable than others, I hope a second edition will expand to include more contemporary works and add the most needed scriptural and thematic indexes. The most disappointing lack is of a conclusion on how literature had tended to portray pastoral ministry or how this had changed over time. It could include some helpful tips for future authors or perhaps how literary portrayals of pastors tend to be more accurate than the more common portrayal in other media forms.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Product Details
Paperback: 184 pages
  • Publisher: Baker Books (January 1, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0801071976
  • ISBN-13: 978-0801071973
  • Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces


Sunday, February 26, 2012

"The Danger of an Unstable Father". Genesis 6:1-4

Series : Genesis
Scripture : Genesis 6:1-4

1) An Unstable Father is Too Permissive (Genesis 6:1), 2) An Unstable Father Loses Control (Genesis 6:2), 3) An Unstable Father Tests God's Patience (Genesis 6:3), and 4) An Unstable Father Reaps What he Sows (Genesis 6:4)

Friday, February 24, 2012

Your Standard of Beauty Is Your Spouse

God does not give you a standard of beauty; he gives you a spouse. Marketing, pornography, coveting, lust—what Jesus calls adultery of the heart—is having a standard of beauty other than your spouse. So whomever you marry, that's what you're into.

This clip is excerpted from the sermon "Sex: God, Gross, or Gift?" part 6 of the Real Marriage sermon series. It was preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll at a Real Marriage Tour event at Crossroads Christian Church in Corona, California and released online on February 20.

Watch the full sermon here: http://marshill.com/media/real-marriage/sex-god-gross-or-gift

Want to see if there's gonna be Real Marriage Tour event near you? Check out the schedule here: https://www.facebook.com/rmtour?sk=events

Thursday, February 23, 2012

6 Ways Sex Is a Gift


From Genesis to 2 Samuel to Song of Songs to 1 Corinthians, we can see how the Bible shows how sex is for pleasure, children, knowledge, protection, comfort, and oneness.

This clip is excerpted from the sermon "Sex: God, Gross, or Gift?" part 6 of the Real Marriage sermon series. It was preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll at a Real Marriage Tour event at Crossroads Christian Church in Corona, California and released online on February 20.

Watch the full sermon here: http://marshill.com/media/real-marriage/sex-god-gross-or-gift

Want to see if there's gonna be Real Marriage Tour event near you? Check out the schedule here: https://www.facebook.com/rmtour?sk=events

Monday, February 20, 2012

Cain & Abel. Genesis 4:1-16.



Genesis 4:1-16, gives a picture of faith and how it is only by genuine faith through an approved sacrifice, that we can approach God. The rejection of this means rejection by God Himself. The tragic lesson of this rejection is spelled out in: 1) The Characters (Genesis 4:1–2), 2) The Crime (Genesis 4:3–8), 3) The Consequences (Genesis 4:9–16) [READ MORE]

Friday, February 17, 2012

The Respectful Wife (Preview)

"Let the wife see that she respects her husband," says Ephesians 5:33. For the average man, no one's opinion of him matters as much as his wife's. Ladies, do you respect your husband?

This clip is a preview of the sermon "The Repsectful Wife," based of chapter 4 of Pastor Mark and Grace Driscoll's book, Real Marriage. In the chapter, written entirely by Grace, she writes about having a head of respect, a heart of respect, and hands of respect.

The sermon will be shown at all Mars Hill churches this Sunday, February 5, and posted online shortly thereafter.

http://marshill.com/media/real-marriage

Thursday, February 16, 2012

The Essence of Masculinity Is Taking Responsibility

It doesn't matter how much beer you can drink, how much meat you can eat, or how loud you can belch. That doesn't make you a man. Jesus Christ is the perfect man who defined masculinity in the gospel.

This clip is excerpted from the sermon "Men and Marriage," part 3 of Mars Hill Church's Real Marriage sermon series, based off the book of the same name by Pastor Mark and Grace Driscoll. It was preached by Pastor Mark at Mars Hill Downtown Bellevue and released on January 30.

Watch the full sermon here: http://marshill.com/media/real-marriage/men-and-marriage
For more on the Real Marriage book, campaign, and tour, visit:
http://pastormark.tv/campaigns/real-marriage

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

The Historical Jesus-The Way of the Master

A live, 28-minute, web-based talk show hosted by Ray Comfort and the Living Waters team. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/on-the-box
Episode #277

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

People Don't Fall Out of Love

People may fall out of repentance, but they don't fall out of love. God tells us we can love our enemies. How? Because love doesn't begin with or emanate from us—God is love. Even when we're not feeling particularly friendly toward our spouse, we can still love them with the love that God gives. Don't say you've fallen out of love. Don't say you're unwilling to work on your friendship with your spouse.

This clip is excerpted from the sermon "Friend with Benefits," part 2 of Mars Hill Church's Real Marriage sermon series, based off the book of the same name by Pastor Mark and Grace Driscoll. It was preached by Pastor Mark at Mars Hill Downtown Bellevue and released on January 22.

Watch the full sermon here: http://marshill.com/media/real-marriage/friend-with-benefits
For more on the Real Marriage book, campaign, and tour, visit:
http://pastormark.tv/campaigns/real-marriage

Monday, February 13, 2012

Learning from Bad Examples (1 Corinthians 10:1-13) John MacArthur

There are so many ways in which we can prepare our hearts for a time around the Lord 's Table. The cross is the focal point of the whole of Scripture and therefore there are a lot of places you can go to choose for that heart preparation that looks at the provision of Christ.

One that you might not consider, however, is the tenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, and so I want you to turn to that...the tenth chapter of 1 Corinthians. I really had prepared something else, but this afternoon I think the Lord gave me a little bit of clarity on what might be most helpful to you as we enter into a brand new year. Of all churches, we are the most blessed in many ways. We are so highly privileged. We have been given such immense blessing, so many gifted people, so much ministry, so much provision to feed our souls and to build us up in the knowledge of Christ, so many opportunities for service, we stand as a highly privileged congregation of people. And I know you know that very well.

And on the one hand, we have been celebrating that privilege all through last year. I feel last year was, from my standpoint, the greatest year in the history of this church and I don't expect next year to be any less than that, but I will always look back on 2011 as one of the greatest, if not the greatest in my own assessment and my own experience in the life of this church since I came here in 1969, for many, many reasons. And I think as we look at the future, we have no reason to assume that God is going to bless us any less as we remain faithful. But the more highly privileged we are, the more careful we need to be because I think the Lord is gracious and the Lord is merciful and the Lord is kind and the Lord is good but He is selective about whom He blesses. And what you have in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 is a kind of a warning to a very blessed people, a warning to a very blessed people...

Friday, February 10, 2012

Charles Spurgeon Sermon Divine Sovereignty (3 of 3)

Charles Spurgeon Sermon playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=CDB844A9113F938C

Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon (June 19, 1834 January 31, 1892) was a British Reformed Baptist preacher who remains highly influential among Christians of different denominations, among whom he is still known as the "Prince of Preachers." In his lifetime, Spurgeon preached to around 10,000,000 people, often up to 10 times a week at different places. His sermons have been translated into many languages. Spurgeon was the pastor of the New Park Street Chapel in London for 38 years. In 1857, he started a charity organization called Spurgeon's which now works globally. He also founded Spurgeon's College, which was named after him after his death.

Spurgeon was a prolific author of many types of works including sermons, an autobiography, a commentary, books on prayer, a devotional, a magazine, and more. Many sermons were transcribed as he spoke and were translated into many languages during his lifetime. Arguably, no other author, Christian or otherwise, has more material in print than C.H. Spurgeon.

Charles Spurgeon Sermon Divine Sovereignty (3 of 3)

Thursday, February 09, 2012

Review: The Priority of Preaching by Christopher Ash

Marketers will tell you that in order to sell something, your product or service must be distinguished from the competition. When Christopher Ash wrote The Priority of Preaching, he explicitly stated that: “This little book is for ordinary pastors who preach regularly to ordinary people in ordinary places, who may dream of being world-renowned [i.e. impressive and strategic] but are going to be spared that fate” (p.12). Right from the start, you know this is not your ordinary book on preaching.

Ordinarily, those who wish to market the Gospel will tell you that you need to devise a unique message, in a unique way to the unique people of your audience. It is a dangerous attempt to gain prominence. That had been tried and warned about before (Mt. 20:20-28).
Ash takes the word of God at face value and shows how it in itself is unique, to each unique person and uniquely relevant. What Ash does is to put the confidence in preaching on God and His inerrant, infallible word. What a preacher will then be stuck with is the unique power, authority and world changing scripture

Beginning as a series of addresses given at the 2008 Evangelical Ministry Assembly in London, the Christian Focus Publishers/Proclamation Trust Media release of The Priority of Preaching, focuses on the preaching of Moses in the book of Deuteronomy. Ash states that his objective is to “persuade (or at least unsettle) those doubtful about preaching, and to deepen the conviction of those already converted to the priority of preaching.” (p.13).

The first section looks at The Authority of the Word Preached (Deuteronomy 18:9-22) Chapter one considers the authority of the expository preacher in speaking the very words of God (2 Tim. 4:2). It begins with a brief history of homiletics, as well as setting the stage with the ever real warning of those who will not tolerate sound teaching (2 Tim. 3:1-9; 4:3-4). Scripture is the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20) and do not let anyone despise you (ie. disregard what you say) (Titus 2:15). Ash warns the preacher to "beware the shortcut of mystical authority" (p. 40) with a lazy assumption that preaching does not require hard word in preparation (1 Tim. 5:17). Not too many should be teachers (James 3:1). It is a spiritual gift only given to some (Eph. 4:11).

With the case of the preachers' authority being the word of God, Ash makes an intriguing statement on how preaching is cross cultural: "Every culture knows what it is to sit and listen to an authoritative human being speak. That is not culturally specific. You don't need to be literate to do that. You don't need to be educated to do that. You don't need to be fluent or confident in debate to do that". (p.27). Many contemporary so called "group Bible studies" have practically placed their own authority over scripture: "discussion substitutes for submission to the word of God...people in fact sit above the Word of God." (p. 29). A better alternative is proposed where the group take the Sunday passage, seek to further understand it, and hold each other accountable for how they live it.

Ash provides an interesting transition from old covenant prophet (prophetic and revelatory) to new covenant preacher (proclamatory). I found Ash's discussion intriguing on how Paul himself found the need for preaching face to face necessary and not just with providing a scroll alone (2 Pt. 2:1). With the word preached, all the other ministries of the word flourish: "In all the other contexts in which we teach and admonish one another and speak the word of Christ to one another (Col. 3:16), we are much more likely to submit and not evade by endless discussion, if we have as our top meeting priority (alongside prayer) sitting together under the preached word" (p.36).

The second section shows Preaching that Transforms the Church (Deuteronomy 30:11-20). Ash deals with the reality of distractions yet having preaching that grips (p.46). He presents a series of four preaching themes. As interesting as they were, they were light on new covenant application. However, Ash makes some helpful practical applications such as envisioning preaching as "silent dialogue" (p.53), having "urgent passionate clarity" (p. 61), presenting in a language the audience will understand (p.62-63), and offering Christ in our preaching with confident grace (p. 72).

The third sections looks at Preaching that Mends a Broken World (Deuteronomy 4:5-14). Ash discusses how the world is broken (p.76ff) with the need for consistent order. Ash shows how Deuteronomy signals four ways the standard shape of the church as the pattern (p.79) word (p.80) place (p.81) and people (p.82) for the assembly. The new covenant transition from the book of Hebrews would have been better interwoven within these pictures instead of a few pages later. When Ash presents the assembly on its wider biblical canvas, the examples go from the world crisis of distress (false worship always leads to scattering (p.83) and how God promises to gather a reassembled world (p.84). The picture of fulfillment in Christ is now presented with great illustrations from the book of Hebrews. Practical applications are put into practice with illustrations on gathering to hear the word (p.91), how it brings unlikely people together (p.92), and how the word of grace shapes us together (p.98).

The appendix looks at Seven Blessings of Consecutive Expository Preaching. He notes and explains these seven blessings. He shows how Consecutive Expository Preaching 1) Safeguards God’s Agenda Against Being Hijacked by Ours. 2) Makes It Harder for Us to Abuse the Bible by Reading it Out of Context. 3) Dilutes the Selectivity of the Preacher. 4) Keeps the Content of the Sermon Fresh and Surprising. 5) Makes for Variety in the Style of the Sermon. 6) Models Good Nourishing Bible Reading for the Ordinary Christian. and how Consecutive Expository Preaching 7) Helps us Preach the Whole Christ from the Whole of Scripture

The only limitation I see to this work are those I believe the author self-imposed. This is not a Biblical theology of preaching, christocentric fulfillment's or an exegetical, grammatical technical guide. The work almost exclusively concerns itself with Moses' words from Deuteronomy as a helpful model of the confidence in God's word.

Ash is surprisingly candid with sharing feelings that many who preach the Gospel have privately felt yet are often reluctant to express. His influences are explicitly stated and he is not afraid to point out dangerous yet popular approaches to preaching today. As a reader, his writing is personal, practical and pithy. The layout of the book is clear and straightforward. The publisher has to be greatly commended for their efforts in aiding this clarity. With such a simple effort to cite references in footnotes instead of end notes, the reader does not have to ever be distracted with the points at hand.

Not only would this be a highly beneficial resource for anyone preaching the word of God it is also helpful for anyone who needs to understand how scripture uniquely empowers and directs. This would help in not only corporate decision making, but individual and familial as well.

Product Details • Paperback: 128 pages • Publisher: Christian Focus (June 15, 2009) • Language: English • ISBN-10: 184550464X • ISBN-13: 978-1845504649 • Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5 x 0.4 inches • Shipping Weight: 4 ounces

Charles Spurgeon Sermon - Divine Sovereignty (2 of 3)

Charles Spurgeon Sermon playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=CDB844A9113F938C

Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon (June 19, 1834 January 31, 1892) was a British Reformed Baptist preacher who remains highly influential among Christians of different denominations, among whom he is still known as the "Prince of Preachers." In his lifetime, Spurgeon preached to around 10,000,000 people, often up to 10 times a week at different places. His sermons have been translated into many languages. Spurgeon was the pastor of the New Park Street Chapel in London for 38 years. In 1857, he started a charity organization called Spurgeon's which now works globally. He also founded Spurgeon's College, which was named after him after his death.

Spurgeon was a prolific author of many types of works including sermons, an autobiography, a commentary, books on prayer, a devotional, a magazine, and more. Many sermons were transcribed as he spoke and were translated into many languages during his lifetime. Arguably, no other author, Christian or otherwise, has more material in print than C.H. Spurgeon.

Charles Spurgeon Sermon - Divine Sovereignty (2 of 3)

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Charles Spurgeon Sermon - Divine Sovereignty (1 of 3)

Charles Spurgeon Sermon playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=CDB844A9113F938C

Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon (June 19, 1834 January 31, 1892) was a British Reformed Baptist preacher who remains highly influential among Christians of different denominations, among whom he is still known as the "Prince of Preachers." In his lifetime, Spurgeon preached to around 10,000,000 people, often up to 10 times a week at different places. His sermons have been translated into many languages. Spurgeon was the pastor of the New Park Street Chapel in London for 38 years. In 1857, he started a charity organization called Spurgeon's which now works globally. He also founded Spurgeon's College, which was named after him after his death.

Spurgeon was a prolific author of many types of works including sermons, an autobiography, a commentary, books on prayer, a devotional, a magazine, and more. Many sermons were transcribed as he spoke and were translated into many languages during his lifetime. Arguably, no other author, Christian or otherwise, has more material in print than C.H. Spurgeon.

Charles Spurgeon Sermon - Divine Sovereignty (1 of 3)

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Covenant vs. Contract in Marriage

Covenant is about what's best for the other person; contract is about what's best for yourself. In a covenental marriage, a couple is in covenant with God through faith in Jesus, and then to be in covenant with one another, and the husband is to lovingly serve and lead the wife as Jesus lovingly serves and leads the church.

This clip is excerpted from the sermon "Men and Marriage," part 3 of Mars Hill Church's Real Marriage sermon series, based off the book of the same name by Pastor Mark and Grace Driscoll. It was preached by Pastor Mark at Mars Hill Downtown Bellevue and released on January 30.

Watch the full sermon here: http://marshill.com/media/real-marriage/men-and-marriage
For more on the Real Marriage book, campaign, and tour, visit:
http://pastormark.tv/campaigns/real-marriage

Monday, February 06, 2012

Piper, Carson, and Keller on Sustaining the Covenant of Marital Love

What sustains the marital bond and affections over the long haul? Three men with a combined 116 years of marriage reflect on what they've learned from God's Word and others along with their experience.
Don Carson, Tim Keller, and John Piper offer insight on falling in love again and again and the ground of covenant in which the flower of love grows. In marriage, man and woman change, but their promise does not, sustained by the God who enacted his covenant between Christ and the church.
As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote to a young married couple, "It is not your love that sustains the marriage, but from now on, the marriage that sustains your love."

For further reading, check out the Lewis Smedes article Keller cites from Christianity Today and read the full Stanley Hauerwas quote in context. Then consider picking up these two powerful books on loving, lasting marriages:

Collin Hansen serves as editorial director for The Gospel Coalition. He is the co-author of A God-Sized Vision: Revival Stories That Stretch and Stir. You can follow him on Twitter.

Friday, February 03, 2012

Be more judgmental

Michael Coren argues in favour of being judgmental, calling sin a sin is a virtue in today's increasingly forgiving society
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/be-more-judgmental/1428181257001

Thursday, February 02, 2012

How You May Be Opening Doors To Demons

This clip is taken from the sermon "Jesus and Demons ," preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll at the Mars Hill Church Ballard campus in Seattle, Washington, on February 14, 2010. It is the 17th sermon in our sermon series, "Luke's Gospel: Investigating the Man Who Is God."

To watch the full sermon, visit: http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/luke/jesus-and-demons

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Greg Koukl - Sufficiency of Scripture

Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason answers the question "What is a compelling argument from Scripture for the sufficiency of Scripture?". For more information, visit http://www.str.org.