The Proclaimer

You're speaking not writing

Tim Ward — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:11:59 +0000

There’s an article in this month’s Briefing that I liked so much that we asked permission to print off a copy for every Cornhill student. It’s called ‘Deadly, dull, and boring’ (now there’s a catchy title). It’s an edited extract from a forthcoming book from Matthias Media on how not to preach deadly, dull and boring sermons. The book’s by Phil Campbell and is called Saving Eutychus (geddit?).

In the article Phil offers ten tips. None of them are about showmanship that attracts attention away from Scripture and towards the preacher. They’re all obvious things about effective oral communication. And, like many obvious things, they’re often only obvious when someone points them out to you. A crucial one that I think would improve many worthy sermons at a stroke is this: use shorter sentences.

Here’s an example from me of a seemingly decent opening line in a sermon: “If you watch the news on TV or read the newspapers, aren’t you often struck by the way in which humanity does not seem able to get any better and keeps repeating the same mistakes?” Now apply Phil’s principle to that and you get something like this instead: “Watch the TV news. Does it look like the world’s getting better and better? Read your newspaper. Is humanity learning from its mistakes?”

The same content, but much punchier and therefore more effective. Not dumbed down, just expressed more engagingly. And as an extra bonus the preacher also get the thrill of breaking all those rules about writing style that your English teacher taught you - if you went to that kind of school.

One other thing. Before I joined the Cornhill staff I used to read The Proclaimer blog (honest), and was always impressed that Adrian’s blogs had time-stamps like 7.07am and 7.16am. I have now discovered to my relief that the blogs are written in advance [Ed: not too much in advance, please note!] and the time-stamp gives the time that the server automatically releases them, or something like that. We try to work hard around here, but not stupidly hard. For the record, I’m finishing this at 8.50am in the real world.

Christ our representative and the shape of evangelical preaching

Tim Ward — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:38:55 +0000

In my most recent post I was recommending an approach to sermon applications from biblical narratives which avoids both simply drawing out moral examples and just preaching biblical-theological points which can feel pretty same-y across lots of different narratives. In this post I want to suggest one possible underlying theological reason why well trained expository preachers in our context are often nervous of moving from preaching the biblical-theological point, e.g. David is a type of Christ winning the victory for us - to also preaching David as a positive example for the believer to follow, e.g. David as a model of faithful action when the honour of God is maligned.

My suggestion goes like this: these two strands of application follow from different aspects of God’s act of salvation in Christ. The ‘biblical-theological’ application is an outworking of Christ’s substitutionary work: he died on the cross in our place, doing what we could never do for ourselves. Hence in seeking to apply 1 Samuel ch.17 we look for what is unique about David in his action on behalf of Israel.

On the other hand, the ‘moral example’ strand of application is an outworking of Christ’s representative work, in particular in the union of the believer with him: we were united with him in his death and raised to new life with him. A key consequence of this is that the believer ought to be growing in Christlikeness, obedient as he was, self-sacrificial as he was. Hence in seeking to apply 1 Samuel ch.17 we will look for what David, even in his function as a type of Christ, shares in common with faithful Christian believers.

My hunch is that some conservative evangelical preachers who have (rightly) drawn deeply on such books as Goldsworthy’s Gospel and Kingdom are nervous about this second kind of ‘moral example’ application because we have tended to be much less familiar in our piety and preaching with Christ’s representative work than with his substitutionary work.

Maybe this puts it more simply: theologically, we should preach (e.g.) David as a unique type of Christ because of what Christ has done for us that we could never do for ourselves. And we should also preach David as an example for the believer because in his role as a type of Christ he demonstrates some of the Christlikeness that we, in our union with Christ, ought to be growing in.

Or even more simply: we’re not David, and also (from another perspective) we are David. The former is what prevents the latter being the dreaded ‘pure moralism’; the latter is what prevents the former from making all the richness of scriptural narrative seem essentially pointless. Such is the mystery of God’s saving action for us in Christ, and therefore such can be the richness of biblical application to those who are in Christ.

Preaching God and example

Tim Ward — Mon, 20 May 2013 06:37:05 +0000

Many preachers in conservative evangelical circles say that they find narrative the hardest parts of Scripture to preach. I think that is particularly true of the way in which we draw appropriate applications from biblical narratives. Here’s the issue for a preacher who already knows that what he ought to be is expounding the text: once I’ve got to the heart of what this passage is really about (what we call at Cornhill the Big Idea, but other names are available), in what particular direction and from which particular angle should I apply that truth? (in Cornhill parlance, what’s the Aim?).

Graham Goldsworthy’s book Gospel and Kingdom many years ago had, so it seems, a significant influence in rightly warning preachers away from simply mining biblical narratives for moral lessons (stuff like “which ‘Goliaths’ in your life should you be slaying?”). That is an extremely helpful corrective, but it can sometimes leave a question hanging. I’ve often heard that question expressed like this: if I’ve taken that kind of warning on board, how can I avoid having essentially the same application in every single sermon of a series I preach on, say, the book of Judges? Won’t that approach lead me to preach just the great theological themes of a passage (nothing wrong with that in itself), but to do so quite repetetively and without paying a great deal of attention to the details of character and plot in each particular text? (To be fair to Goldsworthy, he may deal with that. I ought to re-read Gospel and Kingdom.)

I recently came across this two-fold piece of advice in drawing application from narratives: ‘identify the central act of God in a narrative and observe the way the characters in the drama respond to him’ (Daniel Doriani, Putting the Truth to Work: the theory and practice of biblical application, p.181). The first instruction here is essentially in the Goldsworthy line: avoid moralism and preach what God is doing in this event. The second instruction, though, leads us to the details of the characters and plot in each particular narrative. Doriani is wanting the preacher to hold the characters up to his hearers as models and examples, whether good or bad, of different responses to the actions of God. Thus in 1 Samuel 17 (Doriani’s major example) we must certainly preach that believers now are first of all to identify ourselves with the Israelites cheering on the hillside while they watch God’s appointed champion defeat God’s enemy on their behalf. But in addition to that we can and should also preach David as an example to follow in caring deeply enough for the honour of God to act bravely, and also his brother Eliab and Saul as negative examples, in their own separate ways, of a response to the action of God narrated in the text.

This avoids moralism. It also helps avoid same-y expressions of good biblical theology that might pay too little attention to the details of each particular narrative.

A mindset not a method

Adrian Reynolds — Fri, 17 May 2013 06:31:39 +0000

Expository preaching, says Dick Lucas, is a mindset not a method. That's a really helpful thought and one I've been coming back to again and again recently. Someone asked me last week at our younger ministers conference whether there is a PT approved (!!) set length of passage to preach. That's a fairly bizarre question when you stop to think of it. Every text has a context right up to the context of the whole Bible and if you never stop saying 'this portion I've got belongs in a wider context' you just end up with the Bible as your text - and therefore one (rather long) sermon! So, a bizarre question. But the right answer is that we teach a mindset not a method.

In other words, the answer to the question is no. We do encourage preachers to take whole sections that belong together, especially in OT narrative. But you can preach a text in an expository way just as you can a longer section. (Though preaching a text which is faithful to its context and setting is much harder than a longer section; even though it may appear otherwise). You can even, I believe, have a topical series which is still expository. A wedding sermon can be expository, as can a youth club talk.

All that we teach tends to focus on handling the word of God accurately. These lessons apply whether you're preaching on Acts 2 in its entirety or just verse 42. Both can be expository sermons. Because expository preaching is a mindset not a method.

EMA featured books #4

Adrian Reynolds — Thu, 16 May 2013 06:12:07 +0000

Messages that move by Tim Hawkins is another book about preaching. But don't yawn. Not until you've had a look. For sure, of the making of books about preaching, there is much. But Tim's book is different. For starters, it's written in a quirky, but engaging style that those who know Tim or have read any of his material will recognise. This means it is easily readable - a great feat for a book on the "how to" of preaching. What others preaching books can you say that about? Secondly, it is remarkably thorough and deals comprehensively and helpfully with all aspects of a message, including some of the parts of preaching that other texts leave behind - introductions, conclusions, illustrations. All very helpful comments on these from Tim.

So, it may be another book on preaching. That is fact. But it is a very welcome one.

For sure, this is not an advanced textbook. As such, it is a book that will serve two audiences. For experienced preachers there are really useful lessons and nuggets to ensure your preaching stays sharp and on track. For less experienced preachers (perhaps the primary audience?) this will serve as a really good introduction to preaching. I could easily see us getting a copy of this, for example, for each of our occasional preachers in church. Just occasionally I found myself disagreeing with Tim as did the member of our BookPanel who reviewed it: for example, we thought it is possible to preach on a passage such as Phil 4 and the end result being to stir emotions rather than being concerned that someone should do something as a result. Nevertheless, that's a minor criticism. There's much here to encourage existing preachers and build new ones. My commendation was genuinely heartfelt: "In this delightfully practical book you'll find down to earth wisdom, helpful encouragement and biblical exhortation. Read it and buy a copy for a fellow preacher."

Or, as our BookPanel member said, " I run a preaching group in the summer term, and I'll get my guys to read this as part of it." Perhaps you should do likewise?

EMA featured books #3

Adrian Reynolds — Wed, 15 May 2013 06:43:49 +0000

The God who became human by Graham Cole is the latest in IVP's New Studies in Biblical Theology (NSBT). This series has some really outstanding contributions in it now, and it's always a delight to stock them. This particular one is an excellent volume. I read it in one sitting and will come back to it again and again - at its most basic it is a biblical theology of the incarnation - nothing ground-breaking there, you might think. But as he goes along, Graham interacts with all kinds of viewpoints and issues, making this one of those books that is greater than the sum of its parts. Technical at times, and with lots of quotes, but clear chapters and conclusions and lots to make this preacher think about both his worship and his preaching - not least about theophanies, Blackham's OT theology, and the wonder of the incarnation. It's not out yet, but will be available at the EMA. Deeper than the average read, but worth some of your British spondoolies.

Don't believe everything you read...

Adrian Reynolds — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:49:16 +0000

A salutary warning about our words can be misquoted - in a positive article in Monday's Times about US evangelicals, Tim Keller was quoted as saying it was possible to believe that homosexuality was a sin but still be in favour of gay marriage. This actually was lifted straight from an article at the Huffington Post (lazy journalism, one might argue, but then the writer of the article, Tim Montgomerie, found fame as a blogger). As Keller clarifies here, he did say these words, but in response to articulating what some anabaptists held as a position. In other words, as a statement of fact as to what others believe. We shouldn't be surprised that words get twisted or even misinterpreted, I suppose. Hey ho.

Waiting on God to refresh our strength

Adrian Reynolds — Tue, 14 May 2013 06:16:22 +0000

Following on from yesterday's post, I've found this little quote from Richard Sibbes (taken from The love of Christ) to be a remarkable encouragement:

If we find not our suits answered so soon as we would, remember we have made him wait for us also. Perhaps to humble us, and after that to encourage us, he will make us wait; for we have made him wait. Let us not give over, for certainly he that desires us to open, that he may pour out his grace upon us, he will not reject us when we come to him (Matt 7.7). If he answers us not at first, yet he will at last. Let us go on and wait, seeing as there is no duty pressed more in Scritpure than this. And we see it in equity, 'He waits for us' (Isaiah 30.8). It is good reason we should wait for him. If we have not comfort presently when we desire it, let us attend upon Christ as he hath attended upon us, for when he comes, he comes with advantage. So that when we wait, we lose nothing thereby, but are gainers by it, increasing our patience (James 1.4). The longer we wait, he comes with the more abundant grace and comfort in the end, and shows himself rich, and bountiful to them that wait upon him (Isaiah 40.1).

Running on empty

Adrian Reynolds — Sun, 12 May 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Ministers are not machines. Had you noticed? We therefore need to take care of ourselves (and encourage others to take care of us). Reflecting on my own weak humanity this week I wonder whether we may be inclined to only concentrate on certain aspects of our lives and therefore find ourselves, without warning perhaps, running on empty?

We are spiritual people and therefore we need to take care over our spiritual walk. I guess most of us are aware of this. But what steps are you taking to guard your walk with Christ and make sure this element of your life is not empty.
We are physical people and therefore we need to take care over our bodies. We simply cannot operate as ministers if our bodies are so worn down that they won't operate. So, we need to take care over the hours we are working, the sleep we are getting, the exercise we are seeking and the downtime we are building in. We can be at the heights of our spiritual prowess, but if our bodies are groaning and creaking we won't be able to sustain ministry.
We are emotional people and therefore we need to take care over our emotions. I've worked out recently that my emotional tank is pretty near empty. There are lots of reasons for why our emotional strength may be drained; circumstances at home, church situations, pressures of other kinds. We may be in top shape physically, spiritually but be emotionally void. We are not going to be in any shape to minister to others, a ministry which is full of emotional giving out. What are you building into your timetable to recharge emotional energy?

Take a quick check. How are the fuel tanks in your ministry?

EMA featured books #3

Christopher Ash — Thu, 09 May 2013 08:40:54 +0000

Look out at the EMA for one of the best books of 2013: Serving without sinking by John Hindley. Quite simply, this book did me good. It is fresh, warm, honest and richly filled with grace, informed by a gritty realism, shot through with pastoral perspectives. There is something in it for every Christian.