Month: September 2008

Desiring God Videos

The Desiring God Confernece 2008 Videos have been posted online.  I’ve not seen much yet, but you can rest assured that these are valuable for your ministry.

More Thoughts on Language in the Pulpit

A few weeks ago I posted a video from Mark Driscoll discussing the use of strong language.  Another useful tool in this discussion is a recent episode from Albert Mohler’s Radio Program.  Dowload the MP3 or listen to it online.  Bad Language in teh Pulpit

“Advice to a Son in the Ministry” By Basil Manly, Jr.

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As I look back upon it [his life] it seems to me a great catalogue of short-comings. Much that I had planned, I have never attempted-much that I attempted has only partially succeeded. With dying Grotius, I feel much like exclaiming-“Eheu, vitam perdidi laborious, nihil agenda” (I have spent my life laboriously doing nothing). As far as I can, I would like to guard you against my mistakes.

One of my besetting sins has been procrastination. This has not been purely a result of indolence, but often of indecision, and like many other faults, it has connected itself with a virtue, or at least assumed its semblance, i.e., the prudence which does nothing rashly, and decides nothing before time. Hence, often while hesitating, new information has come to me, which turned the scale of decision, and without which I might have decided wrongly. But on the other hand, sometimes while hesitating the golden moment for action has passed, and I have found myself like the dilatory rustic, who is just too late for the train, gazing at the departing opportunity, open mouthed and astonished.-I have decided to fix for myself the rule always to do the day’s work in a day; and when my work is of a sort that it can be measured off, and ascertained to be done, I can observe the rule pretty well. But much of my work is of a sort which knows no limit or completion. . . . The right apportionment of time, when either one of half dozen things that claim one’s attention is sufficient to absorb it all-is often a problem of no small difficulty.

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In Honor of Tethered Preaching

I’ve posted a new article from John Piper on the Articles Page.  In this post from Desiring God Ministries, Piper writes of the differences found between the Bible-oriented preacher and the entertainment-oriented preacher using John Calvin as his example of the Bible-oriented preacher. In part, Pastor Piper writes:  For Calvin, preaching was tethered to the Bible. That is why he …

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Putting The Truth To Work

 

 

Doriani, Daniel M.  Putting the Truth to Work: the Theory and Practice of Biblical Application. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2001.  342pp. $17.99 (much $11.69 at wtsbooks .

 

INTRODUCTION

             As a companion to his excellent work, Getting the Message, Daniel Doriani published Putting the Truth to Work in 2001.  In Getting the Message (Hereafter, GTM), Doriani gave a basic outline for the beginning stages of hermeneutics and exegesis.  In Putting the Truth to Work, the author seeks to apply the basic principles set forth in GTM, through the CAPTOR method of exegesis to the greater task of application. 

            Though wide in scope, the book seeks to answer the main question, “Is the Bible relevant?” (1).  That is, in short, what application is all about.  Showing readers and hearers how the Bible, as a whole and in specific texts, is relevant to their lives and their individual situations.  However, no one can expect to discover the contemporary meaning of the Bible without knowing its original meaning.  That is the assertion of Doriani, and it is that assertion that builds the foundation for this work. 

 

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John Piper Interview

Few men alive today have had and are having as much of an influence on God’s church as John Piper. The Resurgence has posted an interview with Mark Driscoll and John Piper.  The interview is long, but you can download it to your ipod and listen to it in the car.  If you have ever …

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ESV Study Bible

The ESV Study Bible is a long-awaited resource due out next month.  Many people (me too?) seem to be awaiting its release the same way a small child looks forward to Christmas.  I’ve pasted a video about it’s release below.  It is sure to be a valuable resource for study and sermon preparation.

Spurgeon: A New Biography

Charles Spurgeon was, quite possibly, the most gifted preacher the world has ever known outside of Scripture.  In a time before microphones and air conditioning, Spurgeon was known to attract crowds of thousands and to faithfully preach to them the word of God, often begging for the conversion of sinners.  Would that God should raise …

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Faithful, Not Flashy

As pastors, we should always strive to preach messages that are good, well organized, and engaging.  However, we will often find ourselves preaching or teaching certain things that simply are not as flashy as we would like.  Somethings just need to be taught regardless of whether or not they excite the world. So sermon series …

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Why Pastors Should Pay Attention to Chuck Norris’ Book

Chuck Norris doesn’t read books.  He stares them down until he gets the information he wants. Chuck has written a book (well, some people say Chuck Norris doesn’t actually write books, the words assemble themselves out of fear).  Regardless of how this book came to be, I’ve not read it, and my first thought was, “What …

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