Preaching

The following is from the end of an article by John Piper on preaching: "I stand vigilantly on the precipice of eternity speaking to people who this week could go over the edge whether they are ready to or not. I will be called to account for what I said there.  That's what I mean by preaching." Read "My View on Preaching" by John Piper.  

"The greatest compliment anyone could give you about your preaching ministry is that the way you preach is the way you are in real life. The key word is authenticity. The preaching of truth is communicated through an individual’s personality." - James McDonald ("Two Tips for Powerful and Authentic Preaching")

The following are my notes from a luncheon with Vince Antonucci. He's the founding pastor at Verve on the Las Vegas strip. He spoke on his approach to preaching. 1. Unfold their arms.  Unchurched people tend to be defensive and they expect to not like church. 2. Find their statues.  What common ground do you have?  How can you take what they recognize and use it to open a door for your message? 3. Slow brew the relationship.  Build relational glue. As they begin to trust you, they will listen to you. 4. Where have you gone Joe Dimaggio? (Ran out everything - because some kid may be watching first game). Your assumptions determine your audience.  If you assume they know the characters of the Bible, you will lose those who lack a biblical background. 5. Make it epic. Paint it with a story. Connect it to a hero.  People…

In simple terms, the "gospel" refers to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  Through his atoning death and the power of his resurrection, he is able to make wayward sinners friends of God.  In short, he is able to do for us what we are unable to do for ourselves. As one called to preach, I've thought about how the gospel should infuse our preaching.  Not every message must be an explicit explanation of the gospel.  But every message should strike a note of hope, offering a bit of gospel to the topic at hand. Gospel-centered preaching recognizes that the true power of transformation lies with God, not within us.  Reconciliation, forgiveness, patience, endurance -- and other godly virtues -- are the result of allowing God to work in our lives. When we give the impression that we are "three steps" from any life change without mentioning God's role,…

One of the most daunting tasks a person can undertake is preaching.  Every seven days you must stand before a group of people and offer a word from God to them.  If you're week gets filled with appointments, Sunday is still on the way. A preacher must wrestle with the text before he can adequately present it.  There are times when clarity unfolds slowly.  Yet, the preacher must find the right words to describe The Word. Preaching is also one of the most fulfilling tasks a pastor can undertake. As one entrusted with the word of God and people's lives, we stand at a unique intersection. We have the opportunity to meet real people with real needs -- and do so in the power of the Holy Spirit.  On any given weekend, we will stand before a variety of people, each expecting to hear from God. It's why no one…