A More Clear Knowledge of Christ

In the introduction to his commentary on the Gospel of Luke, J.C. Ryle (more from Ryle here) gives us the goal of his exposition:

I have a strong conviction that we want more reverent, deep-searching study of the Scripture in the present day. Most Christians see nothing beyond the surface of the Bible when they read it. We want a more clear knowledge of Christ as a living Person, a living priest, a living physician, a living friend, a living advocate at the right hand of God, and a living Saviour soon about to come again. Most Christians know little about Christianity but its skeleton of doctrines. If I can do anything to make Christ and the Bible more honourable in these latter days, I shall be truly thankful and content.

A better summary of my main aim in preaching through this wonderful book of the New Testament. I encourage you to begin reading and meditating upon Luke as we enter into a new expository season.

Too Much a Minister and Too Little a Man

“There is such a thing as trying to be too much a minister, and becoming too little a man; though the more of a true man you are, the more truly will you be what a servant of the Lord should be. Schoolmasters and ministers have generally an appearance peculiarly their own: in the wrong sense, they ‘are not as other men are’. They are too often speckled birds, looking as if they were not at home among the other inhabitants of the country; but awkward and peculiar. When I have seen a flamingo gravely stalking along, an owl blinking in the shade, or a stork demurely lost in thought, I have been irresistibly led to remember some of my dignified brethren of the teaching and preaching fraternity, who are so marvelously proper at all times that they are just a shade amusing. Their very respectable, stilted, dignified, important, self restrained manner is easily acquired; but is it worth acquiring? . . . I know brethren who, from head to foot, in garb, tone, manner, necktie, and boots, are so utterly parsonic that no particle of manhood is visible.”
- Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students
“The Minister’s Ordinary Conversation”

Certainties that Drive Ministry

I had a few days to study, pray, and prepare this week. I thank God for a church whose leadership values and allows my study and preparation (and believe me, there are many churches that do NOT value such things). I want to commend two messages to you from Desiring God ministries and the ministry of John MacArthur.

Part One and Part Two- you can watch or listen online or download. The insights and biblical truths set forth by Pastor John MacArthur brought me to tears and caused me to applaud several times in the solitude of my car along I-10 and I-75. I hope and pray his messages will cause such responses in the hearts of other Oaksters as well.

Don't Waste Your Pulpit

Dan Phillips rants against the tragic state of preaching in evangelical America. I sadly must concur. When I was on sabbatical rest a couple years back we visited some eight or nine churches. Most of them were full of great folks ready to hear the Word. Yet the Word was painfully missing! We grew to dread Sunday morning and longed to be back at Four Oaks. Here's the deal. I am not saying that we didn't like the style of the worship music, or had any major issues doctrinally with these churches that left me jaded. It wasn't that the pastors weren't capable and gifted communicators, because they most certainly were. The pews seemed to be full of people who loved Jesus and one another. The frightening reality was that the sermons were woefully lacking in biblical content (many times I had difficulty knowing exactly which passage was under consideration), courage, and any sort of prophetic voice.

Pray for the pastors in your church, in your community, and in our country. Pastoral ministry can be pretty rough, emotional draining, filled with tyrannically urgent nonsense, and sometimes the sermon simply gets lost in the shuffle.

Paul's charge to all of us Timothy's remains as urgent today as it did two thousand years ago: "Preach the Word!"

A Discussion Between Piper and MacArthur

This past Friday evening John MacArthur spoke at the annual Desiring God national conference. After his message, he and John Piper sat down for an interview about their friendship, their fathers, their ministries, families, struggles, and many other things. You can watch or listen here.

This Vaporous Life

I just realized, it takes me a while to do the math, that Dr. Kennedy was 28 when he began preaching and teaching at Coral Ridge.

I was 28 when I came on here at Four Oaks. What a joy and blessing it would be to lead this fellowship for 48 years! (I know that for some of you this might seem frightening.)

I'm sure that in that last week for Dr. Kennedy, he could look back over those 48 years with incredible thanks and praise. And, I'm sure, they seemed to fly by like so many quick fleeting breaths. One day you are 28, the next you are settling into your bed for your last evening on this earth.

Don't waste your life.

D. James Kennedy in Glory

I am sad to say that I just found out that Dr. D. James Kennedy died earlier this month.
What a glorious joy for him to be with Christ, what a sadness for us that he has left us behind.

Dr. Kennedy was a champion of reformed theology, evangelism, the engagement of the public realm by the Christian, and a committed bible teacher in a local church for 48 year. That last accomplishment alone makes him my hero.

Read more here.

Pulpit Correctness

There is a phenomenon in the evangelical church I like to call 'pulpit correctness'. It is a term of course borrowed from the concept in broader cultural experience we call 'political correctness'- defined aptly over at Wikipedia,

"Political correctness (PC or politically correct) is a term used to describe language, ideas, policies, or behavior seen as seeking to minimize offense to racial, cultural, or other identity groups. The term is also used in a broader sense to describe adherence to any political or cultural orthodoxy. Conversely, the term politically incorrect is used to refer to language or ideas that may cause offense; or that are unconstrained by orthodoxy."

Now, our pulpits must be 'constrained by orthodoxy', so this definition can't directly correspond to what we might try and define as pulpit correctness. So, I'll try and get us going.

I think of 'pulpit correctness' as the broad sanitization of preaching and pulpiteering so as to have maximum appeal in the broader evangelical consensus (whatever that may be, but a trip to your local 'christian' 'bookstore' might give you some ideas).

Pulpit correctness is preaching to the choir.

Pulpit correctness is preaching exactly what your people expect you might say about a given topic or passage (of course 'topic' mostly these days). It is failing to communicate the truth of Scripture in a bold, exciting, and fresh way while maintaining faithfulness to the text. It is missing out on power by minimizing risk in preaching.

Pulpit correctness is pulling your prophetic and pastoral punches (sorry for the alliteration).

Pulpit correctness is peddling and pandering (more alliteration) to the median expectation at the cost of direct application where such is due.

It's embodied in this fictional, yet weirdly familiar, preacher guy:

Pulpit correctness is the fulfillment of Paul's prophecy, evident in many a pulpit today, "but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." (2 Tim. 4:3-4)

Why Expository Preaching? #10

Because it is a source of biblical learning and growth in understanding for the preacher.

Topical sermons and series are often issues brought up by the preacher based on his knowledge of the topic and used to simply uphold his current understanding of it. It will be much more difficult for me to preach on the issue of the gifts of the Spirit with a preconcieved opinion, an established bias, or a pet agenda- and not be led and instructed by the Word before even preaching it. Why? because I will be moving expositionally through 1 Cor. 12-14 in the context of the entire epistle, relating each part to the whole and to the whole counsel of God's Word as well. If I exclude one thing, or put an emphasis on another, my manipulations and ommisions will be obvious from the text in front of us as well as by assumptions of the expositional method that is by now so familiar to the congregation. I fully expect to grow and learn from 1 Cor. 12-14 in a deep way as a disciple, through expositional preparation- before I even begin to address these passages from the pulpit as a preacher.

Mark Dever says it this way, "If preachers do not in practice regularly preach expositionally, I'm convinced that they will never preach more than they knew when they began the whole exercise." (Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, p.27)

Why Expository Preaching? #9

Because it is the method best suited to faithfully emulate the Apostolic ministry commended to the church in 2 Corinthians 4:2:

"Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God."

Here's a great exhortation to expository preaching based on this passage.

Why Expository Preaching? #8

Because the inductive method of study that is integral to the proper study, interpretation, and application of the Scriptures is best suited to biblical exposition (as opposed to 'topical' methods). A pulpit ministry sets the example for the local body as to how the Scriptures are to be studied, explored, interpreted, and applied. Therefore, a preacher should be teaching not only the content of the Word in his preaching but also how this content is rightly handled (2 Tim. 2:15).

Why Expository Preaching? #7

Because it honors the nature of God's revelation to us. God did not give us Scripture in prooftexts, or in bytes arranged on a given subject. God's Word came in historical narrative, poetry, prophetic prose, gospel narrative, epistles, etc. The most faithful approach to unfolding such works is by working within and through a given book with care, precision, and faithful labor over time.

Why Expository Preaching? #6

It forces us to preach through the 'hard passages' of Scripture and deal with difficult issues as they come up in our exposition. For example, in a few weeks I must preach on headcoverings and male authority in the home and church. I do not want to do this (though some of you think me somewhat of a masochist), but I must because it is in God's Word. Exposition keeps us from 'pet' topics and serving merely 'felt needs' in the pulpit.

Why Expository Preaching? #5

Because it forces us to bring the whole counsel of God upon each text, and not arrange texts around our choices of topics.

Why Expository Preaching? #4

Because you are not nearly as funny, relevant, culturally savvy, and creative as you think you are.

Why Expository Preaching? #3

Bible Exposition is the primary homiletical pattern of the Bible.

Bible exposition was practiced by Moses and the Elders at Sinai. Exposition of the Tanach was the basic source of all prophetic discourse. Ezra and the Great Synagogue practiced it repeatedly. In essence, Biblical exposition lay at the heart of Tanaiatic Judaism of the intertestamental period and deviation from Bible exposition was the primary point of Jesus' rebukes and greatest discourses. The Apostles all practiced exposition in their discourses in Acts from Pentecost and Peter's use of Joel through Stephen's great "Walk throught the Bible." And finally, it is the call to Biblical exposition in I, II Tim and Titus that dominates Paul's last words to the pastors and churches he planted. His final words to the Ephesian elders at Miletus sums it up: "I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32) A better question might be: "Is any other kind of preaching warranted by Scripture other than expository preaching?"

Why Expository Preaching? #2

A belief in the inerrancy, authority, and infallibility of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

". . . it seems our commitment to inerrancy is somewhat lacking in the way it fleshes out in practical ministry. Specifically, evangelical preaching ought to reflect our conviction that God's Word is infallible and inerrant. Too often it does not. In fact, there is a discernible trend in contemporary evangelicalism away from biblical preaching and a drift toward an experience-centered, pragmatic, topical approach in the pulpit." - John MacArthur, The Mandate of Biblical Inerrancy: Expository Preaching

Why Expository Preaching? #1

Because our corporate worship (and life, for that matter) is short, and there is precious little time to waste. Spend as much of it as you can with your finger on the page and your heart under the Word as it has been delivered, and not as it has been strategically arranged for you for the sake of a 'series' or 'topic'.

Why Expository Preaching?

In a recent Leadership Journal there was some discussion of good preaching. The question was put to three pastors, "What does good preaching mean in your church context?" The answers were, well, quite sad.

The question is sad as well. Good preaching is good preaching, in any context. So, what then, is good preaching in any context?

If you've been around Four Oaks for more than a week or so, you've heard me talk about expository preaching. What is it?

Al Mohler gives a great concise definition:

"Expository preaching is that mode of Christian preaching that takes as its central purpose the presentation and application of the text of the Bible. All other issues and concerns are subordinated to the central task of presenting the biblical text. As the word of God, the text of Scripture has the right to establish both the substance and the structure of the sermon. Genuine exposition takes place when the preacher sets forth the meaning and message of the biblical text and makes clear how the word of God establishes the identity and worldview of the church as the people of God."

Bryan Chapell puts it this way:

"Proponents of expository preaching would say this: An expositor is solemnly bound to say what God says. In an expository message we relate precisely what a text of Scripture says. A more technical explanation—an old one that I hold to—is that an expository message gets its main points and its sub-points directly from the text.
A textual message gets its main points from the text but its developmental components elsewhere. A topical message gets only its topic from the text and could be developed according to the nature of the topics rather than the text. An expository message, however, says what the text says and gets all its developmental features from the text as well."

There you have it. I'll be posting several reasons in the upcoming days offering reasons why all preachers should be expositors.

Good Preaching?

I get the pastor trade journal, Leadership. I don't know why I read it. It usually only causes me angst over state of the evangelical church and the evangelical pastorate. I always mutter to myself that I need to read it to 'keep up' and 'keep current' or some such nonsense. And it is nonsense. Hey Pastors- you want to keep current? Read 2 Timothy 4: 1-5. Now, memorize it. Then, do it. Please. We need more 'hip' and 'current' pastors like we need more infomercials.

In the latest 'Leadership' (interesting title, seeing as how I see no trace of biblical leadership upon its glossy pages) we find a discussion of technology and preaching. The question is asked of three pastors, "What does 'good preaching' mean in your church's context?"

Here are their answers:

Pastor 1: Our church is in an urban setting with a multi-ethnic congregation that is about 65 percent Hispanic. We also have Indians, African-Americans, Chinese, Filipinos, Italians, and whites. Good preaching means people's lives are being changed. If I can see that, if I see the connection taking place, I consider that good preaching."

Pastor 2: Ours is a multi-cultural church, too, made up of light white, darker white, and medium white—but definitely white. (Laughter.)
For us transformation is the goal of preaching. We're coming out of a time when merely presenting the text was the goal. That's still incredibly important, but now we're asking, "Does the preaching help anyone? Is it changing lives? Did the sermon help Christ be formed in people?"

Pastor 3: The culture of my church is a 300-person Mennonite congregation and it's multi-cultural only so far as about a third are over the age of 65, a third are in midlife, and a third are under the age of 30. When I started, I was very focused on the question of effectiveness. I found myself drowning because unless I saw some really big life change happening, I felt like a failure. I had a therapist (I'll admit it), and he said to me, "Shane, I went from being an average therapist to being a really great therapist when I simply offered interventions and I stopped being invested in the outcomes." That was a big insight for me. So for me good preaching is being connected to who God's made me to be, and not investing my identity in the outcomes.

What is wrong with these answers? First, not one of these men defined preaching from the standpoint of God's revelation to us as to what 'good preaching' might be. And God's Word does say quite a bit about preaching and the faithfulness of preachers. In these men's assesment preaching is evaluated by our perception of change in others, our perception of God's activity in others, our understanding of the 'outcome': does it help anyone? is it changing lives? can I see the connection taking place? Of course there is a place for all of this. Of course we must ask such questions at some level. But these questions, these human perceptions should be secondary to faithfulness to the Word, faithfulness in proclaiming the truth of the Gospel, faithfulness as a steward of the mysteries of the gospel. God simply does not call the preacher to faithfulness in 'evaluating change', seeing connections between you and the people, noting the 'helpfulness' of a sermon. Ultimately all of those things are sovereign realities, to be left up to God and his activity in convicting the human heart and bringing change by his Spirit.

Pastor #3 almost gave us the right answer. He says that he was drowning in ministry, 'focused on the question of effectiveness'. Any pastor worth his hire would admit that we are always keeping our nostrils just above the waves. Amen. You are never 'effective' enough. There is always some disgruntled naysayer, another tech wave to be surfed, another budget trend to be adjusted, a demographic to be catered to. But, sadly, just when we think one of these pastors might talk some sense, we are taken down a man centered therapeutic path to evaluating preaching: "good preaching is being connected to who God's made me to be, and not investing my identity in the outcomes." Huh? Again, this isn't necessarily a wrong or unbiblical sentiment in its place (if I understand what he means, which I'm not sure I do, but then I might be out of touch with my feelings and my perceptions of others). But whatever he means, it is not the answer to the question at hand.

Imagine Jeremiah walking away from the temple courts with his associate pastors, "Was that helpful? Let's poll folks and get a feel for how 'life changing' that sermon was?"

Or Paul sitting alone at night in Athens going through a post-Areopagite sermon evaluation form, "Connect with audience: check. See life change: check. Connected with who God's made me to be: check."

So let's let Paul define good preaching:

1 Timothy 4:11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

1 Timothy 6:2 . . .These are the things you are to teach and urge on them. 3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing.

1 Timothy 6:13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith.

2 Timothy 1:13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

2 Timothy 3:14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 4:1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

These exhortations lead a young pastor toward God's design for preaching. And as our preaching adheres to the truth of God's Word then it will be 'current' and 'relevant', 'helpful', and 'transforming'. As our preaching soundly exposes this truth to the hearts of men and the hearts of men to the truth of the word then our preaching will be 'good', no matter the season, cultural context, or market share.