Back Page Pulpit: The Ones that Weren’t

This issue marks the completion of 25 years of publication. During those 25 years, we've had lots of great articles, interviews and sermons; but I am thinking not of the articles that have appeared, but of all those interesting articles and sermons we never had a chance to publish.

Proposed Canadian Law Would Impact Preachers

Writing in his April 12, 2004, column, John Leo notes that Canadian preachers will be among those affected if a proposed law is adopted: "Bill C-250 (is) a repressive, anti-free-speech measure that is on the brink of becoming law in Canada. It would add 'sexual orientation' to the Canadian hate propaganda law, thus making public criticism of homosexuality a crime. It is sometimes called the 'Bible as Hate Literature' bill, or simply 'the chill bill.' It could ban publicly expressed opposition to gay marriage or any other political goal of gay groups. The bill has a loophole for religious opposition to homosexuality, but few scholars think it will offer protection, given the strength of the gay lobby and the trend toward censorship in Canada...

High Tech Worship

In a recent Breakpoint commentary, Chuck Colson cited a couple of examples of ways in which technology is driving churches: "A congregation was faced with a financial dilemma. [It} had just installed a very expensive, high-end audio and video system for the church sanctuary and [was] way over budget. To solve the problem, the congregation decided to lay off one of its two pastors. Technology, they were forced to conclude, had a higher priority than pastoral care.

Getting Things Done

David Allen is author of the outstanding book Getting Things Done. He also does a newsletter on the subject, and in a recent issue he shared the fundamental process of GTD: "The fundamental thinking process of GTD is simple, but not simplistic. Whether you are applying it to an e-mail that just landed in your inbox, a problem that just showed up for you to solve, or a great idea that just popped into your mind-there is gold to be mined from these questions in clarifying what "done" and "doing" looks like. Here's a quick exercise to try:

Bob Russell: Preaching and Money

In a recent article, Bob Russell says, "For years I boasted to our congregation that I only preached on stewardship once annually. "It's easy to understand why we tiptoe around the subject of stewardship. Money is still a god to many church members, and many visitors are skeptical of the church's motives. Certain spiritual con men have fleeced their congregations and given preachers a bad name, and we don't want to be identified with them."

Judas According to the Gospels

I offer this message for sermon fodder for pastors as Holy Week is upon us, but also to all of the Body of Christ at large for its edification from this most unusual and surprising source: Judas. Does Judas have anything to teach us from Scripture? Do the 30 shekels and the insincere kiss of diabolical betrayal have any lessons from the Lord for the people of God? Open your Bibles and read on.

‘How Many Staff’ Is the Question

In his Posterous blog, church consultant George Bullard asks: "How many staff persons should a congregation have?" This is a question that has gotten a whole lot more complicated in the past couple of decades. Here is how I historically would answer the question for the typical traditional congregation:

The Cross of Christ

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer, senior pastor of Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, Ill., shares in his book Why the Cross Can Do What Politics Can't, "Many pastors no longer preach about God's holiness and man's depravity, arguing that we must speak to the 'felt needs' of the day. Thus much contemporary preaching centers on relationships within the family, how to conquer depression, and how to have a better self-image. The focus is on how Christ can help a person be a better businessman or career woman rather than on our need to prepare for heaven and face the final judgment. We are told that if we want to be relevant, we must 'scratch people where they itch.'

John Henry Jowett: A Passion for Preaching

On the opening day of the Lyman Beecher Lectures on Preaching at Yale University in 1912, John Henry Jowett said, "I have had but one passion, and I have lived for it-the absorbingly arduous yet glorious work of proclaiming the grace and love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Such a confession revealed a romance with preaching that made Jowett one of the most admired ministers of the early 20th century and subsequently earned him the title "Stylist of the English Pulpit." Jowett was born Aug. 25, 1863, in Halifax, England, in the home of devoted and godly parents. His call to the ministry was influenced by his parents and his church, and it was nurtured through his educational training at Airedale College and Edinburgh University. At first, Jowett was interested in a legal career and considered studying law. However, his Sunday School teacher challenged him to reach a decision about the ministry. In his 17th year, he experienced a definite call and surrendered to "the divine initiative."

Creating an Experience

In an article for PreachingTodaySermons.com on "Crafting an Experience," Rob Bell offers this example of one of his Easter sermons: "These are questions I ask myself. How can I make it as hard as possible for somebody to sit with a holy stare? How can I make it so hard for you have to engage? How can I create an experience such that it becomes harder and harder for people to stay spectators? What's happening in this text? What could I have people do? What could I have them say to each other? What can I have them feel, hold or look at? Is there something I could hand out?...