Faith and Failure

There are many people in Scripture who have failed miserably and been restored and re-commissioned by God. Such people were assigned important tasks in the kingdom of God and achieved great things for God by His grace. It is important to consider the whole notion of 'faith and failure' from a Scriptural perspective and meet the people whose lives (including their mistakes and sins) are recorded for our instruction and edification.

Wonderfully Made for the Journey (Baccalaureate)

You have been wonderfully made for the journey to all those places you will go. I pray you realize that and trust you do so with humility. You are to be cheered for your many accomplishments and the manner in which you have conducted yourselves during the course of your high school journey, especially during this past year. As a result of what you've experienced and what you've learned, you have some of the stuff that is necessary for making the trip to all those places you will go in life.

Resource: Doctrines Dance, According to Book

Preachers who want doctrinal substance in their sermons must pore over God's Word with intensity, Robert Smith Jr. writes in his new book, Doctrine that Dances: Bringing Doctrinal Preaching and Teaching to Life. Doctrine that Dances, named by Preaching magazine as its "Book of the Year," is published by from B&H Publishing Group of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Pastoral Malpractice

I would consider pastoral malpractice among the greatest treasons a minister can commit against the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, it is practiced weekly without inhibition. What do I mean by pastoral malpractice? I mean ministers who stand and preach a gospel other than God's rightful need for punitive justice against our sin and His wrath being appeased by pouring out upon Christ judgment intended for us. He in turn sets us in right legal standing before Himself, through faith in what Jesus has done, while simultaneously giving to us His holy righteousness.

William E. Sangster: In the Wake of the Wesleys

At the heart of London is Wesminster, with the houses of Parliament and four commanding churches: Wesminster Abbey, the national church (Anglican); Westminster Cathedral (Roman Catholic); Westminster Chapel (Congregational); and Westminster Central Hall (Methodist), across from the Abbey. The latter has been a great preaching palace; and in his 24 years as pastor, Dinsdale T. Young, a preacher of redemption and an evangelist, filled its 3,000 seats with the largest audiences in London (Oswald Chambers was his protege). He died in 1938; and the next year, William E. Sangster was appointed pastor.

Miley Cyrus and the Disappearance of Childhood

Sometimes I think the late Neil Postman is the prophet for out time. After reading about the Miley Cyrus photo fiasco, I am convinced of this. If you have a pre-teen daughter, you know that Miley is the star of "Hannah Montana," the hugely popular Disney television series. This 15-year-old is the singing-acting-dancing daughter of country music singer Billy Ray Cyrus. "Hannah Montana" and Disney have crafted the image of this young lady as a safe role model for little girls.

Preaching on Homosexuality: Taking the Road Less Traveled

Several years ago I spoke to 1,400 church-goers representing more than two dozen churches. Filling an auditorium to capacity and spilling into an overflow area equipped with closed circuit television, their motivation to hear me, a former homosexual, resulted from a series of pro-homosexual ads in their local newspaper.

Is There Any Word from the Lord?

Doctrinal preaching is all about handling biblical truth as the "true and living Word" that it is, with the sermon functioning as a privileged partner with doctrine in what can be described as a joyous doxological dance to the glory of God. "Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate" (Matt. 19:6, NIV). These are the words of Jesus. Used in the context of preaching, they reflect a critical linkage between didache (teaching) and kerygma (proclamation). Doctrinal preaching is both content centered (teaching to instruct the mind) and intent centered (preaching to move the heart). Doctrine and joy interpenetrate and are intertwined.

Preaching in a Changing Culture: An Interview with Ron Martoia

After eighteen years as pastor of a church he planted, Ron Martoia's ministry has shifted to that of a "transformational architect," equipping leaders to deal with change. His speaking and writing seeks to help leaders understand a shifting culture and learn to minister effectively in an era of change. (You can visit his website at velocityculture.com.) He recently visited with Preaching editor Michael Duduit about what he is learning and how that can help preachers in an era of cultural transformation...