Helping Johnny Listen

Helping Johnny Listen (Wipf & Stock, 2010) by Thadeus L. Bergmeier is subtitled Taking Full Advantage of the Sermons We Hear. Bergmeier, a pastor, wants to provide a tool to help the average church member better hear, understand and apply the biblical insights he or she receives during church's preaching.

Preaching Amid Suffering: An Interview with Adam Hamilton

"All of us go through times of tragedy. We experience tragedy in other people's lives, and that seems to fly in the face of the Christian gospel of a God who is loving, just and kind. We share those stories and it's not just theory you're sharing, it's how it really worked in people's lives; but you have to have the theology to link those together."

The Preacher’s Bookshelf: The Pastor: A Memoir by Eugene Peterson

In past generations, one of the things pastors often enjoyed reading were biographies of other pastors and missionaries. The lives of other Christian servants offered a model and inspiration for succeeding generations. Unfortunately, few biographies of pastors are published these days. Fortunately, one that is available draws us into the life of a gentle, brilliant minister named Eugene Peterson.

Back Page Pulpit: What’s on Your Mind?

I never knew I had so many friends until I enrolled in Facebook. In case you've been living under a rock (like the guy in that AFLAC commercial), you've heard about the phenomenon that is Facebook, now with more than 500 million registered participants. They even made a movie about it-The Social Network-which apparently consisted of one smart Harvard kid taking an idea from some other smart Harvard kids and turning it into a bazillionjillion dollars.

The Wisdom of Folly

Most of us are in a search for wisdom, for understanding. We want to know -- we have a hunger for knowledge. We read, we explore, because we want to know; and we admire those who have achieved a certain level of knowledge and wisdom; we celebrate those who are wise.

Preaching in Living Color: How a Trip to Israel Will Add to Your Preaching

Capernaum. Bethlehem. Jerusalem. We know the names of these towns and cities and so many more because of the role they played in the biblical story. As Christians, we are particularly drawn to the places where Jesus and His disciples lived and ministered two millennia ago. We look at the maps and study the background as a way of better understanding the context in which those biblical events took place.