I have been reading a very helpful book by fellow blogger Robert Gelinas entitled Finding the Groove: Composing a Jazz Shaped Faith. Gelinas uses Jazz as a metaphor for understanding the Christian faith. I want to riff on the book over the next few posts.
Month: December 2009
Living Into A New Year
I have heard many reflections on the rapidly closing year. Some have said it was a groundbreaking year in which they praise God. Others are happy that what they feel was a…
Preaching With Courage
Dr. Brad Braxton told me many times with various levels of earnestness, “Sherman, if you are going to preach, you are going to have to have courage.” As I interpreted this call, I always found that he was right, we have to have courage. This courage is a courage to tell the truth.
Preaching That is an Echo Of The Status Quo
Perhaps you have seen this kind of preacher. She or he speaks with great conviction attacking sin with power. The preacher will often say words like “you may not like it…but I have to tell you” or “I’m gonna preach it anyway…”
Don’t Lose The Cross
Sometimes the people shout, the preacher’s reputation as a great one increases, and the house is wrecked but something is slightly missing. The exhiliration of the moment feels good and yet it is noticable. Too often we can easily miss the cross in our messages.
What Is The Black Preaching Tradition?
I was talking to a Black preacher the other day about great Black preachers and Black preaching. This preacher then began to talk about some of the big media preachers and how he is attempting to emulate their style. This preacher even called one of these media preachers a genius. I asked him what was so appealing about the preacher. He mostly talked about the style of the preacher.
A Gospel Everyone Accepts
Is the gospel you preach acceptable to everyone? It seems as though many of us are working under the asumption that our message will never ruffle any feathers and will always make everyone shout. It will never push us to a higher level of living. This type of Gospel presentation can foster no change, becuase it never even asks for it.
Preaching In Images
One powerful way to think about preaching, especially in this era, is to see the sermon as a series of images. It is set up like a motion picture or a story….
Preaching During Advent
We are well in the season of Advent. It is here that we look at the Coming Kingdom from three angles. First we look at it from the angle of Christ’s first…
Preaching To Your Demographic?
Today we live in an era that attacks the very idea of preaching to everybody. Our “church growth” consultants tell us to tailor our theology, worship, programs, and our community in general…
Let Your Content Shout
Great sermons will have increases in intensity. Especially as you near the end of the sermon, the intensity of the sermon causes the people to really get involved in truth of the Gospel.
What Happened to the Prophets?
I am currently reading the work by Marvin McMickle entitled Where have all the prophets gone? Where have the prophets gone? In the book McMickle looks at 4 trends that have caused the prophetic voice of the prophets to be blunted in the Christian church.
The Bible Teacher’s Great Objective
Bible Teaching is not about simply transferring information. It includes that, but it also includes changing the lives of the people you have been called to teach the Word to. Rick Blackwood,…
Audio 35 – Gospel Ain’t Good News For Everyone
Praise God for the Word of the coming Kingdom of God. This is certainly good news, but is it good news for everyone? Do we betray the radical nature of the coming…