#preaching

Glibness

I continue to read through Dallimore’s biography of George Whitefield and recently reached the portion which discusses John Wesley’s infamous and divisive sermon called “Free Grace.” This was the sermon that began a significant rift between Whitefield and the Wesleys, for not only did it set them at theological odds, but it also betrayed Whitefield’s trust in Wesley. Though the men loved each other, this sermon was a very significant force in the separation between them that soon became necessary. …

Plagiarism In The Pulpit

Two months ago, Suzanne Sataline published an article in the Wall Street Journal. The article was cleverly titled “Veneration Gap: A Popular Strategy For Church Growth Splits Congregants” and dealt with churches that had been split apart through the attempts of their leaders to convert them to the Purpose Driven paradigm. Last month I wrote an article that was, in part, inspired by that one. I wrote about the church’s dirty laundry and expressed concern that Christians should be very …

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The Benefit Obtained By Preaching

As I read Marsden’s biography of Jonthan Edwards last week, I was stopped short several times by Edwards’ wisdom. Constantly surrounded by conflict, and often facing people who sought to undermine his ministry, Edwards had every opportunity to reflect on the task of a minister. During his ministry, one conflict involved whether sermons should primarily enlighten the mind or whether they should primarily stir the affections. Charles Chauncy, his opponent in this debate, believed that “an enlightened mind, and not …

Expository Preaching

There are many different types of preaching. Generally they can be divided into five categories, though you must realize that sometimes a single preacher can utilize multiple styles even in a single message. The five main types are: Anecdotal – Preaching based primarily on the recounting of stories which convey a moral lesson. Biographical – Preaching that provides a biography of a person and draws moral lessons from the person’s life. Topical – Preaching where the minister decides on a …