Archives For Preaching

Some Kindle Deals (that I’ve been waiting for!)

Erik Raymond —  April 10, 2013 — Leave a comment

Often times I scratch my head as to why some Kindle books are so expensive. In the past I have done that with 2 of these listed below. I’m very happy to see that they are on sale for a limited time.

Center Church by Tim Keller ($5.69) Whether you agree or not with Keller (I happen to agree) pastors need to read this book to be encouraged and informed. It is that good. (Amazon Kindle)

Pilgrim Theology by Michael Horton ($7.69) This is Horton’s attempt to make the on-ramp into Systematic Theology more accessible. What results is a doctrinally and devotionally rich systematic theology. I really like this and can’t wait to have my Kindle read it to me. (Amazon Kindle)

Preaching and Preachers by Martyn Lloyd-Jones ($3.99) Arguably one of the 20th Century’s best preachers writing about preaching. This is the 40th anniversary re-release with contributions from contemporary preachers. This is a staple for preachers or aspiring preachers or people who just like preaching. (Amazon Kindle)

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Moleskine iPhone Hack (for Pastors)

Erik Raymond —  February 20, 2013

Pastors have greatly benefited from the recent technological advances. Having only been in full-time ministry for the last 8 years, I have seen a flurry of new gadgets and software that can help me to be more efficient and effective.

At the same time, there is a little recoil. New devices and software present challenges as well as opportunity. How can I employ these means without being a distraction to those I preach to? One such environment is the officiating of a wedding. I have always printed my notes out from a word document and then conducted the wedding. The trouble is: I don’t own a printer and I no longer use Microsoft Word. I put everything in Evernote and use my Desktop / iPad / iPhone. In my estimation I would be about as distracting officiating a wedding with an iPad as I would with my desktop. So I have used my iPhone in the past. The issue here would be that it would slide in my bible and become a distraction, potentially for everyone if I fumbled it.

My solution was to combine the best of both worlds: my trusty (and timelessly trendy) Moleskine Notebook with my iPhone. Think of a combination of Charles Dickens and Shawshank Redemption.

Below are some pics of the process. Trust me when I say that my craft skill rivals a 3-year-old. No one should feel like they could not do this if they wanted to.

Start with the tools (Moleskine Ruled Notebook, iPhone, box cutter, ruler, pencil, coffee).

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The Over-Pronating Pastor and his Sermon Application

Erik Raymond —  September 27, 2012

Awhile back I heard a talk by Tim Keller on preaching. As is often the case, Keller’s thoughts multiply in my mind faster than a rabbit farm. In this instance he was talking about sermon application. I may not have the quotes or points just right, but the gist of it is here.

Sermon application will often focus on either the doctrinal, the pietistic, or the service of others (declaring and/or demonstrating the gospel by loving our neighbors).

Keller’s point was that preachers often have their own leanings to one of these three. As a result their sermon application will tend to accent a particular category. Over the long-haul this begins to lead a congregation to over pronate to one side at the exclusion of the others (not that any of these three are bad, they are just not complete).

The answer is to be aware of our blind spots and to work regularly and faithfully to apply the text. Some of the best sermons will include all three components.

I know where my leanings tend to be. I also know that I can get aggravated when other preachers may not emphasize my particular hobby-horse while riding their own. Keller’s call for thoughtful faithfulness is really a call for balance. Which is another way of saying ‘biblical’.

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When you are so “biblical” that you are unChristian

Erik Raymond —  April 18, 2012

We all have blind spots. We have our issues. Whether we are talking about personal, social, or theological blind spots, we have them. And to say you don’t, is to, well, make my point.

The important thing for us to look for said weaknesses, identify them and replace them. This is living life as a fallen sinner it is reality.

But sometimes our blind spots are our hobby horses. And this is a problem.

I can remember arguing about abortion with a friend who is pro-choice. In the midst of the discussion (it was civil) he called me out on my flippancy concerning life in the various wars that the US is involved in. He had a point. My issue was inconsistent. I had a blind spot.
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Help for Pastoral Prayer During Sermon Prep

Erik Raymond —  February 25, 2012

I appreciated this post from Michael McKinley on prayer and sermon prep. Good stuff.

Most pastors develop a rhythm with their sermon preparation. You find a way that “works” for you and you pretty much stick with it. But until you have the pattern established, it can be messy. And one of the areas with which I struggled at the beginning was how prayer fit into my sermon preparation.

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The State of the Union and the State of the Pulpit

Erik Raymond —  January 25, 2012

All the news attention yesterday and throughout today has been on the President’s State of the Union address. This happens every year in January and it serves to be a good reminder of the President’s accountability to the other branches of government.

This occasion provides more than a civics lesson. It also helps the church think about preaching.

We have heard experts decry preaching as outdated, irrelevant, wastes of time. We cannot possibly expect people to listen, engage, and retain what they are told during a 45 minute sermon on Sunday morning. There is a better way we are told. Maybe we should have conversations or drama or finger painting or whatever.

I have it on good information that the government and in particular President Obama, is pretty good at technology. They also have spent a buck or two on surveys. Yet, they keep on shuffling out President Obama to give us a speech. And this is not a little 15 minute jokey speech, it is a full 1 hour speech.

So what can we learn?

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Hey Pastors, “Your Preaching is Not in Vain!”

Erik Raymond —  December 2, 2011

Everyone is prone to discouragement. No matter our vocation, we all face the temptation to feel like what we are doing does not matter. I can remember working in the military and wondering how much my work really supported the mission. I recall working in Insurance Compliance and debating in my mind as to how in the world all of these reports and analysis really did anything. These are natural and common questions.

From my seat there is no other vocation that trumps pastoral ministry with the feeling of not making a difference. In addition to our knowledge of our own weakness there is the front-row view of many other people’s problems. The pastor sees people at their worst. Whether it is the horrific impact of sin on their lives or the activity of sin within the church. Furthermore, there is the overall burden to see every member presented complete or mature in Christ (Col. 1.28-29). Oh, and by the way, you, Mr Pastor, will give an account for the souls of your sheep (Heb. 13.17).

So here you stand, knee deep in the sludge of personal and corporate sin, knowing your own weakness, and watching sheep alternating between picking each other off and falling asleep, and you ask, “Am I doing anything?”

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