“They will teach the bible until someone pries it from their cold dead fingers.”
Try not to smile
Find it hard to fall asleep at night? Do you wake up feeling like you never went to sleep? This article may serve you. Note: Christians, we need to modify the last tip: meditation. The practice is godly one, all over the Scriptures, but the goal of meditation is communing wit our Lord and His word. Not emptying our minds. We are actually called to fill our minds with the things of God. Empty the trash and fill it with our treasure: Jesus Christ. Marinate and meditate deeply in the Lord, and watch anxiety, worry, fear, distrust etc…, be consumed in the glory of God.
Accountability is a word that seems to have lost it’s meaning these days. It is even sneered at by many. But the goal of accountability is a biblical one - community, encouragement and safety. Accountability can drift into legalism, but gospel centered, God saturated, loving accountability is a wonderful thing.
Over at Desiring God, John Piper posted the questions that their elders go through to help one another in their life with Christ. We have take their questions, edited it for our purposes and added numerous verses to every question.
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Pastoral Accountability (Below should be a document in PDF format, if not, click the link to left of this line or read below)
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PERSONAL & MINISTRY ACCOUNTABILITY
- How are you doing in these following areas?
- Your consistency in satisfying personal devotions? (Psalm 34:8, Psalm 118:18, 2 Cor. 3:18)
- Your battling against ungodly thoughts: unbelief, bitterness
resentment, lust, pride, jealousy, covetousness etc… (Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 6:10-18, Romans 6:6-14) - Your energy for the week ahead? Feel overwhelmed? (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
- Your feelings of effectiveness in your pastoral role? (Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 5:1-3)
- Did you take a day off (sabbath) this week that was fruitful and glorifying to God? (Ex. 20:8, 31:16-17, Lev. 19:30, 1 Cor. 10:31)
- Have I been with a man or woman in this past week that would be seen as
compromising or sinful? (Proverbs 5:8-21, Romans 13:14, 1 Thess. 4:3) - Have any of my financial dealings this week failed to be filled with integrity? (Prov. 28:6, 18)
- Have I viewed sexually explicit material? (Romans 13:14, 1 Thess. 4:3, Eph. 5:3)
- Have I neglected to give appropriate time to my family? Has your spouse expressed
concern? How is your family joy and harmony? (1 Peter, 3:7, Ephesians 5:25-29, 1 Tim. 3, Titus 1) - Assess your eating and exercise this past week? (1 Cor. 6:19-20, 7:4, 10:31)
- Is there anything you would like to be held accountable to, to be prayed over, or rejoice over? (Rm. 12:15, James 5:16)
- Do you see any evidences of grace in the men in this room? (1 Thess. 5:11, Hebrews 3:12-13)
Ever wonder what it looks like to prepare a sermon? Here is what I do.
My way is not THE way, it is one way. My way is probably not even a good way, but it seems to work for me. And my method for prep has changed over the years as my method/rhythm for study and frequency of preaching has changed.
It is really a 4 step process. All of the steps are covered in prayer and much stewing/marinating over the text. This picture should give you a quick overview.
(From Left to Right)
1. Textual Work: I typically print out the text for the week on a single piece of paper and carry it with me just about everywhere. This is where I’ll read the text over and over and over, making notes, comments, underlining, connections, cross references, observations, asking questions, word studies, etc…At this point I am beginnging to make a rough outline of the text. In all of these phases, I’m constantly praying and asking the Holy Spirit to lead me and guide me and to open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things of out the Word (Psalm 119:18).
2. Sermonizing: With the text sitting with me and a moleskin journal, I begin to write out statements, points, and comments that I want to make during the sermon. An outline begins to form on these pages. Applications are being wrung out. Other points or words are being expounded upon. The sermon is forming and is starting to show up at this point. I begin to get a sense in the direction I’m headed. I am also constantly reminding myself of the Gospel and how it rises out of this text and how to portray Jesus as our hero and reward.
3. Commentaries/Consultation: This is an important step for me. Some guys don’t like to consult commentaries or other resources - that seems dangerous. One of the main reasons I need commentaries is - I don’t want to be a heretic. I want to make sure I am falling instep with other trusted teachers of our faith. It is important to make this phase more towards the end of your process and not the beginning. I don’t want to merely be an echo of John Stott, Carson, Spurgeon or Piper, but I do want to be served by them and how they have served their congregations. I also like to consult other men to see if I have missed any major points that would be helpful for our church. Of course I am not going to bring everything Calvin, Chandler or Driscoll have said; we are different men with different churches, so the nuances will be different but we should be hitting the same major points. I want to serve my church well, and make sure I didn’t miss a major point.
Note: not all commentaries are created equal. Some are incredibly boring and overly technical with the original language. Some are plain awful. Some will be written from different theological convictions that you don’t hold - but take the good and forget the rest. You’ll have to discover which commentary series you enjoy and which authors you love, by digging into them. Ask your friends and your pastor which commentaries they find helpful. Ligioner Ministries has a collection of the Top 5 Commentaries on every book of the Bible. This is a great place to start, especially if you are trying to build up your resources (some of these are very scholarly, but read their comments and you’ll be able to discern which will be helpful).
I have also found it helpful to listen to or read a sermon or two on the text that I am preaching. I typically consult John Piper, John MacArthur, Mark Driscoll, and/or C.H. Spurgeon.
4. Pulpit Notes: In the final phase I am putting together the notes that I will actually preach from. Currently I make a one page outline with some notes and exact phrases that I want to say. This will include illustrations and stories that need to be precise to make sure I don’t botch them. I highlight my points in yellow, so I can easily find them and provided a simple break down for my eyes. I then highlight in blue and/or bold either one word of phrase from each line, to serve as a trigger for my mind and a placeholder for my eyes if I get lost. This system isn’t perfect and I am still refining it to better suit me.
What do you do? Do you know what your pastor does? Email me or leave a comment, I’d love to know.
Get some resolve this year. Click on the picture and check out the resolutions of Jonathan Edwards…that’s resolve.
From Sunday’s sermon (1/2/11).
Resolve to….
- Kill your fear and pride and serve your brothers and sisters with the Word of God.
- Pray for the Holy Spirit’s power and leading in your life (how to serve).
- Seek wisdom and counsel from others on your spiritual gift(s).
- Serve. Do. Actually “go and make disciples.”
- Engage in a disciple making.
- Soak your mind in the Word of God for His glory, to serve others, to benefit your soul.
- Be faithful, available & teachable.
The Gospel Sandwich of Sanctification.
How do we become conformed to the image of Christ? A healthy gospel diet with some Holy Spirit power.
Join us on Friday, December 24 @ 6pm at Tomball Jr. High, as we gather to worship the Light of the World… our saviour, God, & King… Jesus Christ. This will be a wonderful evening of worship by song and by the reading of scriptures. The service will be short and for the whole family, so feel free to bring family and friends.
Praise God that we can turn our eyes toward Christ together. Have a Merry Christmas!
- Via
- redeemerblog
In the sermon this past Sunday (Jesus Changes our Relationships: Ephesians 4:1-6), I quoted and recommended some books, to help you walk in everything that Jesus wants for all of your relationships. As you read these books, it is important for us to continually ask for the leadership and assistance of the Holy Spirit, all the while believing that it is no longer us that live, but Jesus who lives in us (Galatians 2:20). And Jesus is the true and better friend, who empowers us to be conformed to His image.
Humility by C.J. Mahaney - This has been one of the most practically helpful books in my life. It created a pebble size dent in my pride, which in the arena of humility/pride, it’s quite an impact - but at the same time, it’s like taking a pebble off the top of Mt. Everest. Still lots of work to be done by the power of the Spirit. And this book has been a helpful tool. The pursuit of humility in our relationships is of utmost importance.
Peacemaker by Ken Sande - I pretty much skimmed this one and looked for the points needed for the sermon; but everything I have heard about this book is outstanding and I look forward to reading it all the way through next year.
Relationships by Tim Lane & Paul Tripp - Having read the majority of this book, I recommend this one to you as well. This book really covers much of the blessings and difficulties of friendships. Very helpful read. There is plenty of great teaching on passages of Scriptures that deal with how we relate to one another. Get this one.
This last week at Redeemer, we looked at the flavor of the Apostle Paul’s prayers for the Ephesians and how this should impact our prayers. Paul was radically changed by Jesus. He was consumed with love and prayer for his brothers and sisters in the Lord.
There were seven things we gleaned from Paul. The first two had to deal with the ‘manner’ of his prayer, while the last five expounded on the content/meat of his prayer for them.
MANNER
1. A Holy Reverence & Passion for God (Ephesians 3:14)
2. Driven to Pray for Others (Ephesians 3:16)
CONTENT (MEAT): What we should pray for others…
3. Strengthened by the Power of the Spirit (Ephesians 3:16)
4. An Awareness of the Nearness of Jesus and Your Need for Him (Ephesians 3:17)
5. Grasp and Grow in the Love of Christ (Ephesians 3:19)
6. Pray Big Prayers and Believe in a Large God (Ephesians 3:21)
7. A God-centered Life, filled with worship of Him (Ephesians 3:20-21)
A must read for all Christian men, especially Pastors. This article looks at how the family, education and the church have birthed a generation of men raised by women. Helpful and inspiring read.
“The gospel’s truth is to saturate our lives just as much as it saturates Paul’s writings and all of Scripture.”
What theological truths are you thankful for? Surely it is all of them, but which in this moment stir your affections?
Sovereignty of God - without believing this, I’d be a basket case.
Deity and Humanity of Christ - makes it all possible. Lifts me up and warms my fledgling heart.
Penal Substitutionary Atonement - my only hope, that Jesus was crushed for all of my sins in my place. Thank you Jesus. Oh the gospel!
Justification - How wonderful. I’ll let the Westminster Larger Catechism explain justification
“Justification is an act of God’s free grace unto sinners, in which he pardons all their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in his sight; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them, and received by faith alone.”
Indwelling of the Spirit - That he is changing me into the image if Christ. Praise God.
The Local Church - Critical to service, sanctification & shining as a light.
I could go on, but….
What theology are you thankful for?
“Outside of heaven, the glory of God in its thickest density dwells inside the Gospel.”
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