Engaging preaching avoids merely using the Scripture text as a trampoline to jump to the topic the preacher really wants to talk about. Instead, faithful and engaging preachers preach the text. Preaching the text requires studying the text. Studying the text requires attention to placing the text in context and understanding its genre. Once these…
What I’ve Learned on Sabbatical
I've read a few different articles and listened to a few podcast episodes about pastoral sabbaticals. I've also had conversations with various pastors about their sabbatical experiences. And the one thing I've come to realize is that no one knows how to sabbatical. There are no pre-determined rules or ways that a typical sabbatical unfolds.…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.2.15 | All Truth is God’s Truth
When we read non-Christian authors, we should be reminded that the amazing power of the human mind when they make incredible insights into the world. The human mind still has many admirable gifts from the Creator even though it is fallen and corrupted by sin. If we recognize that the Spirit of God is the…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.2.14 | The Gift of Reason and Intellect
Next, let's talk about the manual and liberal arts. In these areas, the full force of human intellect is displayed. Of course, not everyone is able to equally learn all of the arts. Yet most people have some capacity to display intelligent in some particular art. This capacity extended not only to learning the art…
2 Corinthians Commentary
Below are links to the commentary on the book of 2 Corinthians: Intro & Background 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 2 Corinthians 1:12-22 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:13 2 Corinthians 2:14-3:6 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 2 Corinthians 4:7-15 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2 2 Corinthians 6:3-7:4 2 Corinthians 7:5-16
Blogging the Institutes | 2.2.13 | Earthly vs. Heavenly Knowledge
Despite the impairment of humanity's reasoning ability, people's efforts are not always completely futile. Especially when they direct their minds to non-spiritual things, they usually get some results. Even when people investigate spiritual matters, they will make at least a little progress. Yet, people's abilities are more limited in spiritual matters. People are never made…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.2.12 | The Corruption of Mind and Will
I think Augustine's well-known saying is correct: humanity's natural gifts were corrupted by sin and humanity's supernatural gifts were withdrawn. The supernatural gifts would have included faith and righteousness, which would have been sufficient for people to attain eternal life and happiness. When humanity rebelled against God, they were deprived of the spiritual gifts which…
Better than Boring: How to Deliver Engaging Christ-Centered Sermons. Pt. 3: Preaching the Text
Engaging preaching is the kind of preaching that stays true to the Scriptural text, connects the passage to the person and work of Jesus and speaks to the heart of the audience with sincerity and authenticity. The "base" of every sermon, then, must be attention to the passage itself, gleaning from the passage its meaning.…
Better than Boring: How to Deliver Engaging Christ-Centered Sermons. Pt. 2: Preaching the Text
Some preachers treat the Bible like a trampoline: they "bounce" from the verse they read to the topic they really wanted to talk about. Handling the text of Scripture like an afterthought elevates the words of a mere human (the preacher) and denigrates the most important words, the words of the living God. Therefore, it…
Better than Boring: How to Deliver Engaging Christ-Centered Sermons. Part 1: What is Boring Preaching?
I have a confession to make: I used to fall asleep during sermons. I know, I know, that's terrible. Especially since now I give sermons. But I was in middle school. Does that make it better? Ok, so, maybe being a middle school boy doesn't justify falling asleep during a message from God's word. But…
Raising Lazarus 