At the same time Scripture exalts the sovereignty of God in salvation and regularly speaks of our need for God to grant us spiritual life (see John 1:12-13; 6:44; Acts 11:18; Eph 2:1-5; Col 2:12-13; Phil 1:29; 2 Tim 2:25-26), it calls us to believe in Christ and holds us responsible to do so. Hyper-Calvinists … Continue reading Hyper-Calvinism’s Deadly Mistake
Using Criticism for Our Benefit: A Word from Charles Spurgeon
Toward the end of the first volume of his autobiography, Charles Spurgeon relays a somewhat amusing yet instructive anecdote of a time when he would regularly receive comments on his sermons from an anonymous critic. While preaching at the Exeter Music Hall, the "unknown censor" would send Spurgeon "a weekly list of [his] mispronunciations and other slips of speech" (533). Amazingly, Spurgeon's … Continue reading Using Criticism for Our Benefit: A Word from Charles Spurgeon
How To Listen To a Sermon: Eagerness and Examination
In the spring of 1741 Jonathan Edwards visited and ministered to a small congregation in Suffield, Connecticut. This little church was without a pastor for a short time but was blessed with a few excellent servants, including Edwards and the great evangelist George Whitefield. A few months after Edwards visited the church, Elizabeth Hatheway, a member of the … Continue reading How To Listen To a Sermon: Eagerness and Examination
Calvin's Humility in Preaching
This was a particularly moving quote about John Calvin from T.H.L. Parker: There is no threshing himself into a fever of impatience or frustration, no holier-than-thou rebuking of the people, no begging them in terms of hyperbole to give some physical sign that the message has been accepted. It is simply one man, conscious of … Continue reading Calvin's Humility in Preaching
Preparing for the Pulpit: Piper and Edwards on the Ministry of Preaching
I'm a high school pastor. During the course of any given week, I usually teach/preach, on average, 2-3 times, one time being during our Sunday morning fellowship group. But this week I get the special opportunity to address the whole church body. I will continue in our Summer's series on the Psalms with a message from Psalm 63 entitled, Satisfied … Continue reading Preparing for the Pulpit: Piper and Edwards on the Ministry of Preaching
