In my last post, I shared my conviction that preachers become better preachers primarily through two means: regular pulpit experience and learning from good preaching role models. I shared my first two role models, Drs. Adrian Rogers and Jerry Vines. I continue in many ways to be shaped by their early example. It was a great joy to enroll in seminary and finally have the chance to hear both of these brothers preach in person. … [Read More]
Five Preaching Role Models, Part 1
I am thankful for the two preaching classes I took in seminary. I’m also thankful for many of the fine preaching books I’ve read over the years. And I’m thankful for many of the preaching conferences I’ve attended. Each of these tools has contributed to my own DNA as a preacher.
Though I am thankful for classes, books, and conferences, I am not convinced that any of them “make” a man a preacher, let alone a … [Read More]
Augustine for the 21st Century (6): Selected Passages by Augustine, Reading Recommendations, and Concluding Thoughts
Now, this installment is well worth your time reading. Unlike the previous installments of this blog series in which I bloviated about Augustine, this installment provides the real payoff: some bona fide passages from Augustine’s sermons and commentaries. Although I have read several of his books (City of God, The Confessions, and On Christian Doctrine), I have not read his sermons, commentaries and letters. Therefore in this post I rely upon Jules Brady’s collection in … [Read More]
Why Johnny Can’t Preach
Last week our Lifeway Campus store asked me for a list of five favorite books that they could display in their store as recommended reading. They are asking various professors from our faculty to do this throughout the year.
I wanted an ancient work, which was easy to choose – Augustine’s City of God – everyone should read it. And then I added a few “modern classics” that are accessible and don’t have any good popular … [Read More]
God Exposed: Awkward Preaching in a Comfortable Age
At Southeastern Seminary, gospel-centered expositional preaching is at the center of the vision for pastoral ministry that we are attempting to cultivate among our students. In an age of gimmicky, atheological, man-centered, self-help drivel–and that’s just in the evangelical pulpits!–we believe that local churches will not be healthy without exegetical, theological, applicational, evangelistic pulpit ministries. To this end, SEBTS and IX Marks Ministries are partnering to co-sponsor a preaching conference at SEBTS on September 25-26 titled God Exposed: Awkward … [Read More]
Mark Driscoll Unplugged
This is an interview for those who like their coffee strong. In light of the little fracas this past week surrounding Baptist Press and Mark Driscoll, BtT provides you an interview with Mark Driscoll. David Nelson interviews Mark on a variety of topics. If you would like to listen to the interview, click here.
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Preaching the Great Christological Texts, Part 2
1). The third message on Colossians 1:13-23, could be titled “Jesus Christ: The God of Creation.” Here the message is that Jesus is Lord of the Cross or Savior (1:13-14), Lord of Communication or Revelator (1:15), Lord of Creation or Creator (1:15-17), Lord of the Church or Leader (1:18-20), and Lord of the Christian or Master (1:21-23).
Also viewed by many as an early Christian hymn, this text emphasizes that (1) Christ makes visible the invisible … [Read More]
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Preaching the Great Christological Texts, Part 1
Evangelicals believe the biblical teaching concerning the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as the sole and sufficient Savior for all persons who have lived or ever shall be. We note that such an affirmation is needed because the Christian church is now confronted with various theological heresies such as universalism, radical pluralism, theological inclusivism, and religious relativism, all of which call into question the clear teachings of Holy Scripture and belief in the particularity and finality … [Read More]
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Contours of a Great Commission Resurgence, Part 18: The Crisis in 21st Century Preaching: A Mandate for Biblical Exposition, Part F
Contours of a Great Commission Resurgence is a series of articles by faculty of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary that seeks to offer some definitions of what constitutes a GCR, why we believe the SBC is in need of such a movement, and what such a movement might look like in SBC life. The series will address biblical, theological, historical and practical issues related to a GCR with the hope that God will use our finite … [Read More]
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Helpful Historical Commentary Series
I like scholarly commentaries, I really do. Anytime I preach or teach through a particular biblical book, I make a point of reading through two or three such commentaries, knowing that if they are worth their salt they will interact with other scholars and tell me what I need to know. But as I prepare a sermon or lesson I try to read at least as many “homiletical” or “devotional” commentaries and “pre-critical” commentaries as … [Read More]