Theology That Bites Back
In reality, ‘expository’ refers to the content of the sermon rather than its style. To ‘expound’ Scripture means to bring out what is in the text, to reveal it. The expositor opens what seems to be closed, makes plain what is confusing, unravels what is knotted, and unfolds what is tightly packed.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 25
Peter was a tall, intelligent and gregarious member of the church. He was a family man, and his family also seemed pretty interested and engaged in the life of the community. He was always there on the premises when expected, but when it came to theology he was never one for questions. He always looked …
The question sometimes arises of whether there is a difference between teaching and preaching. If there is, it is very minor. Jesus both taught and preached (Matt. 4:23) and the Apostle Paul described himself as both a preacher and a teacher of the gospel (Tit. 1:3; 2 Tim 1:11) . . . There was probably a good deal of overlap.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, pp. 23-24
Next week will be New Year’s Eve, and for the last letters section of the year, I will select letters to answer from the accumulation of two weeks. The reason for this delay is that you have better things to do on Christmas Eve than to read a letters section for a blog, and it …
Hank and his wife Suzanne were one of the most active couples in the church. They were leaders in their home-schooling circle, and had been instrumental in getting many parents in the congregation to take their educational responsibilities seriously. In addition to being charismatic and hard-working, they were attractive people, and their young family would …
Introduction: In the light of all the foregoing, we should therefore not be surprised when we find that we must affirm the goodness of the material world. This should be obvious, but tragically ...
“A low level of Christian living is due, more than anything else, to a low level of Christian preaching.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 22
“It is the word of God that keeps the church alive, directs and sanctifies it, reforms it and renews it. Christ rules and feeds his church through the word of God.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 21
“It can thus be said that ‘a true sermon is a real deed.’ We enter the pulpit with a word in our hands, heart and mouth, and this word has power. We should expect results.”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 21
“The Bible presents many pictures of the power of God’s word. It describes it as sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating our mind and our conscience (Heb. 4:12). Like a hammer, it can break stony hearts; like fire it can burn up rubbish (Jer. 23:29). It lights our path, shining like a lamp on a dark night (Ps. 119:105). Like a mirror it shows us bother what we are and what we should be (James 1:22-25). It is compared to a seed leading to birth (James 1:18), to milk causing growth (1 Pet. 2:2), to grain that nourishes whereas straw does not (Jer. 23:28), to honest which sweetens and to gold which enriches its possessor (Ps. 19:10).”
Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 20
