“It is for this reason that the searching question is the most valuable type of question in the preaching of the Word of God. It is personal; it is pointed; it searches and probes the hearts of men and has a very significant awakening tendency” (Carrick, The Imperative of Preaching, p. 66).
Silent Dialogue
“Stott explains that by ‘dialogical preaching he means ‘the silent dialogue which should be developing between the preacher and his hearers,’ and he emphasizes that both the Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul employed questions in this dialogical manner” (Carrick, The Imperative of Preaching, p. 60).
A Christmas Conundrum
INTRODUCTION:Christmas is the time of year when we celebrate the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus. But lest this become an exercise in jargon, we need to think through what we mean by it. If we were to reapply the apostle Paul at this point, we should celebrate with the fudge, but celebrate with the mind …
But What Kind Is This?
“There are essentially three different types of questions available to the preacher: the analytical question, the rhetorical question, and the searching question” (Carrick, The Imperative of Preaching, p. 57).
But Which Kind Is This?
“There are essentially three different types of questions available to the preacher: the analytical question, the rhetorical question, and the searching question” (Carrick, The Imperative of Preaching, p. 57).
And In a Straight Line
“It is essential that the preacher preach from the heart and that he preach to the heart” (Carrick, The Imperative of Preaching, p. 54).
What God Has Joined Together . . .
“True preaching is not light without heat any more than it is heat without light; light and heat together must be emitted together in the preaching of the Word of God” (Carrick, The Imperative of Preaching, p. 52).
Not a Dry Lecture
“There can be no doubt that, in principle, exclamation is perfectly consonant with the true nature of preaching, precisely because of the element of emotion or excitement inherent within it. It is important to note that the preaching of the Word of God is essentially a passionate, not a dispassionate activity” (Carrick, The Imperative of …
Which Is Perhaps Why We Don’t Have Very Much of It
“The exclamative is, in effect, the indicative spoken with great emphasis and feeling” (Carrick, The Imperative of Preaching, p. 33).
Concentric Circles
INTRODUCTION:This might seem an odd Advent text, a text more in keeping with Ascension. But as we remember the Lord’s life, we want to remember the beginning at the end, and the end at the beginning. In the blessing of Simeon, Mary was told that her heart would be pierced through, and here, when Jesus …