“Essentially, whether the Greek term is translated ‘boldness’ or ‘confidence’ (for ‘plainness’ or ‘sincerity’), at the heart of the idea is freedom to make the truth of God known without fear of opposition or consequences” (Wagner, Tongues Aflame, p. 41).
Not Optional
“While it may not be difficult to find churchgoing people who are pleased with ‘preaching’ that lacks biblical boldness, it is not at all possible, as a preacher, to please God without it” (Wagner, Tongues Aflame, p. 40).
When the Preacher Slips His Leash
“As we will see a little later, apostolic boldness is something people are not likely to understand until they actually hear it, and then they are not exactly sure that it is what they wanted after all!” (Wagner, Tongues Aflame, p. 40).
So Preach as Though There Were Men Standing in the Back Waiting to Arrest You
“The hallmark of the apostolic method of preaching was boldness. Again and again as we read Luke’s account we are arrested by the power and boldness that characterized the way in which the gospel was proclaimed by those early preachers . . . This characteristic boldness is all the more striking when we compare it …
Preaching and Timbre
“God plays a number of different instruments, and the individual personality and background of the preacher is as much a part of powerful preaching as is the divine influence” (Wagner, Tongues Aflame, p. 31).
Following the Template
“Let us remember that as in theology and ethics, so in preaching, we participate in apostolic authority and power by following apostolic precept and example as they set forth in the pages of Scripture” (Wagner, Tongues Aflame, p. 31).
A Large Part of Acts
“The sermons of the apostles, of which there are so many fine examples in Acts (they make up one-fifth of the book), are not therefore, incidental additions to the account, chosen arbitrarily for the purposes of narrative ‘color’. These sermons are cited to emphasize the central role preaching played in the witness of the apostles …
Now That’s Odd
“It is rather remarkable to realize that neither the preaching of Jesus himself, nor the sermons of the apostolic preachers in the Book of Acts have been extensively considered or analyzed as models for developing methods and practices for preachers in our day” (Roger Wagner, Tongues Aflame, p. 15).
Blogging and the Task of Teaching
The authorities in Jerusalem were peeved with the apostles because they had filled Jerusalm with their doctrine (Acts 5:28). A central means assigned for the accomplishment of this is of course preaching and teaching. But of course, as the New Testament itself demonstrates, another significant way to fill the joint up with your doctrine is …
The Old Corn of the Land
“Trials drive us to the realities of religion. You may feed on chaff until you have real work to do, or real grief to bear; but then you want the old corn of the land, and you must have it, or else you will faint and fail” (Charles Spurgeon, An All-Round Ministry, pp. 384-385).