“When referring to elders worthy of double honor, Paul describes them as men who work to the point of exhaustion at ‘preaching and teaching’ (1 Tim. 5:17) (Azurdia, Spirit Empowered Preaching, p. 87).
Clumsy Ecclesiastics
“It is a colossal understatement to suggest that preaching and preachers have fallen on hard times in recent years . . . I am convinced that preaching is held in such low esteem today because a great many preachers are so utterly inept at the task” (Azurdia, Spirit Empowered Preaching, p. 86).
But It Must Be the Assigned Foolish Method
“Thus, it is evident that an apostolic ministry is characterized, not only by a determination to proclaim a foolish message, but a determination to appropriate a foolish method” (Azurdia, Spirit Empowered Preaching, p. 83).
The Oil of Anointing Doesn’t Make You Slick
“It must be acknowledged that our reservation concerning many of these novel ministry methodologies has nothing to do with preferring a traditional style of ministry over against a more contemporary emphasis. Contemporaneity is not the issue. Effectual Christianity will always prove contemporary to the unique mission-field given to it by Jesus Christ. Rather, the issue …
Indicatives and Imperatives
“Christian preaching, on the other hand, grounds the ethical imperatives in redemptive indicatives” (Azurdia, Spirit Empowered Preaching, p. 75).
Three-Fold Ministry
“At this vital point, three essential principles of apostolic ministry converge: the message, method, and means for ministry ordained by Jesus Christ. The divine message? Jesus Christ. The divine method? Authoritative proclamation. The divine means? The power of the Spirit of God” (Azurdia, Spirit Empowered Preaching, p. 63).
A Lot Like Sardis
“Powerlessness prevails among us. And yet it must be said that this condition is not unique to us. It has been endemic to every moment of evangelical history. What is unique to our time is the extent of our failure to recognize this powerlessness” (Azurdia, Spirit Empowered Preaching, p. 31).
Orthodusty
“The greatest deficiency in contemporary expositional ministry is powerlessness; in other words, preaching that is devoid of the vitality of the Holy Spirit” (Arturo Azurdia, Spirit Empowered Preaching, p. 12).
So Let’s Try Multi-Media!
“Strangely enough, a generation after Cicero was taken out of the curriculum of the typical American school our preachers began to have a hard time holding the attention of a congregation” (Hughes Oliphant Old, The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures, Vol. II, p. 396).
If It’s Not Baroque . . .
“For a Christian rhetoric, perspicuity is the foundation of al the canons of style. Clarity of thought must always be the preacher’s aim. Clarity is the basic beauty of eloquent oratory and the driving power that persuades one’s listeners. The beauty of teaching is making clear the truth, for it is in the truth itself, …