Lexham PressBelow is an excerpt from Finding Our Voice by Matthew D. Kim and Daniel L. Wong that addresses the forms of discrimination Asian Americans commonly face and how to begin to address that pain pastorally. *** “What are you?” “Where are you from?”...
Guest Author"There are just enough gaps in the story to make it a dangerous one, as the interpreter is tempted to retell it with commentary on Jonah’s psychology."
Donald C. McIntyreSee also Part 1 and Part 2. A Case Study in Matthew 2:1–12 There are forty-seven verbal forms in this pericope; all but 10 verbal forms are perfective aspect. Of those ten forms that are not perfective, one is stative, two are future, and the...
See also Part 1 Verbal Aspect has the Ability to Show Points of Emphasis and De-emphasis In Porter’s analysis of Philippian 2:5-11 the two verbal forms which are not in the perfective aspect are the imperative φρονεῖτε, “Have this mind,” and...
Verbal Aspect is Critical to an Accurate Apprehension of the Text Verbal aspect theory arose to prominence in 1989 and 1990 with the simultaneous work of Stanley Porter and Buist Fanning, who both sought to show how linguistics could further effect...
Logos StaffWhen it comes to preparing a sermon, you need a solid outline. Not only does a sermon outline help you pick your main points, having an organized outline helps keep your listeners’ attention and helps them see what’s most important. But how do you...
Textual criticism is a hot topic among biblical scholars. The views on the discipline’s profitability span the extremes of being of crucial importance for serious scholarship and the opposing view of being hostile towards the revered doctrines of...
Even if you find it easy to preach a sermon, read why Bryan Chapell says the 3 “deadly be’s” can help your preaching center more on Christ.
It’s the start of Pastor Appreciation Month—one that’s especially deserved after all the extra-long hours and adjustments COVID-19 has brought. Thank you, pastors! As you continue feeding your flock, may these three simple tips help you lighten...
Dr. Bock talks about his work as a professor and pastor, including his approach to topical preaching (0:10), and Dr. David deSilva gives an overview of idol worship in ancient Ephesus (4:30). Learn how to study the Bible with Dr. Bock Dr. Darrell...
Thank you, pastors, for all you do. You probably don’t hear that enough. As you continue feeding your flock, may these three simple tips to help you lighten your load and powerfully share the gospel. *** 1. It doesn’t all depend on you...
DidaktikosBiblical performance criticism is a methodology based on the assumption that much of the literature collected in the Bible represents oral performances that were at one time either told from memory or presented as prepared readings before audiences...
Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman not only teaches the book of Proverbs—but also how to preach the book of Proverbs. The following excerpt adapted from Longman’s Mobile Education course Preaching Proverbs appears in segment 24: “Proverbs...
Robert Smith Jr. on Cultivating Imagery to Satisfy the Narrative Mind In the twenty–first century world of theological education, preaching can seem an antiquated exercise that no longer speaks well to a culture immersed in social media and...
Prayer and personal study are vital to powerful biblical teaching, but good teachers and preachers know that they are not the first ones to travel these interpretive pathways. It is often helpful to access what other pastors and theologians have...
This excerpt is adapted from James: Verse by Verse by Grant R. Osborne. *** James [1:19–26] begins with three characteristics of what we may call “people of the word,” those who truly center their lives on God’s principles for a proper walk with...
By Matthew Kim, adapted from Preaching Points: 55 Tips for Improving Your Pulpit Ministry. I once sat under the preaching ministry of a pastor who loved his people. He cared about them. Everyone knew it. Everyone felt it. But after years of...
Remember ERP: Estimated Relationship Potential. This is a social science theory from the field of interpersonal communication which demonstrates that when we meet someone we quickly form an estimate of the potential for a relationship. We start to...
In this adaptation below, we read about the gutsy step preachers should take with their preaching. *** In an issue of Leadership journal, Lee Eclov tells the story of a researcher named Hillary Koprowski, who was a leader in the search for the polio...
This post is adapted from “In our preaching, less is more” by Haddon Robinson. *** There is an old story that preachers tell: A man came to church one Sunday and the only person who was there, besides himself, was the preacher. The preacher was...
You may never have asked yourself this question before, but do your sermons sound angry? *** There is a temptation in every preacher to begin and end every sermon with correction. Didn’t Paul tell us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “all Scripture is God...
By Scott M. Gibson, adapted from Preaching Points: 55 Tips for Improving Your Pulpit Ministry. Charles Gore, formerly bishop of Worcester, Birmingham, and finally Oxford, wrote more than a century ago, “The disease of modern preaching is its search...
Many of us are familiar with the passage in Luke 15. It’s the Parable of the Lost Sheep. It goes like this: Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man...
An excerpt on sermon preparation and prayer by Matthew Kim, adapted from Preaching Points: 55 Tips for Improving Your Pulpit Ministry. It’s something that we all know in our minds. We’ve considered it. But it’s often difficult to put into practice...
When students ask for recommended books on pastoral ministry before entering seminary, I usually have Paul Tripp’s Dangerous Calling at the top of my list. Tripp points out many of the common heart problems related to pastoral ministry. But this...
Tavis BohlingerStop preaching sermons on the OT that wouldn't pass muster in a Sunday School class. Preach with authority, preach with the best, preach with the men whose sermons lit the church on fire with illustrations that are still relevant today.
Matthew BoffeyBy Jeffrey Arthurs It was said of Winston Churchill that “he mobilized the English language, and sent it into battle.” I exhort you, send your best words into battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Send language forth like soldiers...
I have already offered thoughts for the preaching scholar concerning first things and meditation, as well as my suggested exegetical resources for preaching (including exegetical commentaries). Here I want to pass on my favorite theological...
By Lucas O’Neill, author of Preaching to Be Heard Many sermons are like meals from typical fast-food chains—flavor at the expense of nutrition. It’s easy, fast, cheap, and tastes addictively good. Your We begin with the text and we surrender the...
By David Helm Scottish poet Andrew Lang once landed a humorous blow against the politicians of his day with a clever line indicting them for their manipulation of statistics. With a slight alteration in language, the quip could equally be leveled...