So Why Is It A Stinker?

A few posts ago I used an illustration from Ramesh Richard's book Preparing Expository Sermons. On page 22 he provides a sermon outline that apparently was something he actually witnessed. The sermon involves nothing about the original meaning of the text, how the author would have intended it to be understood, or how the original readers would have understood it. Richard states that it is simply moralistic preaching, disconnected from any textual authority.

I don't believe that this kind of treatment of Scripture is that uncommon. Especially in devotional-type preaching or speaking, we are inclined to look for "deeper" insights. Such insights often convey good moral lessons, even ones that sound very spiritual. But as Richard points out, they lack textual authority.

So what's the problem? Doesn't the fact that a message emphasizes a good spiritual point - the lordship of Christ in our lives - justify the approach?

There are a number of reasons why this kind of interpretation/application of a passage is problematic. Some of them are technical, but let me note one thing in particular that we need to keep in mind when we preach or teach: We model how to read the Bible to our people.

If this is the approach we use for a text, what are we teaching them? We are modeling a highly suspect subjective approach to Scripture that makes "what I think it says" or "what it says to me" or even the highly pious-sounding but still dubious "what the Spirit led me to think" the authority rather than the text itself. How can we encourage our people to deal with the objective truth of Scripture when we model subjectivity?

Some may protest that it is the right of the Holy Spirit to reveal these "insights" to us. Right? Sure, I'll go along with that. But I don't think he uses that right. Despite what our "every promise in the book is mine" individual-American mind thinks, the Bible is not a personal love letter from God. It is a book written to a community, teaching the same thing to every individual of the community. Certainly there are applications to a passage that strike us differently, but let's realize that what we are reading is already the product of the Holy Spirit. Frankly there is enough there to hold us accountable and guide our lives and thinking without having to bend the meaning of the text to "get something personal" out of it.

Blogging Resources

Adrian Warnock is revamping the Blogdom of God blog collection. He said that he has found 2500 blogs that claim to be Christian in orientation. Watch his site for information.

Is This A Stinker Or What?

Ramesh Richard, who teaches preaching at Dallas Seminary, has authored a book entitled Preparing Expository Sermons that is quite good. He talks, as do most other books on preaching, about paying attention to the author's intent. Then he shares an example of a sermon he heard where this was totally ignored. It would be humorous if it was just facetious, but it is sad knowing that someone spent time preparing this and felt it was acceptable to preach.

Luke 19:29-40 - Jesus & The Donkey
1. You are like the donkey (29-30)
A. You are tied to someone other than the owner to whom you really belong.
B. You are still young - no one has sat on you.
2. Jesus commands you to be set free (30c)
A. He sets you free through his disciples. (31-32)
B. There will be objections when you are being freed to serve Christ. (33)
C. But he has need of you. (34)
3. Are you Christ's donkey? (35-40)
A. Is he riding you?
B. Are you bringing praise to him?

A couple of thoughts.

1. Someone probably worked hard, did some study, prayed about it, and came up with this. But effort alone does not make good preaching.
2. There are biblical principles reflected in this sermon. But principles separated from context is not good preaching.
3. People probably "got something" from this message. But the fact that someone was challenged does not make this good preaching.

Obviously these are factors that enter into a good sermon. But without being rooted in the intent of the author (and Author), the Bible becomes fodder for anyone's seemingly sanctified ideas - even mine. I try to continually ask myself "Is this what the author had in mind?" That at least provides me with a foundation to begin good preaching.

- - -

I've decided to suspend my series on Romans that I began in March until the fall. One reason for this decision is that I want our folks to be able to benefit from the sequential teaching of this book, and there is too much movement with people being on vacation. But perhaps the greatest motivation is that our small groups take varying degrees of time off for the summer, and this book is too important for them not to be exposed to discussing it. Are you (or is your pastor) doing anything different in the summer in terms of preaching?

Random Stuff

Brian Colmery at Sycamore has his second post on preaching. His thoughts have been very much worthwhile.

The newly relocated (to Virginia) and always worthwhile-to-read Milton Stanley has been following some preaching discussions at Transforming Sermons. It seems that on my twice-annual trip to North Carolina to visit my parents I pass right by Milton's new territory and am looking forward to treating him to lunch at some point.

Adrian Warnock has posted a link to three downloadable MP3's by Donald Carson on the New Perspective on Paul. The link is here. Adrian's site, a daily visit for me, is here.

Speaking of MP3's, is anyone aware of any good audio downloads on church history? I found these, and so far they seem pretty good, but the speaker is unfamiliar to me. I wish Audible.com would put out some stuff. I get a lot of great audiobooks on history from them.

Those of you who use Logos Bible Software might find this site of interest. I have a ton of Logos resources, but have yet to tap into the power of the Logos/Libronix engine.

White Horse Inn has some MP3's for download - not all free, but not very costly. I'd recommend you visiting them.

Just read this article on the Church Growth Movement. Hat tip to Slice of Laodicea. Don't always see things their way (SofL), but I appreciate a lot of what I find there.

Pastors' Most Valued Books

There was some cheating (grin) in that some of us wanted to include our laptops as a volume (filled with Logos/Libronix resources) and also glue multivolume sets together to count as one book. But that's ok. I appreciate the input of the people that posted.

My top 5 would probably be:
A good study Bible (Reformation Study Bible - ESV or Spirit of the Reformation - NIV)
Dictionary of Theology - Roger Ellwell
Christian Theology (Erickson) or Systematic Theology (Grudem)
New Bible Dictionary
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Strongs Concordance

And even I cheated with 6 books. Here are the results (my entries included)

Bibles
ESV Bible (5)
MacArthur Study Bible
Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible (NIV-Zondervan) - notes very similar to the RSB

Language
Kittle
BADG & BDB (2)
Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Wallace)
Young's Concordance
USB Greek NT
Biblical Hebraica Stuttgartensia
Strongs Concordance
Theological Dictionary of the OT
Theological Dictionary of the NT
Greet & Hebrew Interlinear (2)
Parallel Greek-NASB-ESV (with apologies to a greek prof)

Dictionaries
Revell's Bible Dictionary
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (2)
New Dictionary of Biblical Theology (IVP)
Tyndale Bible Dictionary
New Bible Dictionary (IVP)

Introduction & Background
Introduction to the NT (Guthrie)
An Introduction to the OT (Dillard and Longman)
IVP Background & Knowledge Bible Commentary

Commentary Sets
Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)
Baker NT Commentary (Hendricksen & Kistemacher)(2)
Bible Exposition Commentary (Wiersbe)
New American Commentary
Tyndale OT Commentaries
Adam Clark's Commentary
Calvin's OT Commentaries

Theology
Systematic Theology (Grudem) (2)
Dogmatic Theology (Shedd)
Christian Theology (Ericksen)
Dictionary of Theology (Ellwell)

Individual Commentaries, Etc
Romans (Moo)
Treasury of David (Spurgeon)
Galatians (Luther)
God's Empowering Presence (Fee)
According to Plan (Goldsworthy)
Baxter's Christian Directory

Thanks to all who shared their ideas. We are truly blessed. I can remember being in India a few years ago and showing pastors how to use cross-references and the MacArthur Study Bible. They were overwhelmed with just having those resources.

Let's use them well!!

Call for A New Vote

This has purpose to it beyond another poll. I'd be interested, fellow Pastors, in how you woud answer this question:

You are allowed to take any 5 books from your library and the rest are going away somewhere. Which books would you keep to help you in your preparation to preach and teach most effectively?

The Results Are In . . .

. . . but I'm not sure what to do with them. I received about 20 different responses by email and comment, and not everyone stuck to the 5 basic categories that I listed, which is fine. For the most part, if you read the comments here and a comprehensive email sent to me by Malcolm Light that I posted here, you'll get 95% of what was recommended.

It is clear that those who shared their ideas come from a variety of theological backgrounds. That is why in the doctrine category, we had entries ranging from Calvin to Berkhoff to Finney (not a double-play combination that I am aware of).

Most often recommended writers included JI Packer, John Piper, CS Lewis and Jerry Bridges. In the theology category, Wayne Grudem and Millard Erickson's systematics were recommended several times.

The intent of the survey was to suggest books to our congregations that they could use for their own Bible Study and growth. Here is my list:

Bible Background
The New Bible Dictionary
Zondervan Handbook to the Bible

Basic Theology
Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem
Moody Handbook of Theology by Paul Enns

Christ and Salvation
Here We Stand by Boice & Stasse
Faith Alone by RC Sproul

Following Christ
The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges
Knowing God by JI Packer
Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen - just kidding

Home & Vocation
As For Me & My House (Wangerin)
Shepherding A Child's Heart (Tripp)
Age of Opportunity (Tripp)

Thanks for your contributions! You might want to check out the recommended reading list on Mark Dever's 9Marks website as well. Look at the top menu.