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Three Reasons for Numerous Preachers

As of yesterday I have preached a total of one time in a total of seven Sundays. That’s a lot of time to be gone. I did a quick count and, at the halfway point of the year, I have preached 16 of 26 Sundays. For me, that is probably an all-time low. My first 52 weeks at the Oaks I preached about 48 Sundays.

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(This is how I usually feel when I’m preaching.)

Some of these Sundays were unavoidable (like Sundays I am at seminary or Sundays I might be out of town with family). However, a number of the Sundays I was in town, at the services, but not preaching. In fact, of the past six Sundays I didn’t preach I was in town for three of them. So I wanted to take a moment and explain why I believe multiple voices from the pulpit are so important. Continue reading “Three Reasons for Numerous Preachers”

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Three Observations Coming Out of the Idols Series

Yesterday we “finished” the Idols series. I use quotes because we never fully cast off these idols until Jesus returns, do we? Our time on this earth is a constant battle against our flesh and the desires in us to set something other than God up as God. We hit only a few these past few weeks and there are many others that have been brought to mind in that time.

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Oaks family, I’m grateful for you. These haven’t been the easiest to get through. They cause us to consider our own hearts, and then our flesh causes us to blame others and talk about how they are the problems and not us. Our hearts certainly are weird places, aren’t they?

Well, with this series behind us, I wanted to give three observations from the series . . . Continue reading “Three Observations Coming Out of the Idols Series”

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I *Think* This is A Compliment

A sermon series in idols isn’t always the most enjoyable sermon series. They mess with us. They make us wonder how committed we are to our Savior and Lord. Those questions are good questions for us to ask (2 Cor. 13:5)—especially within the cushy Christian life that we often find ourselves in.

This text, sent from a dear friend, communicates what a lot of us might be feeling. Myself included.

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What about you? What thoughts do you have on our Idols series so far?

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The Series I’m Nervous Preaching . . .

When I went to seminary I was taught the proper definition of expository preaching. I had to memorize it. However, for this post, I simply cut and paste it from the notes. (And don’t worry, I will not make you memorize this.)

EXPOSITORY PREACHING IS THE COMMUNICATION OF A BIBLICAL PROPOSITION DISCOVERED FROM A SPIRIT-DIRECTED EXEGETICAL/THEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION OF A TEXT AND APPLIED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH A PREACHER INTO A SPECIFIC AUDIENCE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.

That’s it. Preach it like that and you’re good. But many say, “Don’t take people where you haven’t been.” The only problem is when I read passages like this past Sunday (Luke 9:57-62) I wonder how well I have applied it. This series has been on my heart for quite some time, and yesterday was the first of four passages where Jesus says things that are not the most comfortable for comfortable people.

Even as I prepare for the series I get nervous. Even while I preach it I am nervous. Jesus did not equivocate on things I wish he would’ve. He spoke very clearly—too clearly, in my opinion—about following him. But I think this series is necessary for us, and here is why. . . Continue reading “The Series I’m Nervous Preaching . . .”

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Who Is Your Everyone?

Sometimes in a service—and I’m not sure which service it is in—I say something and think, “Hey, that was good. I should write that down.” I have friends who are excellent preachers and are disciplined enough to manuscript their sermons. I have manuscripted a few sermons, but the bulk of them are–how shall we say–not that (supply whatever you need in place of “not that”).

But, in the second service Sunday, I asked this question: Who is your everyone? Who-is-your-everyone

Allow me to explain . . . Continue reading “Who Is Your Everyone?”

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Sunday Debrief: There’s Room at the Table of Grace (8/10/14)

Sundays like today are one of the main reasons I do what I do. The whole morning, from start to finish, blessed and encouraged me, and I hope it did the same for you. I know that the ones who gathered this morning do not want a sterile, decaying church. I believe we want to see real change happen in real people. I believe that we want to trust Jesus to be that change rather than be Jesus’ triage nurse, telling him what’s wrong with everyone and what they need.

For our church, I think it’s time for a leap of faith. . . Continue reading “Sunday Debrief: There’s Room at the Table of Grace (8/10/14)”