Preaching

On Preachers and Preaching

Tony Reinke Preaching, Richard Baxter

From Richard Baxter, The Practical Works of The Rev. Richard Baxter, vol. 19, The Catechising of Families (London, 1830), pages 254–256 [HT: J.I. Packer, The Redemption and Restoration of Man in the Thought of Richard Baxter (Regent, 2003), pages 158­–159]:

Q. What must Christ’s ministers say and do for the world’s conversion?

A. Luke xiv, and Matt. xxii, tell you: they must tell men of the marriage-feast, the blessed provision of grace and glory by Christ, and, by evidence and urgency, compel them to come in. …

Q. 5. In what manner must Christ’s ministers preach all this?

A. 1. With the greatest gravity and holy reverence; because it is the message of God.

2. With the greatest plainness; because men are dull of understanding.

3. With the greatest proof and convincing evidence, to conquer prejudice, darkness, and unbelief.

4. With powerful winning motives, and urgent importunity, because of men’s disaffection and averseness. And O what powerful motives have we at hand, from self-love, from God, from Christ, from necessity, from heaven and hell!

5. With life and fervency, because of the unspeakable importance of the matter, and the deadness and hardness of men’s hearts.

A Word to Profs, Preachers, and Writers

Tony Reinke John Newton, Preaching, Writing

From the Letters of John Newton (Banner of Truth, 1869/2007), page 364:

I believe the liveliest grace and the most solid comfort are known among the Lord’s poor and undistinguished people. Every outward advantage has a tendency to nourish the pride of the human heart, and requires a proportional knowledge of the deceitful self and the evil of sin to counterbalance them. It is no less difficult to have great abilities than great riches without trusting in them. …

If I were qualified to search out the best Christian in the kingdom, I should not expect to find him either in a professor’s chair or in a pulpit. I should give the palm [prize] to that person who had the lowest thoughts of himself, and the most admiring and cordial thoughts of the Savior. And perhaps this person may be some bedridden old man or woman, or a pauper in a parish workhouse. But our regard to the Lord is not to be measured by our sensible feelings, by what we can say or write, but rather by the simplicity of our dependence, and the uniform tenor of our obedience to his will.

I Believe in Preaching

Tony Reinke John Stott, Local church, Preaching

John Stott, I Believe in Preaching (1982), page 69:

It is difficult to imagine the world in the year A.D. 2000, by which time versatile micro-processors are likely to be as common as simple calculators are today. We should certainly welcome the fact that the silicon chip will transcend human brain-power, as the machine has transcended human muscle-power. Much less welcome will be the probable reduction of human contact as the new electronic network renders personal relationships ever less necessary. In such a dehumanized society the fellowship of the local church will become increasingly important, whose members meet one another, and talk and listen to one another in person rather than on screen. In this human context of mutual love the speaking and hearing of the Word of God is also likely to become more necessary for the preservation of our humanness, not less.

Productivity

Tony Reinke Martin Luther, Preaching

Martin Luther, as recorded in January 1532 by his friend Conrad Cordatus and recently translated and published in Off the Record with Martin Luther [(Hansa-Hewlett, 2009), page 110]:

“I find nothing that promotes work better than angry fervor; for when I wish to compose, write, pray and preach well, I must be angry. It refreshes my entire system, my mind is sharpened, and all unpleasant thoughts and depression fade away.”

Calvary’s Magnetism

Tony Reinke Cross of Christ, Preaching

From Arthur J. Gossip’s book on preaching, In Christ’s Stead (1925):

“It was not for nothing that Christ said so confidently that always if men see Him dying for them, He will win [“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32)]. Certainly it has not always been at Calvary that their hearts have been most moved. It makes an interesting study to note how different generations have been won mainly by different things in Christ. … And yet in every age there are always those who cannot come within sight of the Cross without being thrilled and moved and won, for whom that is the deepest and most appealing of all facts. And nobody, surely, can remain face to face with it quite untouched. Get them in sight of Calvary, pause there, saying little, hushed and reverent; enable them to look, to see it, make it real to them, not just an old tale that has lost its wonder and its stab, but a tremendous awful fact.” (142–143)

Preaching to Thin Pews

Tony Reinke Preaching

I know that a number of you who read this blog are pastors of small churches (thanks for reading!). Tonight I came across this from Arthur J. Gossip in his book on preaching, In Christ’s Stead (1925), pages 27–28. I thought I would pass it along:

“…religion is by far the most interesting subject in the world, and the people prove it by the way they flock to hear about it, even yet [1925]. Take any other theme you choose, politics let us say, and through a heated fortnight at an election time you can gather eager meetings. But let them continue, in scores and hundreds of places in the cities, week in and week out the whole year round, and what size would they be in a year? But you—oh, you at times will be grumpy over thin pews. Watch yourself then; be sure that that is really zeal for Christ, and not, as is much more likely, merely hurt pride that stings you. Never rail at a congregation because it is small. It is not the fault of those who are there. And in your deeper moods you will stand gazing in amazement at the folk coming back, sitting there looking hopefully toward you, not yet discouraged, it appears, by the sad persistent failures of the past, apparently still sure that God is going to break through all our imperfections to them.”

[HT: T-Bomb]