The Siberian Grinder

Last Sunday, I had another opportunity in the pulpit. I preached on John 3.16. Click here if you would like to listen to the sermon.

I just read T.D. Gordon’s short book, Why Johnny Can’t Preach: The Media Have Shaped the Messengers. Gordon boldly and accurately characterizes the problem in many American pulpits today.  Due to cultural changes in the last 60+ years, would-be ministers are less prepared in skill-areas vital to preaching, such as the ability to closely read texts or skillfully write. A culture that was previously dominated by language is now dominated by image, and this has weakened the intellectual fabric of ministry candidates arriving at seminary.

Gordon goes on to expose common alternatives to solid preaching prevalent in churches today, such as moralism or moral scolding; preaching be good and don’t be bad instead of preaching Christ and him crucified.

All is not lost, though. Johnny can learn to preach, but he needs to wake up. And to that end T.D. Gordon has written and excellent and relevant little book, bound to bring conviction and introspection. I read and enjoyed it in just a few hours and highly recommend it to anyone sensing the call to pulpit ministry. Order it here, from Amazon.com.

What do you get when you cross the best English Bible translation with thousands of notes and helps? Why, the ESV Study Bible, of course.

HT: Logos

It’s a terribly overused cliche – but it is just so true; Time flies – in fact, it screams by. Exactly one year ago, we flew from Moscow to Miami and then made the drive up to Central Florida. It has been an incredible year!

In preparation for the new GMC study, I’ve launched a personal study of the Epistle of James. It is an incredible book that I fear gets far too little attention in the church. I think I’ll post a few entries on James over the next few weeks and see where this goes.

After the fourth unplanned and time-consuming event, I mentioned to Carol, the admin assistant, how crazy a morning it has been and how glad I am that it is over. She said, “Well, don’t speak too soon. The morning has 4 minutes left.” It was 11:56AM.

Just then, one of the cleaning crew came in to inform us that a snake had slithered into the main building. So I just spent a half hour with a broom chasing around a 4 foot snake. It eluded me, though, and is probably still in the building. I hope he’s not in the baptistery.

Really, there is nothing to write about. So why am I posting?

We took a few days off last week to show Deanna, our friend from Moscow, around Central Florida. Some of the highlights were:

• Achieving the perfect sunburn at the beach.
• Getting stranded at Deep Creek. during a thunderstorm. Deep Creak is an alligator-infested deep water tributary off of the St. Johns River. We went out with some friends on a 24′ pontoon boat, and the motor malfunctioned just after we turned to head out of the creek. Then the thunderstorm hit, and we paddled it out with bolts striking all around us (it was a load of fun, actually).
• Getting stranded at Downtown Disney during a thunderstorm.
• Being blasted out of a canon at Castillo De San Marcos, St. Augustine (see the picture below).
• The kids enjoying themselves immensely (see the picture below).

Deanna left this morning to head to the Big Apple, and we are settling down again. All things considered, it was a great week.

I would like to ask any reader here to pray for my sister-in-law, Jennifer, and Chris, my brother. Jennifer, who is 25,  learned last week that she has Ovarian Cancer, and possibly Stage IIIb. Obviously, this is devestating for them. Please pray. My mom has written more about it on her blog.

Here is a lengthy video tribute to U.S. Center for World Mission founder, Ralph Winter.

Ralph D. Winter Tribute from U.S. Center for World Mission on Vimeo.

Maya leaves in about an hour for a three-day conference. So, I have the kids. This will be interesting!

Logos is offering the book, Money Matters: Answers to Your Financial Questions free of charge. Just click here and then add the book to your cart. While checking out, put “BIBLESTUDYMAGAZINE” in as a coupon code.

This video says it well.

HT: Steve Mooradian