Forget the Channel

Tag: Ministry

  • Rereading Doug Campbell to help us preach the gospel

    In chapter 1 of his megabook, The Deliverance of God: an Apocalyptic Rereading of Justification in Paul (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009), Douglas Campbell outlines what he calls “the justification theory of salvation”, which he seems to regard as a summary of the conventional understanding of the gospel amongst the majority of Western Christians (7). If…

  • Want to support excellent Christian kids’ music? Give a few $$ (or ££) to Ben Pakula.

    When I say excellent, I mean it in all senses I can think of: musically, lyrically and theologically. We–I mean me, Bronwyn, our 8 year old, 6 year old and 3 year old–love Ben Pakula’s music. It’s so true, and it’s so awesome. Those fantastic truths about our powerful God and his plan for salvation…

  • Cross-shaped Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1)

    This was originally published on the Biblical Theology Briefings website (beginningwithmoses.org) in 2006. The Biblical Theology Briefings aim to provide worked examples of sermons that apply the insights of evangelical biblical theology. I recently preached at the commissioning of two dear friends of mine who have now gone as missionaries to work as ministers in…

  • Be careful what you promise

    On the Sola Panel: Do you know for sure that you are going to be with God in Heaven? If God were to ask you, “Why should I let you into My Heaven?” what would you say? Have you ever used these questions (or a variation on them) to talk about the impact of the…

  • So you think you can serve?

    From the Sola Panel: I’ve just read through the Apostle Paul’s letters and noted all the words he uses to describe his ministry. It’s a fascinating and humbling list. Paul calls himself: apostle, servant, minister, preacher, master builder, from the tribe of Benjamin, prisoner, teacher, Hebrew, aroma, Jew, Israelite, temple servant, from the circumcision, manager,…

  • A step-by-step guide to teaching the Bible

    I’ve often used this short guide as a basis for training Bible Study leaders and those preparing to give Bible talks to children and youth. It’s available to download as a PDF here. Preparing to Teach the Bible—Step by Step Part 1—Understanding the passage Pray Read the passage several times Context What has just come…

  • Admitting our sins

    On the Sola Panel: I’d like to admit something to you. My admission isn’t particularly juicy or scandalous, but it’s an admission, nonetheless. The admission is this: I’m not honest enough with people when it comes to my sins. I don’t admit my sins to others often enough. The reason I don’t do it is…

  • The community gospel part 2

    On the Sola Panel: In my previous post, I mentioned a powerful and dangerous combination: A need in the world + an implication of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This formula is like dynamite. Used properly, it has the power to move mountains. But unless it is handled with care, there is the potential for…

  • The community gospel part 1: A powerful and dangerous formula

    From the Sola Panel: On 7 May, 1867, a man called Alfred Nobel obtained patents for a very powerful and potentially very dangerous formula: 3 parts nitroglycerin—C3H5(NO3)3 + one part diatomaceous earth + a small admixture of sodium carbonate—Na2CO3 This is the classic formula for dynamite. Used properly, it can move mountains. But unless it…

  • The healthy teaching pyramid

    The healthy teaching pyramid

    Have you ever seen the healthy eating pyramid on the wall of your local doctor? If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, the healthy eating pyramid is a simple diagram created by nutritionists to help us achieve a balanced diet. The idea is that to maintain a good diet, you need to eat some…

  • The enemy of the best

    One of the most confronting sayings by Jesus can be found in Luke 9:57-62: As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to…

  • The wisdom of the minister

    Part 3 in the series “Being Ministers of God: Reflections on the Servant concept in Isaiah.” Moore College 2nd Year 2008 Houseparty, Wollongong Surf Leisure Resort, Fairy Meadow, 23-24 February 2008. Power point file with visual aids also available.

  • The Suffering and Joy of the Minister

    Part 2 in the series “Being Ministers of God: Reflections on the Servant concept in Isaiah.” Moore College 2nd Year 2008 Houseparty, Wollongong Surf Leisure Resort, Fairy Meadow, 23-24 February 2008. Power point file with visual aids also available.

  • The Minister and the Ministers

    Part 1 in the series “Being Ministers of God: Reflections on the Servant concept in Isaiah.” Moore College 2nd Year 2008 Houseparty, Wollongong Surf Leisure Resort, Fairy Meadow, 23-24 February 2008. Power point file with visual aids also available.

  • Women Preaching to Mixed Adult Congregations: A detailed reading of 1 Timothy 2:8-15 in reply to John Stott’s position

    The issue of women preaching to mixed adult congregations is one that has caused a lot of consternation in ‘evangelical circles’ in recent times. There is a common argument that women should preach to mixed adult congregations that proceeds along the following lines: Different scholars and respected authorities disagree on the interpretation of the relevant…

  • Paul’s Apostolic Ministry as Presented in the Book of Acts

    Lionel Windsor (2002) ‘In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach’, writes Luke, at the beginning of his second volume (Acts 1:1, emphasis mine). The implication is that Jesus continued to act and to teach after his ascension (So Köstenberger and O’Brien 2001, 128). So Paul,…