The Esteemed Reverend Welcher, on relevance in preaching (from a Facebook note):
I wonder how many modern sermons replete with movie quotes, pop references and endless rehashings of the Pastor’s college exploits will be even remotely useful to a person living in the future?
Of course, the vast majority of us won’t be read after we fall asleep, let alone 500 years after we fall asleep. It’s not a problem we’ll have.
For most of us, our goal should be to preach the Bible is such a way that we are relevant to the people we are teaching in the here and now, and to train up men who will be relevant tomorrow.
This was good! The question of “relevance” vs. “timelessness” is of definite interest to many within the church. The answer, however, is not in choosing one or the other (as some might look upon it), but in seeking to translate timeless truth into relevant terms so each generation can be transformed by the unchanging but ever relevant gospel of Christ.
Of course, I’m not a preacher–but I’d be willing to say that the same principles should be true of our teaching, evangelizing, making disciples, and… dare I say blogging?
Robert L. Saucy, on the exercise of spiritual gifts, from Are miraculous gifts for today?: Four views:
“The ministry of spiritual gifts is the encounter of God with his people. For a person open to God, the reception of gifted ministry is the experience of his supernatural work. Too often this is primarily seen and therefore sought in the miraculous. But the edifying experiences of rebuke, conviction, encouragement, comfort, etc., brought through the nonmiraculous gifts, are as much supernatural and the experience of God as are miracles.”
I really appreciate this comment from Saucy’s “Open but Cautious” standpoint. I think there is a grave danger in letting the pursuit of the miraculous overshadow the “everyday” exercise of spiritual gifts. While the miraculous gifts are a hot button issue that receive a lot of attention, the bulk of the spiritual gifts listed in Scripture are non-miraculous (but still supernatural) workings of the Holy Spirit for the edification of the church. To lose sight of this and fail to practice the less “showy” spiritual gifts would be a tragedy.
Chris Brauns, on the power of the church:
You know: the magnifying glass does not provide any power of its own. It serves only to direct the power of the sun. But, when it does, it brings light to a burning focus and things ignite.
That is what the local church is supposed to do. By itself, the church, God’s people, do not offer any power. But, a church is like a magnifying glass that God uses to focus and direct His power.
HT: Vitamin Z
This quote refers to using a magnifying glass to ignite something on a sunny day. I appreciate the perspective this analogy provides to the idea of how a Christian is to work. Matthew 15:16 says “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Our good works, our very lives as the church are but a tool that God uses to display His power and glory to the world.
Collect more quotes from throughout the week with Barbara H’s meme “The Week in Words”.
These are all really, really good. I love your summation of the first one, and I agree, those principles should be true in all those areas.
And I agree about the “everyday” spiritual gifts. There is probably much more of a need for them to be employed, and they can’t be without the Holy Spirit’s power.
I like that last one, too, not just for what it says but also the reminder it is to me that if God uses me in any way, I’m just the instrument, just the “magnifying glass” — the power is all His.
Great quotes and good insight, Rebekah.
I always feel so juvenile after reading yours and Barbara’s quotes–mine usually come from some work of fiction I’ve been frivolously enjoying. ;-)
Interesting quotes. The first one I need to think about some more! But that is what is so good about a quote–it makes one think! I guess what you have said about it rings true. I think the great sermons are timeless. I think of John Edward’s sermon, Sinners in the hands of an Angry God. This was a sermon that was preached at the start of the Great Awakening. I just paused to read through it quickly. Apart from the English being a little old it could be preached at any time. It really could. I sometimes just love it when a preacher reads the word and just expounds on it (Oh forgive any spelling errors here–a thunderstorm is moving in and I need to quicken things up!) Sometimes I get tired of all the modern stuff being thrown in and YET… a good preacher, like Jesus, will use stories, parables, that the listen can understand….SO THEN AGAIN perhaps it is needful especially in the culture we live in…..I need to think more on this….WELLLLLLLL and I for one often remember the stories better than the sermon itself!! OR the stories will prompt me to remember!! SO YUP …perhaps both are necessary……got to think more…..
Nannykim–I’m glad that quote made you think!
Evan’s note was referring to John Calvin’s sermons and his proclivity to bring many of his points back to the errors of the papacy–a completely relevant topic in his day, although less so right now. Yet I think Evan (and many others) would agree that Calvin’s teachings still have plenty of timeless truth that can be applied to our day.
I definitely hear you about expository preaching. I think relevance is important–but all of our “relevance” means nothing if it does not accurately and effectively communicate TRUTH (which is timeless).