Serious Preaching in a Comedy Culture
David Murray has put together these relevant reflections on what preachers can learn from TED talks. He outlines seven main arguments, each of which should inform and motivate those who preach today. He writes
I am all for being natural in the pulpit. However, there are certain elements of our nature that we have to control when we are representing Christ. One of the repeated qualifications for an elder is to be “sober.” That means to be “self-controlled,” to be able to restrain and curb some elements of our nature, character and personality. In the light of the seven reasons for seriousness, I would suggest that the natural ability to make people laugh is something we should leave at the bottom of the pulpit steps. Would we crack jokes in the Oval Office?
Learning to Doubt our Fears
Obeying the command to take “every thought captive” begins with our ability to doubt our fears. But what does that look like?
Clinging to the Crutch
Anxiety is all-encompassing, and it has the potential to lead to ultimate destruction, but there’s hope in recognising that we are not in control. We are not masters of our own destiny, but rather when we lean on Christ as the One who bears our burdens and carries our very souls, we find this crutch is more than able to take the weight.
Five Obstacles that Dads Face
I’ve just spent two weeks at home spending quality time with our children while my wife was away (for the most part), and I loved being able to invest time in them, watching them grow, learn to interact, and discover. But I’m not perfect, and kids have a way of revealing the areas in which I still have a long way to go. Scott Slayton puts his finger on a few.
Don’t Freak Out if You’re not Feeling God’s Presence
If you’re dependent on an emotional experience during Sunday morning worship, or expect to always feel God while you’re in prayer, you could be running with some unbiblical thinking. Stephen Altrogge explains.
