Sermons and Biblical Studies

It is true that much church activity is thrown back upon a shaky foundation of psychology and natural talents. It is sad but true that many a mother-in-law is actually praying that her handsome son-in-law may be called to preach because “he would have such a marvelous pulpit presence.” We live in a day when … Continue reading “PASTORAL
MINISTRY: NEED FOR SPIRITUAL REALITY; CHARM”

“Your calling,” said Meister Eckhart to the clergy of his day, “cannot make you holy; but you can make it holy. No matter how humble that calling may be, a holy man can make it a holy calling. A call to the ministry is not a call to be holy, as if the fact of … Continue reading “PASTORAL
MINISTRY: NEED FOR SPIRITUAL REALITY; PASTORS: CALL OF GOD; HOLINESS: FIRST
NEED”

Cattle are driven; sheep are led; and our Lord compares His people to sheep, not to cattle. It is especially important that Christian ministers know the law of the leader—that he can lead others only as far as he himself has gone.… The minister must experience what he would teach or he will find himself … Continue reading “PASTORAL
MINISTRY: NEED FOR SPIRITUAL REALITY; LAW OF THE LEADER; LEADERS: SPIRITUAL
NEED”

One of the greatest of the pre-reformation preachers in Germany was Johannes Tollar, certainly an evangelical before Luther’s time. The story has been told that a devout layman, a farmer whose name was Nicholas, came down from the countryside, and implored Dr. Tollar to preach a sermon in the great church, dealing with the deeper … Continue reading “PASTORAL
MINISTRY: NEED FOR SPIRITUAL REALITY; HUMILITY”

This problem of personal identity not infrequently troubles the faithful minister. The congregation has called him as their pastor and teacher, but the members have a hard time forgetting the saintly predecessor who died or who was called to another ministry. They find it hard to make room for the new minister—mainly because he is … Continue reading “PASTORAL
MINISTRY: EXPECTATIONS; COMPARISON; CHURCH: PULPIT COMMITTEE”

Thomas à Kempis wrote that the man of God ought to be more at home in his prayer chamber than before the public.… No man should stand before an audience who has not first stood before God. Many hours of communion should precede one hour in the pulpit. The prayer chamber should be more familiar … Continue reading “PASTORAL
MINISTRY: DEPENDENCE ON GOD; PREACHING: PREPARATION FOR; PRAYER: NECESSITY OF”

It is written of Moses that he “went in before the Lord to speak with him … and he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel.” This is the Biblical norm from which we depart to our own undoing and to the everlasting injury of the souls of men. No man has any … Continue reading “PASTORAL
MINISTRY: DEPENDENCE ON GOD; PRAYER: NECESSITY OF; PREACHING: PREPARATION FOR”

Attention has recently been focused upon the fact that ministers suffer a disproportionately high number of nervous breakdowns compared with other men. The reasons are many, and for the most part they reflect credit on the men of God. Still I wonder if it is all necessary. I wonder whether we who claim to be … Continue reading “PASTORAL
MINISTRY: DEPENDENCE ON GOD; PASTORS: STRESS”

Will you pray for me as a minister of the gospel? I am not asking you to pray for the things people commonly pray for. Pray for me in light of the pressures of our times. Pray that I will not just come to a wearied end—an exhausted, tired, old preacher, interested only in hunting … Continue reading “PASTORAL
MINISTRY: DEPENDENCE ON GOD; PASTORS: RENEWAL”

It is good for us to remember how strong He is—and how weak we are. I settled this issue a long time ago. I tell you I have talked to God more than I have talked to anyone else. I have reasoned more with God and had longer conferences with God than with anybody else. … Continue reading “PASTORAL
MINISTRY: DEPENDENCE ON GOD; PASTORS: PROPHETIC MINISTRY; BOLDNESS; OPPOSITION”