I am preaching (on Joel) this coming Sunday. In my recent sermon preparation, I have intermittently stopped and asked myself "What exactly am I being asked to do when I stand up and preach in church?" Admittedly, I haven't come to a wholly satisfying answer just yet. But one preacher who consistently inspires me, John Piper, has these words to say about "What is preaching?" and I find them refreshing.
I would love others to watch what he has to say and add a comment on this issue. I still feel I have a lot of unanswered questions and maybe you do too.
2 comments:
A couple of helpful quotes passed on by Sam:
"Biblical preaching is still that unique method by which God through His chosen messenger reaches down into the human family and brings persons into fellowship with Himself" (Lloyd M. Perry, Biblical Preaching for Today's World, Chicago: Moody Press, 1990, p. 19).
Phillips Brooks, 19th century preacher and writer, defined "preaching" with simple eloquence in his Lectures on Preaching: "Preaching is the communication of truth by man to men."
Well, I gave my sermon on Joel on Sunday 15th November. It can be found here if you're interested: http://www.archive.org/details/TheDayOfTheLord
I had a breakthrough in my preparation. It started when I began "looking for God" in the book of Joel. And I "found" Him in Joel 2:13. The exhilarating description of God's nature there actually harks back to Exodus 34 when the Lord revealed his character to Moses in a very personal and powerful way.
Do look those passages up, and I hope you come face to face with God again.
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