Marks of Maturity in the Ministry (Part 1)
The work that the pastor does cannot be separated from the life that he lives. A man may be a successful surgeon and, at the same time, a compulsive gambler; or he may teach algebra with great success and get drunk every weekend. But the man in the ministry reproduces after his kind. This is
The Glory of Separation (Part 1)
In an earlier chapter we noted that from the Greek word for “transfigure” comes our English word “metamorphosis.” It means “a change on the outside that comes from the inside.” When that little larva forms its cocoon and waits, nature performs a marvelous miracle. God made it that way. The creature that emerges is a
Is Anybody Out There Stressed Out?
Not long ago, I was walking through an airport and noticed an area designated as a “Dollar minute, keep your shirt on” massage for weary travelers. As one who deals with constant inflammation of the joints and tissue in my back, this looked like a great deal. Normally, after preaching three sermons on Sunday, my
"He is the best preacher, not that tickles the ear, but that breaks the heart." --Thomas Brooks
"The minister's task is not to coddle the saints but to collar the sinners." --Hugh Price Hughes
"If you would try out a preacher, send him to preach to farmers: if he cannot make the grade there, let him reconsider his call - or maybe he needs to be converted." --Vance Havner
"The elements which determine the make of any particular sermon are three; the preacher, the material, and the audience; just as the character of any battle is determined by three elements; the gun (including the gunner), the ammunition, and the fortress against which the attack is made." --Phillips Brooks
"A preacher who is too big for a little crowd would be too little for a big crowd." --Vance Havner
"There are moments when the minister can derive stimulus and courage for his work only by falling back upon the irrefutable fact of his divine call." --George Barlow
"No encounter with a dragon is complete failure unless one fights venom with venom. No victory is worth winning if it forces us to become bilious. If I become a beast in order to overcome a beast, all that reigns is beastliness."--Marshall Shelley
"God never sent a messenger with an empty envelope."--Joel Horne
"Preaching is not the performance of an hour. It is the outflow of a life." --E.M. Bounds
"There is a lot of difference between pouring out one's heart and getting something off one's chest." --Vance Havner
"No man ever yet thought whether he was preaching well without weakening his sermon." --Phillips Brooks
"Most churches have plenty of strong personalities but a shortage of gentleness." --Marshall Shelley
Preacher
The Joy of Preaching
– Phillips, Brooks. Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI. Originally published as “Lectures on Preaching” in 1895, this is a classic that should be read by every minister of the Word. Dr. Wiersbe says, “…ranks with the finest homiletical literature every produced by any preacher of any denomination … A book every preacher ought to read
Well-intentioned Dragons
– Ministering to Problem People in the Church, by Marshall Shelley. Word Books, Waco, TX. This book is based on interviews with local church leaders who have been ‘signed’ by flame-throwing dragons. This is more than a book of war stories, it is an eye opening book that reveals why people are the way they
Book Notices
There are some basic books every preacher should have in his library. As you build your library, make sure you are investing in research works that will help you accurately interpret the truth of Scripture. There are books every preacher needs to won. Here are a few suggestions. Hebrew Honey, a Simple and Deep Word
Bibliofind
Searching for second hand or out of print books? Are you frustrated when you discover the book you want is out of print? Do you need resources for your next series but can’t find exactly what you want? Log onto www.bibliofind.com. Bibliofind is a free book search linked to hundreds of books stores around the
Sermon Search
www.SermonSearch.com We never recommend that a minister pull his sermons off the Internet. However, the sermon sites available through the web can provide great resources and supplemental material if used properly. One such site is found at www.SermonSearch.com. Presently there are over 8,000 sermons available through this site. You are required to set up an