Guest Preaching Tips

See this blog post for eleven helpful and common-sense tips related to guest preaching opportunities. In the post, Brandon identifies the following eleven points.

1. Honor the senior pastor
2. Respect the time limit
3. Arrive early
4. Stay late
5. Know your audience
6. Honor the topic / text / series you are given.
7. Know the stage transitions
8. Say “Thank You”
9. Learn how to accept a compliment
10. Come prepared 
11. BONUS TIP: Ask for feedback

A commenter also added "dress appropriately." Read the entire post for additional explanation of the points.

Video Lecture by Udo Middelmann

You can access video of a lecture by Udo Middelmann given at the Lanier Theological Library. Here is a description of the contents of the lecture.

"The Bible teaches us that God is sovereign over all. Does that mean that in his sovereignty and foreknowledge, all events are determined? What about evil and the choices of man to disobey God or not believe in him at all, including the horrors of the 20th century? Do we have to choose between a good but weak God or a bad but strong God? The sovereignty of God, the existence of evil, the responsibility of man ... how do these work together to explain human history and the reality of the world around us? Belief in the sovereignty of God has led to extreme forms of determinism, while a rejection of God’s sovereignty has resulted in a view of history which assumes the idea of a God with limited power and knowledge. Udo Middelmann critiques both positions and demonstrates the continuing battle of a good and powerful God for his creation. Instead of blaming God, or his absence, Middelmann presents a startling catalyst for thoughtful dialogue. God admonishes us to seek justice, goodness and mercy in the continuing struggle against evil."

Go here to access the video.

In Defense of the Lecture

The lecture method of teaching has fallen into disfavor these days. But read Abigail Walthhausen's article entitled, "Don't Give Up on the Lecture" in the The Atlantic. See You can access the article here.

The Preacher as Realist

Warren Wiersbe in an essay entitled, "Your Preaching is Unique," provides the following helpful observation.

"God help the preacher who abandons his ideals! But, at the same time, God pity the preacher who is idealistic that he fails to be realistic. A realist is an idealist who has gone through the fire and been purified. A skeptic is an idealist who has gone through the fire and been burned. There is a difference."

Warren Wiersbe, "Your Preaching is Unique," in Preaching to Convince, ed. James D. Berkley (Waco: Word, 1986), 167.

James Hoffmeier and Stephen Moshier at the Lanier Theological Library

Those in the Houston area might be interested in registering for a free lecture on January 18, 2014 by James Hoffmeier and Stephen Moshier at the Lanier Theological Library.

The lecture is entitled, "Moses Did Not Sleep Here! A Critical Look at Some Sensational Exodus and Mt. Sinai Theories." Here is a brief description.

"Over the past 10-15 years there have been a number of sensational ideas advanced for where and how the Red Sea crossing occurred as the Hebrews departed Egypt and where Mt. Sinai is located. Many of these are known from popular TV programs on the History, Learning, Discovery and National Geographic Channels. Some of these theories, such as the one that has the Israelites crossing the Gulf of Aqaba and landing in Saudi Arabia will be examined biblically, archaeologically (Hoffmeier) and geologically (Moshier). Was Mt. Sinai a volcano? Is there any basis for identifying Mt. Sinai with the traditional site, Gebel Musa? These and other questions will be treated, using film clips, slides and maps." 

For additional information or to register go here.

Review of What the Old Testament Authors Really Cared About

Jason DeRouchie, ed., What the Old Testament Authors Really Cared About: A Survey of Jesus’ Bible (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2013). 

The Old Testament is unexplored territory for many Christians. So any resource that can help one to navigate through this part of Scripture should be appreciated. What the Old Testament Authors Really Cared About is just such a resource.
 
This work, the product of seventeen authors and edited by Jason DeRouchie, is concise, well-written, and pedagogically friendly. The book is arranged in Jewish canonical order with each book covered individually. There are numerous and helpful charts, diagrams, sidebars, maps, and photos. The book contains seven appendices (although the last two are really more indices). There is not much to criticize in this work. It is certainly not as detailed as some other surveys but what it does it typically does well. One chapter that I did find disappointing was the one on the Twelve (i.e. the twelve Minor Prophets). While one can justify treating the Minor Prophets as a single book, I think it would have been better to address each book individually. After all it is called the Twelve and not the One. Furthermore, since this is a survey of Jesus’ Bible, it might be worth noting that the New Testament never clearly refers to the Twelve collectively, but rather to individual prophets/books (e.g., Joel [Acts 2:16], Hosea [Rom 9:25], Jonah [Matt 12:39, etc.]).

But these criticisms do not outweigh the overall value of the book. Indeed, I wish that this book came with a CD or website access that would allow pastors and teachers to easily access the charts, diagrams, maps, and photos for presentation purposes.

I am thankful to Kregel for providing the review copy utilized in this unbiased review.

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below.

Georg Fischer
Theologien des Alten Testaments
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8791
Reviewed by Martin Leuenberger

Mercedes L. García Bachmann
Women at Work in the Deuteronomistic History
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9191
Reviewed by Susanne Scholz

Yung Suk Kim, ed.
1 and 2 Corinthians: Texts @ Contexts
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9155
Reviewed by Matthew R. Malcolm

Yulin Liu
Temple Purity in 1–2 Corinthians
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9192
Reviewed by S. Aaron Son

Jodi Magness, Seth Schwartz, Zeev Weiss, and Oded Irshai, eds.
“Follow the Wise”: Studies in Jewish History and Culture in Honor of Lee I. Levine
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7852
Reviewed by Rami Arav

Susan E. Myers, ed.
Portraits of Jesus: Studies in Christology
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9012
Reviewed by Francis J. Moloney

Daniel C. Olson
A New Reading of the Animal Apocalypse of 1 Enoch: “All Nations Shall be Blessed”
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9160
Reviewed by David R. Jackson

Colleen Shantz and Rodney A. Werline, eds.
Experientia, Volume 2: Linking Text and Experience
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8605
Reviewed by Scott D. Mackie

Eric A. Seibert
The Violence of Scripture: Overcoming the Old Testament’s Troubling Legacy
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8871
Reviewed by Ralph K. Hawkins

Martin Williams
The Doctrine of Salvation in the First Letter of Peter
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8868
Reviewed by Jennifer G. Bird

What Drives Your Preaching Schedule?

" . . . a preaching schedule driven by the Bible rather than by perceived needs will over the long haul, stimulate greater maturity in a church. Substantial long-term growth requires a steady diet of the Word. Rather than beginning with our people's needs, therefore, the majority of our preaching schedule should balance the biblical diet we offer our listeners. Then, as we submit to the Word and the Spirit, giving these priority over our hobby horses, creativity, and even our desire to meet people's felt needs, God will permeate our preaching and perform whatever work He needs to perform in listeners' hearts and lives."

Daniel Overdorf, One Year to Better Preaching: 52 Exercises top Hone Your Skills (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2013), 22

Suggestions for Crafting Message Statements

Last week I had a brief post here on message statements for the books of the Bible. I noted that a message statement is a one-sentence summary consisting of a subject and compliment(s). In this post, I will offer a few suggestions for crafting message statements.

1. The subject of your message statement needs to encapsulate the whole book otherwise it will better serve as a compliment.
2. A message statement needs to cover the whole book but not every book of the Bible. Some message are so broad and generic that they are not really useful in capturing the the uniqueness of a book.
3. Try to resist the temptation to use God as the subject. God, of course, is the presumed subject of every biblical book. However, if you make God the subject then you will likely have a problem with point 2. If you feel compelled to use God as the subject, then try and narrow it to a distinctive aspect or attribute of God that is central to the book (e.g., attributes like holiness, sovereignty, faithfulness, etc., or functions like God as judge, redeemer, warrior, etc.).
4. Do your best to avoid a message statement that is is too historically grounded. For example, while one could argue that the subject of Lamentations is the destruction of Jerusalem, if you use that as the subject, then what is the message for all of us who are not Jewish or otherwise associated with Jerusalem? In these cases, it is better to abstract a more generic subject out of the historical subject. For Lamentations the subject might be something like "the tragic and destructive consequences of sin." Doing this will keep your message relevant to a contemporary audience. However, you will need to take care that you do not run into issues related to point 2.
5. Understand that the Bible is inspired and inerrant but your message statements are not. Be willing to change your message statement as you gain a better appreciation of a book.
6. Remember that you cannot improve or edit what has not been written. Do not let the fear and difficulty of composing message statements paralyze you. Simply do your best and keep point 5 in mind. 

Moo's Galatians Commentary

I hope to pick up a copy of Doug Moo's new Galatians commentary soon. But until then I will have to be content with this PDF excerpt. This excerpt contains a very good  treatment on the the issue of whether the Jerusalem visit of Galatians 2:1-10 should be equated with Acts 11:27-30 or Acts 15:1-29. I also happen to agree with Moo's conclusion.

Bruce Springsteen and the Bible

A number of years ago In Bible college, I had an assignment where among other things, I wrote about biblical references and theology that is woven through a number of Bruce Springsteen's songs. So it is with some interest that I note that Rutgers University is offering a one-hour college course entitled "Rock and Roll Theology" focusing on the theology of Bruce Springsteen. See this report and interview with the professor of the course. I am not sure what the syllabus looks like, but preachers and teachers familiar with the "Boss" already know that there are illustrations to be found in the music.

Blog Tour Review of Evangelical Theology

I am thankful to Zondervan and the Koinonia blog for allowing me to participate in the Evangelical Theology blog tour. I realize that I may be one of the last ones to contribute but in my defense, I was assigned to cover the longest part in the book! But having the longest part of the book is wholly appropriate in this case since it relates to theology proper or more properly, “The God of the Gospel: The Triune God in Being and Action.” Surely the measure of any systematic theology should be how it treats its most important Subject–God Himself.

In general, this was an enjoyable read. The author has an easy to read style that is clear and lively. Bird’s sidebar on “Evangelicals and Karl Barth” is a good example of this (pp. 191–93). He has a gift for making a serious point in a humorous way. Two examples of this should suffice.

“So the doctrine of creatio ex nihilo did not emerge ex nihilo” (p. 161).

“Giving a revelation to men and women alienated from God is a bit like trying to insert a DVD into a video cassette player; it won’t load” (p. 204).

This section was also fairly comprehensive. While footnotes are kept to a minimum, the content does not seem to suffer. Definitions are provided and different views are presented and Bird lets you know where he stands. There are also refreshing moments where the reader is reminded that theology is not merely a philosophical or theoretical construct but has significant implications for the Christian life. The author deserves kudos for presenting the practical implications of the Trinity in four areas: 1. prayer and worship, 2. ministry, 3. missions, and 4. community (pp. 122–24).

Of course with any work of this magnitude there will be points of disagreement here and there. I offer two examples. First, in his discussion of the Trinity, the author asserts that “the complexity of the subject means that the Trinity is not strictly a biblical doctrine, as there is no ‘Trinity’ in any biblical concordance” (p. 100). While this statement is true as far as it goes, I am not convinced that this statement is helpful. The fact is, there are few, if any, comprehensive doctrinal statements in the Bible and the mere mention of a term does not make a biblical doctrine. Furthermore, just about all, if not all, doctrines rely at some point on inferences. Second, I think there are problems with Bird’s portrayal of dispensationalism (pp. 220–21). While Bird is right in noting that there are different kinds of dispensationalists (p. 220) it is misleading at best to state that the sine qua non of dispensationalism is the distinction between Israel and the church when in fact it is only one of three identified by Ryrie in the source he has cited. Also, Bird states that “Dispensationalism has had bad consequences for Jewish evangelism” and then goes on to make reference to “extreme dispensational groups” (p. 221). While one cannot deny that there are extreme groups, is it good form to support one’s critique by utilizing the extremists within a group? It is akin to those who criticize Calvinists for not being interested in evangelism because they believe in unconditional election. One can find examples of this, but this does not mean that it is true of Calvinists in general. It is doubtful that one could write a history of modern Jewish evangelism without recognizing the significant contributions of dispensationalists.

These concerns aside, I appreciate what Evangelical Theology brings to the table. Like any conversation partner it has flaws, but one would be poorer for it by not listening to what this one has to say.

Free ESV App

To celebrate their 75th anniversary, Crossway is offering the ESV Study Bible Web App for free through the end of November. You can access this free app at Crossway.org/75th.

Just in Time for Christmas: The Incarnation of the Gospels

The Westminster Bookstore is offering The Incarnation in the Gospels by Daniel Doriani, Philip Ryken, and Richard Phillips for 52% off or $11. Use this link. This looks like a good resource that might come in handy for that Christmas series you are planning. You can access a PDF excerpt of the book here or listen to an interview related to the book with Doriani here.

Message Statements for Books of the Bible

As part of my doctoral work, I had to write an argument for every book of the Bible. In order to write an argument I needed to craft a one-sentence summary of what the book is about. This one-sentence summary consisting of a subject and compliment(s) is called a message statement. While some might assume that writing a single sentence like this should be easy. In reality, it is a challenging exercise. In essence, it is like trying to capture lightning in a bottle. So I was interested to read this post by Andy Naselli that lists all the message statements from the NIV Proclamation Bible. Some of the messages are very good but a few are not really message statements at all. In any case, I find that it sharpens my thinking to see how other interpreters understand the books of the Bible.

Jerome Murphy-O'Connor (1935-2013)

It is being reported that Jerome Murphy-O'Connor has died. I never had the privilege of meeting him, but two of his books have been particularly helpful to me.

• St. Paul's Corinth: Texts and Archaeology, 3rd revised and expanded ed. (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical, 2002) 
• The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide from Earliest Times to 1700, 5th ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008).

The Biblical Story

If you are interested in the metanarrative of the Bible you might be interesting in The Biblical Story, a set of videos featuring Dr. Charles Baylis. Dr. Baylis is a Professor of Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary.

A Resource for Improving Sunday School

The folks at Kregel recently sent me a copy of Sunday School That Really Excels: Real Life Examples of Churches with Healthy Sunday Schools edited by Steve Parr. I was glad to receive this volume because I am a proponent of Sunday school and have taught in this environment for many years. I have also served on the administrative end of Sunday school ministry. 

There are a number of things that I like about this book. I like the variety of topics. There are seventeen chapters that deal with appropriate and varied issues. Most readers involved in Sunday school will find something relevant to their situation here. I like that the chapters are relatively short. I like the fact that the chapters are based on real examples. Some books on Sunday school can be long on theory and short on examples.

While my assessment of this work is generally positive, I would note a couple of minor criticisms. As with any volume written by multiple authors, some chapters will be better than others. More importantly, given the title of the book, I was a bit surprised that there was not really a definition of what constitutes an excelling or healthy Sunday school. Allan Taylor in the forward mentions the "e" word. He asserts the virtue of pursuing excellence but does not really establish what that means specifically for Sunday school.

These criticisms aside, most interested in Sunday school should find something of value in this volume. A 36-page excerpt is available here.

450 Sermons and Four Preaching Truths

Ed Stetzer summarizes the findings of a LifeWay Research study 450 sermons here. He suggests that the study revealed the following four preaching truths. Do read Stetzer's entire article for explanation of the points

1. The Word should be heard.
2. The Word should be organized.
3. The Word should be sufficient.
4. The Word should be useful

Preaching Legal Texts

Steven Smith continues his series on preaching different genres. You can find his discussion on preaching from the Law here.

Hurtado on the Social Description of Early Christians/Christianity

Larry Hurtado has a brief but helpful reminder concerning the social diversity of the early Christ followers here.

Text-Driven Preaching and Linguistics

David Allen has a nice post entitled "Text-Driven Preaching and Linguistics: What the Preacher Must Know to be a Good Exegete" here.

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below.

Emily Arndt
Demanding Our Attention: The Hebrew Bible as a Source for Christian Ethics
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=7969
Reviewed by Thomas Krüger

Pieter J. J. Botha
Orality and Literacy in Early Christianity
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8793
Reviewed by Stephen Reed

Marc Zvi Brettler, Peter Enns, and Daniel J. Harrington
The Bible and the Believer: How to Read the Bible Critically and Religiously
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8670
Reviewed by Greg Carey

Warren Carter
Seven Events That Shaped the New Testament World
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9047
Reviewed by Don Garlington

David G. Firth and Philip S. Johnston, eds.
Interpreting Deuteronomy: Issues and Approaches
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9121
Reviewed by Nathan MacDonald

Naomi Grunhaus
The Challenge of Received Tradition: Dilemmas of Interpretation in Radak’s Biblical Commentaries
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9085
Reviewed by David H. Aaron

Lori Hope Lefkovitz
In Scripture: The First Stories of Jewish Sexual Identities
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8716
Reviewed by Deborah Rooke

Ildefonso Lozano Lozano
Romanos 5: La vida de los justificados por la fe y su fundamento, la reconciliación por nuestro señor Jesucristo
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8625
Reviewed by David E. C. Ford

I. Howard Marshall, Volker Rabens, and Cornelis Bennema, eds.
The Spirit and Christ in the New Testament and Christian Theology: Essays in Honor of Max Turner
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8877
Reviewed by James P. Sweeney

Jacob Milgrom and Daniel I. Block
Ezekiel’s Hope: A Commentary on Ezekiel 38–48
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8832
Reviewed by Steven S. Tuell

vanThanh Nguyen
Peter and Cornelius: A Story of Conversion and Mission
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8911
Reviewed by Sean A. Adams

Reinoud Oosting
The Role of Zion/Jerusalem in Isaiah 40–55: A Corpus-Linguistic Approach
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9133
Reviewed by Marvin A. Sweeney

Yvonne Sherwood
Biblical Blaspheming: Trials of the Sacred for a Secular Age
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8782
Reviewed by Francis Landy

Mike van Treek Nilsson
Expresión literaria del placer en la Biblia hebrea
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9414
Reviewed by César Melgar

Thomas Willi
Israel und die Völker: Studien zur Literatur und Geschichte Israels in der Perserzeit
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=9150
Reviewed by Michael Moore

Free Charts on Jude

Herb Bateman has made four charts on Jude available here. The PDF is available for free until for free until December 15. The charts survey various commentaries on the issues of authorship, date, recipients, and opponents. This resource is one of the resources made available at Bateman's Cyber-Center for Biblical Studies.

Free Theology Infographics

Zondervan has two free theology infographics related to Michael Horton's Pilgrim Theology. The infographics are available here and here.