Darryl Dash's Blog, page 85
November 3, 2018
Saturday Links
Links for your weekend reading:
The Ebb and Flow of Christian Happiness
God has designed, for now, that our joy not always be great.
Because it is Christ’s blood-bought bride, leaving a church should not be a casual decision. Our loving Lord deserves that we treat his church with care and reverence.
Pastors Should Like People (Not Just Love Them)
Pastors, we must be intentional to keep kindling affection (for instance, yearning, desire, dearness) in our ministry relation...
November 1, 2018
Pastoral Covetousness
There’s something in us that discounts our current circumstances: our lives, our location, our role, our lives. We look at others and want more. It’s sin, of course, a direct violation of the tenth word:
You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's. (Exodus 20:17)
I’m always struck by how comprehensive this command is. It goes into detail, because...
October 30, 2018
Plant in Hard Places
The advice is good, as far as it goes. “Your ability to plant a church successfully is dependent upon your community’s spiritual fertility,” writes Ben Arment. Five plus years into planting, I couldn’t agree more. If you plant in a fertile area, your church will grow faster. You will reach critical mass quicker. You will see more reward for your labor.
And yet we still need to plant churches in hard places.
Growth will be slower. The headaches will be greater. And yet we still need planters w...
October 27, 2018
Saturday Links
Links for your weekend reading:
Tired Mom of Littles: The Church Needs You
Moms, this isn’t an article to kick you when you’re down and tell you to get your act together. It’s a comforting reminder that you are part of something much bigger than your current circumstances. You’re not alone. You are part of a body, a temple, a family. You need the church and the church needs you.
Why the Church Doesn’t Need Any More Coffee Bars
Remember that you are not just trying to attract the hip and the c...
October 25, 2018
Top Quotes and Takeaways from Integrative Preaching
As part of A Year of Books on Preaching, I’m posting a review a month of a preaching book, and then a list of quotes and takeaways.
I posted a review of Integrative Preaching earlier this week. Here are some of the top quotes and takeaways from his book.
Top Ten QuotesNobody ought to come to hear me preach. We ought to come to hear the voice of God. (Location 117)
Preaching is leading in listening—listening to the voice of God and helping others do the same. (Location 144)
Preaching ought n...
October 23, 2018
Integrative Preaching
[image error]I’ve read all kinds of preaching books, but I’ve never read a book like Integrative Preaching: A Comprehensive Model for Transformational Proclamation by Kent Anderson.
It’s hard to say something new about preaching, but I think this book does say something new. It presents a model for preaching that calls the preacher to integrate head and heart, as well as the heavenly and human. It invites the preacher to engage with stories, instruct with themes, convict with gospel, and inspire with mis...
October 20, 2018
Saturday Links
Links for your weekend reading:
Forget The Extras – Your Church Needs To Get The Basics Right
Your church might not have the budget or the staff to do the extras, but that’s okay. You can do what matters.
An Open Letter to the Preacher Writing a Sermon
I want you to keep on preparing and preaching sermons, with an unshakeable confidence in the grace which often comes slowly.
Church Planters Are Stewards, Not Owners
Church-planting pastors are most dangerous to their flock when they act like o...
October 18, 2018
Integrative Preaching: An Interview With Kent Anderson
I spent 12 hours on a plane on Tuesday, so I had time to plow into Kenton Anderson’s book Integrative Preaching: A Comprehensive Model for Transformational Proclamation. I’ll post a review next week, but I’ll just say here: I’ve never read another preaching book quite like it. I think it’s going to help a lot of preachers do a better job in proclaiming God’s Word.
Kent was kind enough to allow me to interview him about this book.
[image error] Why did you write this book?
This is the culmination of 25 year...
October 16, 2018
The Public Reading of Scripture
It may be one of the most disobeyed commands in Scripture: “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13). We do pretty well with the exhortation and teaching parts, but I’m concerned by how little attention we give to the public reading of Scripture.
Surprisingly, many mainline churches read Scripture more than evangelical ones. Their furniture highlights this priority: they devote a reading stand for this sole purpose. They f...
October 13, 2018
Saturday Links
Links for your weekend reading:
John Frame’s 9-Point Checklist for Evaluating Theological Writings
Theologian John Frame sets forth the criteria he uses—and tries to avoid—when evaluating theological writings.
Does Your Church Offer Weak Community?
What do you do if membership at your church is on the wane? Or what if membership doesn’t seem to be growing at the desired rate?
Four Ways to Love a Disappointing Church
Let me suggest a few ways you can hold up your end of the bargain and contrib...
