Todd Linn's Blog, page 9

The Sin Of Favoritism

Second only to Jesus, James is arguably the master of vivid illustrations.  In this passage (James 2:1-7), he paints a picture easily imagined by regular worship attenders.  Two people from two different backgrounds enter into the gathered assembly.  Those in a position to welcome these two persons will be tempted to treat them differently based upon appearance alone.  James calls this behavior a sin (verse 9) and warns the church against it.

Favoritism is Incompatible with Faith

James says that Christians must not hold their faith in Christ “with partiality.”  This word “partiality” is in a plural form so it could be translated as “favoritisms.”  In other words, there is more than one way to show favoritism.  James addresses primarily the matter of showing favoritism to those who appear especially wealthy, but that is just one illustration of favoritism.  We may play favorites with respect to those who are more attractive than others, more powerful than others, or more influential than others.

We may discriminate against others on the basis of education, gender, race, or ethnicity.  Again, there is more than one way to show partiality or favoritism.

One of the reasons favoritism is incompatible with faith in Christ is because drawing attention to a special characteristic or status of others is, in essence, ascribing a kind of glory to them.  The word “glory” carries the notion of weight and worth.  So when we show favoritism to certain people we are saying, “This person carries a lot of weight” or, “This person has clout; this person is really influential.”  

Yet note how James identifies our Lord Jesus.  He describes Him as “the Lord of glory.”  Literally the Greek reads “Jesus Christ, the glory.”  Favoritism is incompatible with your faith in Jesus Christ, the glory.

Jesus Christ is the glory of God.  Man is not the glory.  God is the glory and He will not trade His glory with another (Isaiah 42:8).  Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:15 that Christ is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”  And the writer of Hebrews declares that Jesus Christ is “the brightness of [God’s] glory and the express image of His person (Hebrews 1:3).”

Showing favoritism to another person, then, is a way of ascribing glory to another when all glory belongs to God.  Favoritism is incompatible with faith.  But how easily a spirit of favoritism can creep into the church!

Favoritism can Infect the Fellowship 

This is James’ concern here as he describes the aforementioned illustration of two different visitors entering the church building: “a man with gold rings, in fine apparel” and another person described as “a poor man in filthy clothes.”

Stop for a moment and consider your own immediate inclination.  Were you in a position to welcome these two visitors, who would you be more likely to approach first?  Be honest!  Would you be more likely to greet the man richly attired who is presumably also personable and influential?  Or would you be more likely to reach out to the shabbily dressed man?  Each must answer for himself, but James seems to suggest that most of us would treat the rich man more graciously than we would the poor man.

Favoritism occurs when we focus merely upon the externals.  In a memorable verse, the Lord told the Prophet Samuel: “Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).”

Of course James is not saying that it is wrong to honor others.  It is certainly appropriate to give up a seat to honor someone, an elderly person, a special visiting friend, or a military serviceman, for example.

In some cultures, ministers are honored with front seats in worship assemblies.  I recall the first time I witnessed this on a mission trip in South America.  Perfectly happy to sit comfortably in the back or midway among the pews, our host insisted that I sit right up front.  He even moved women and children out of the way to make room.  I remember feeling awkward and cringing as I tried in vain to refuse the honor.  But the host insisted—as did the women and children!  They were delighted to honor me with a special seat up front. 

Honoring others in this fashion is not what James has in mind.  James is talking about our wrongly esteeming others merely on the basis of physical appearance.  In the illustration provided, no one deserves special treatment on the basis of his wealth.

William Barclay helps us imagine this “man with gold rings” who visits the assembly.  He writes:

The more ostentatious of the ancients wore rings on every finger except the middle one, and wore far more than one on each finger. They even hired rings to wear when they wished to give an impression of special wealth. “We adorn our fingers with rings,” said Seneca, “and we distribute gems over every joint.” 1

So let’s imaginatively personalize James’ illustration in the context of the contemporary church.  Here’s this guy, we’ll call him “Mr. Bling,” and he’s probably married to “Mrs. Bedazzle.”  So Mr. Bling comes into the sanctuary and the ushers are tripping over themselves to get to him.  They’re like “Hey, I’ll seat you right up front in the special seating.”  But to the poor guy they say reproachfully: “You, sit over there!”  Or, “I’ll tell you what: why don’t you just sit right here next to my feet.  I need a footstool and if my feet fall off the stool, you can put them back up for me.”

This behavior seems unimaginable to many Christians, yet James pushes us to consider our biases and prejudices.  

When the rich young ruler approached Jesus, Jesus was not impressed with the man’s externals.  In fact, Jesus instructed the religious seeker to go and sell all that he had if he truly wished to follow Him (Luke 18:18-23).  Jesus let the man, described by Luke as “very rich,” walk away.  I can’t help but imagine that Jesus’ disciples were beside themselves: “Jesus! That man has all kinds of money!  What great influence we would have if he were part of our group!”

This is the sort of thinking we must be vigilant to guard against.  There is no place for favoritism in the church.  It is incompatible with the faith and we must not allow it to infect the fellowship. 

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 63-66, available on Amazon.

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The “Sons Of God” In Genesis 6–What?!

Today’s Theology Thursdays post is a brief (muy breve!) presentation on the rather obscure text of Genesis 6:1-4.

What in the world is going on in this passage? I hope this post helps!

With special thanks to Gary Larson for the comic relief on slide 9, here is today’s SlideShare presentation:

Angelology 9 (Genesis 6 and the Sons of God) from Todd Linn, PhD

Six Reasons To Pause While Preaching

“Speech is silver, and silence is golden.” So goes the old proverb that teaches the power of things not said. Applied to preaching, what can occasional moments of silence do to improve the delivery of our messages? With this question in mind, here are six reasons to “hit the pause button” periodically while preaching:

1) Pausing allows our listeners to process what we have just said

Especially when wishing to make a memorable point, we are wise to pause for a moment after making it. Doing so allows listeners to think about what we have said and consider its import. For example: “Zacchaeus was more interested in who Jesus was than what Jesus could do for him.” A pause after this statement gives listeners time to think about their own relationship with Christ.

2) Pausing prepares our listeners for what we are going to say next

In addition to giving listeners time to think about what we have just said, pausing also gives listeners time to prepare for, or anticipate, what we will say next. This is especially useful after asking a rhetorical question such as: “Why do so many Christians feel they have to earn God’s approval?” A brief pause here allows listeners time to think about an answer.

3) Pausing allows our listeners to breathe

Especially when working through an exegetically rich text, pausing periodically keeps listeners from becoming overwhelmed. We must remember that most of our listeners will not have spent as much time studying the passage as we have.

4) Pausing allows the preacher to gather (or regather) his thoughts

Sometimes preachers lose their train of thought or forget the next emphasis of their message. Pausing for a moment to look at the text (or notes) allows the preacher to get back on track.

5) Pausing may regain the attention of listeners

Whether we like it or not, our listeners may unintentionally “tune us out” as they begin thinking about a host of matters often unrelated to the sermon. And yes, some may even start to nod off! Pausing upsets the sound equilibrium and alerts listeners that something has changed. I have often been surprised by how many people look up (or wake up!) after I have paused for just a second or two.

6) Pausing allows the preacher to vary his rate and pitch

Often when preaching, I fall into a predictable rhythm and pitch. Like listening to the soft rumble of an automobile on the highway, my listeners may be lulled into a comfortable “ride” where they are not really hearing what I am saying. I have found that pausing periodically helps me recalibrate my speaking rate (am I speaking too fast/slow?) and vary my vocal pitch (am I speaking too high/low?).

Preachers: what other reasons would you give for pausing while preaching?

Hearing From God

Today’s post continues the treatment of James 1:19-21 and is obtained from our verse-by-verse study of the Book Of James.

In an effort to correct the inconsistent actions of Christians who allow their emotions to get the better of them, James turns to helpful correction, correction culminating in our receiving the Word of God, or hearing from God. 

Receive The Word In Humility 

“…receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21)

The “implanted word” is God’s Word, namely what God says as recorded in Scripture.  This is the Word “which is able to save your souls,” and James most likely uses the word “save” here in a general sense as in, “saving you from a lot of trouble,” because he is addressing professing Christians, folks who are already saved.  At the same time, however,  the Word of God is certainly that Word which is able to save all souls!  The Word of God contains the saving message of the gospel and all who believe and receive the gospel message may be saved.

Yet James’ main concern here is how one receives the Word of God.  He writes: “Receive with meekness the implanted word.”  The word meekness connotes humility, a teachable spirit.  Receive the Word by listening sincerely, assuming the posture of a teachable spirit.

Do you have a teachable spirit?  Do you receive the Word of God with anticipation?  Consider how you arrive for public worship where the Word is preached or a small group setting where the Word is taught.  Do you hunger for preaching and teaching of the Word?  Do you thirst for it because you really want to learn and grow?  Or does your body language and general disposition suggest you’ve pretty well learned all you care to learn?

James says, “Receive with meekness (with humility) the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls.”  Have a teachable spirit.  Demonstrate a willingness to hear, listen, to learn.  

And James refers to the Word as that which is “implanted” in the Christian.  When the Christian reads or hears the Word, the Word is planted within.  To borrow from Jesus’ parable, the Word is sown in the heart just as a farmer’s seed is sown in the ground (Luke 8:4-15).  The Christian must receive the Word with a fertile attitude if he is to benefit from it.  Whether the implanted Word ripens to a harvest depends upon the receptivity, the meekness, of the one receiving it.

True believers have a natural thirst and hunger for the Word of God.  Because believers have been “born again,” they have new natures with new desires.  Their soul yearns for the food that results in spiritual growth. That food is God’s Word.

Before a person is saved, the Word is not that important to him.  He may find it occasionally helpful or interesting.  After all, a person doesn’t need to be a Christian in order to find the Bible interesting.  A lost person, a non-Christian, may find sections of the Bible rather engaging, even useful at times.

But one of the ways a person knows he is born again is that the Bible is more to him than merely an interesting or helpful book; it is food for the soul!  The Christian has an inherent love for the Word of God and feels he or she must have it, must read it, must hear it, or there will be no growth, no power, and no life.

Imagine you have been marooned on an island and haven’t eaten for several weeks and you are famished.  After your rescue, you are seated at a table where there’s a roast and potatoes and gravy.  How will you respond?  Will you think to yourself, “Well, this all looks rather interesting.  I suppose if I eat some of this it will even be helpful?”  No, you are hungry!  You have natural desires within causing you to crave that meat and you are going to take in as much as you can with great delight.

One reason many professing Christians may lose their joy of feasting upon the Word is because they are trying to satisfy their spiritual hunger pangs with the wrong “food.”  There is so much “junk food” in our culture, so much “filthiness and overflow of wickedness” that we may be receiving this “food” perhaps without our even realizing it.  

In the same way, a person may gorge himself on unhealthy food, depriving his body of necessary nutrients.  The Christian may unwittingly fill himself with the unhealthy food of contemporary culture, causing his spiritual body to languish and weaken.

Think of all the “noise” in our culture that prevents us from hearing the Word: there is ungodly conversation, ungodly music, ungodly books, magazines, and websites.  There are ungodly movies, sitcoms, and Broadway productions.  I realize there are those who defend Christian participation in some of these activities. My point is that there is so much unhelpful “noise” blasting into our lives that we must take care not to allow the Word of God to be silenced.  To the Christian, God’s Word is naturally “music” to his ears.  It is beautiful.  It is wholesome.  It is healthy.  It is life.   

So it is not enough merely to “plug our ears,” silencing the noise.  As we’ve noted before, we must not only say “No” to something, but we must also say “Yes” to something else.  We must reject that which is bad and receive that which is good.

In the Greek mythological epic, The Argonautica, there is a memorable scene where the legendary musician Orpheus helps his sailing companions overcome the beguiling music of the Sirens.  These are the same Sirens Odysseus encounters in Homer’s The Odyssey where Odysseus puts wax into the sailors’ ears so that they would not be enchanted by the music and thus drawn inexorably to certain death.  In The Argonautica, Orpheus plays masterfully upon his lyre, drowning out the seducing sounds of the Sirens so that the Argo sailors may pass by safely.

The bewitching music of the Sirens is much like the noise of the world.  Christians must take care to say “No” to that which is unhelpful and dangerous.  At the same time, however, they must also say “Yes” to that which is helpful and life-giving: the Word of God.  We must listen to the beautiful music of God’s Word, receiving with meekness the Word that is able to save our souls. 1   

What About You?Do you have a natural hunger for the Word of God?  If not, why do you think that is?How might you best prepare to “hear” the Word in corporate worship?  In Bible study?What is some of the “noise” in your life that competes with your hearing from God?

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 43-47, available on Amazon.

The Joy Of Preaching Without Notes

No, it’s not the only way to preach. And I’ve preached both ways–with notes and without notes–for years. There are advantages and disadvantages of preaching either way, and it’s not my intention to cover all of them nor even to argue for the superiority of one method over another.

A couple of years ago, my pastor friend on the west coast, Keith Krell, provided a helpful post on this site about preaching without notes, an article entitled Overcoming The Fear Of Preaching Naked. It’s a great article, and I agree with Keith on the benefits of preaching without a sermon manuscript or outline. In this post, I want to encourage preachers to consider three advantages of preaching with only an open Bible in the pulpit.

1) You’ll Enjoy Greater Freedom Of Delivery

When you don’t have a manuscript to anchor you to the pulpit, you’re not anchored to the pulpit! You have unparalleled freedom to move the way your body naturally moves in everyday conversation. Watch videos of compelling speakers, and you’ll find most to be expressive communicators. They convey passion with their faces, “talk with their hands,” and move across the platform in natural ways. Nearly everything about their communication suggests confidence and conviction. Any preacher who has ever preached just once without notes will feel a greater sense of liberty in sermon delivery.

2) You’ll Enjoy Greater Connectivity With Your Listeners

Just ask yourself which you prefer as a listener: would you rather a speaker read to you from a manuscript or preach while looking you in the eye with feeling and fervency? I realize the Word of God has an intrinsic power of its own, but when a speaker teaches the Word while looking directly at us, we seem inescapably drawn to that individual and feel we must listen to what he says. This feeling is tangential to what communicators of earlier generations referred to as sympathy, the notion that listeners share something in common with the preacher.

We’ve mentioned elsewhere the homiletical contributions of John Albert Broadus. Consider the following excerpt, obtained from Broadus’ seminal volume on preaching, where he explains why preaching without notes achieves greater sympathy and connectivity with listeners than a preacher’s relying upon a written manuscript brought into the pulpit:

The mere turning of the pages, however skillfully done, breaks the continuity of delivery.  In the midst, perhaps, of some impassioned passage, while the preacher’s face glows, his action has become varied and passionate, and he has wrought us up to a high degree of sympathy with him, presently his right hand descends and flings over a leaf, and the spell is broken; we are made to remember what we are doing, are reminded that, after all, this is not living speech, but only splendid reading, that we are not, as a moment ago we seemed to feel, in immediate and fully sympathizing contact with the burning soul of the speaker, but “that paper there” is between us. 1

3) You’ll Enjoy Greater Dependence On The Lord

Preaching without notes does NOT mean preaching without study. My own practice is to write out a full manuscript for every sermon so that nearly everything I plan to say has been thought through and written down. Recall, for example, our earlier post on why preachers should write out their sermons or why writing out a sermon can achieve more significant movement in sermon delivery. So, yes, we must study hard and also take time to write down all we plan to say.

Then, after prayerfully familiarizing ourselves with our manuscript, we enter the pulpit with nothing but our Bibles in hand and an utter trust in the Lord, believing He will guide us to recall what is necessary.2 Indeed, before preaching, I will often pray something like, “Lord, guide my words so that I say exactly what You want me to say–nothing less, and nothing more–so that You may be glorified and the church edified.”

Resource Recommendation: for practical suggestions, check out Keith Krell’s post and scroll to the end to find the heading “How Can I Preach Without Notes?”

Helping Your Congregation Study

Pastors often receive biblical and theological questions from members and attenders of their congregations. I have always believed pastors should aspire to be the best theologians possible and prepare for questions from the congregations we serve. We must never stop learning, and, as shepherds of the flock under our care (1 Peter 5:2), we should do our best to “feed” the flock of God. However, wise shepherding occurs not only when we feed the flock but teach the flock to feed themselves. Here are three ways you can help your congregation grow in their study of the Word of God:

1) Don’t Answer Questions Too Quickly

In my earlier years of ministry, I answered biblical or theological questions from members with little regard for equipping them to study independently. I just felt answering their questions was part of my job description, and if I didn’t know the answer to their inquiries, I was derelict in my duty. Since those earlier years, however, I have understood that I am hindering their spiritual growth unless I teach members to study the Word for themselves. I do not want to create a congregation that fails to dig deeply into the Word or wrongly depends on their pastor for answers to questions the Spirit may have guided them to receive through their study of God’s Word.

2) Support The Family’s Spiritual Leader

If a couple is married, the Apostle Paul teaches men are to be the family’s spiritual leaders (1 Corinthians 11:3, Ephesians 5:22-33). Consequently, when women or children approach their pastor with biblical or theological questions, pastors have an opportunity to respond in a way that supports God’s design for families and helps spiritual leaders grow. For example, rather than simply providing an answer to a family member’s question, consider responding this way: “That is a great question! I want to encourage you to ask your father/husband and see what he thinks.” This approach honors the man as head of his family and allows him to grow spiritually. You may even suggest the father/husband of the family contact you if he would like to discuss the question further.

3) Provide Helpful Resources

Automatically answering biblical questions without allowing members to discover the truth on their own is a disservice to the people God has called us to shepherd. It is always helpful, therefore, to provide trusted resources for members and attenders of our congregations. In addition to recommending good study Bibles and books, there are online resources we may suggest to our members. I have found many popular questions answered satisfactorily by the following evangelical websites:

The Gospel Coalition
Answers In Genesis
Got Questions
Probe Ministries

These websites are just a few of many available online resources. Each pastor, of course, must determine which sites he may confidently recommend to members and attenders. In any case, helping our members study the Word for themselves will bless them more profoundly than we ourselves could ever hope to bless them.

“God, help me remember to point my listeners to You as they seek to grow in their faith. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

What To Wear When You Preach

Pardon the pun, but when it comes to appropriate pulpit attire, there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach. Opinions vary as widely as the number of preachers wearing anything from shorts and sneakers in the pulpit to tailored suits with pocket squares. But before you search through the bedroom closet this weekend, give some thought to three general considerations:

1) Consider Your Attitude

Your opinions about pulpit attire are not a hill to die on. As with worship styles and music selections, we must remember the difference between preference and convictions. We are convictional, for example, about preaching the gospel, and we will never compromise by offering anything less from the pulpit. But what we choose to wear falls more under the category of preference, our preference, and yes, even the preference and culture of the audience (see #2). For this reason–and others–we are wise to check our attitude before insisting preachers must wear a coat & tie or must wear jeans & untucked shirt. It is far more critical that preachers deliver the good news in the least distracting way possible.

2) Consider Your Audience

Every audience we address has its own culture and preferences. And where the audience gathers to listen tends to create certain expectations of pulpit dress. That city legacy church with stained glass windows and mahogany pews probably has different expectations for pulpit attire than the rural church audience gathering in the country. Other audience considerations such as region, season, and church size add more complexity to the matter. An audience accustomed to seeing a pastor in a suit and tie tends to differ from the audience expecting their pastor to wear jeans or khakis. As a general rule, what the audience wears while listening to the Word guides the one who is preaching the Word. Perhaps Paul’s deferential motto about “becoming all things to all men” (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:22 ) allows for a reasonable implication on pulpit dress. In my own experience, I have found wearing a sport coat and tie offends no one.

3) Consider Your Age

And now for a bit of “meddling” for guys my age (56) or older. It pains me to see one of us “older” guys trying to squeeze into a pair of skinny jeans or attire otherwise suited for younger preachers. You don’t want your audience wincing while trying to hear you preach. True, a few older guys can pull off the hipster look, but you’re probably not one of them. Just be sure to be well-groomed, comb your hair–if you have it –and, whatever your age, own it and preach the Word!

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
(1 Corinthians 9:19; NIV)

The Wisdom Of Reflecting On Sin’s Consequences

Recently I learned of the moral failure of a brother in Christ. This man was a true hero to me, a pastor whose ministry had blessed me enormously over the years. Of course, I know he was “just a man,” with “feet of clay,” and that “we’re not supposed to put men on pedestals,” and all the other stuff we usually say when someone’s sin is publicized. Still, we can’t help but be surprised, shocked, or shook when we learn a fellow believer has fallen. We think, “Surely not! He could never do such a thing.” Before long, however, we slowly accept the evidence and begin to feel deeply for everyone involved. These feelings can be both heart-rending and gut-wrenching. We may even become physically sick as we consider the fallout and consequences of sin.

It may sound morbid, but I believe meditating on sin’s consequences can be helpful in our Christian walk. Indeed, I think one reason many of us feel so deeply when learning of a brother or sister’s fall is that we imagine the horror of bringing the same shame upon ourselves and others. Consider then these three benefits of reflecting on the consequences of sin:

1) We’re Motivated To Walk In Holiness

Negative motivators are not always, well, negative. While positive motivators are helpful, negative motivators are equally beneficial. Recall how Solomon uses negative motivation in the early chapters of Proverbs to warn of the consequences of adultery. He wants all who will listen to think long and hard about the effects of being ensnared by the beguiling ways of the adulteress. Consider his warning about the consequences of sin in these three texts:

Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house,
lest you lose your honor to others and your dignity to one who is cruel,
lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich the house of another. At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors.”

Proverbs 5:8-13

Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

Proverbs 6:27-29

And finally, this text about the foolish young man who allowed himself to be led astray by the persuasive words of the immoral woman:

All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.

Proverbs 7:22-23

While God may forgive all sin in Christ, sin’s consequences remain. And those consequences can be utterly devastating. For this reason, Moses warned the tribes of Israel: “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23), and Paul similarly cautions New Testament believers: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

Reflecting on the real-life fallout of sin motivates us to walk in holiness. Here’s another benefit of meditating on sin’s consequences:

2) We’re Reminded Of What We Stand To Lose

Years ago, a seminary professor encouraged fellow students and me to place several family pictures throughout our pastoral studies. Those pictures, he said, would not only beautify the otherwise colorless atmosphere of most pastor studies, but they were also a reminder of what we stood to lose if we toyed with sin. His advice both blessed me and haunted me in my pastoral ministry. Looking for just a moment at the adoring pictures of our wife and children reminds us that our sin deeply hurts those nearest us.

I remember once watching a news story about a pastor caught in several sins, including lying, adultery, and illegal drug use. In one of those “Gotcha” moments of television journalism, a video camera captured the man and his family in their car as the pastor tried to avoid the press. As the journalist shouted questions to the pastor, you can see the expressions on the faces of the man’s wife and children. I had such a terrible feeling watching that moment. I recall thinking the pastor’s two sons were about the ages of my two boys. While the man’s sins were grievous, I remember thinking how horrible his family must have felt.

Meditating on sin’s consequences motivates us to walk in holiness and reminds us of what we stand to lose. Finally, reflecting on the consequences of sin leads to greater humility:

3) We’re Impelled to Humble Ourselves

The Apostle Paul warns the Corinthians: “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). We must remember we’re all capable of the exact sin others have committed. That’s just a fact. I was reminded of this truth when reflecting recently on one of my favorite Puritan prayers in The Valley Of Vision (Banner Of Truth). From the prayer entitled, “God the All,” is this utterance:

O God, it is amazing that men can talk so much
 about man’s creaturely power and goodness,
 when, if thou didst not hold us back every
 moment, we should be devils incarnate.

Apart from God’s restraining grace, we all would be “devils incarnate.” We must remember this truth when a brother or sister falls. Rather than condemning those who have fallen into sin, we must, among other things, remember we are capable of the same behavior. And, in the words of a Chuck Girard song of the 1980s:

Don’t shoot the wounded; they need us more than ever.
They need our love no matter what it is they’ve done.
Sometimes we just condemn them,
And don’t take time to hear their story.
Don’t shoot the wounded; someday you might be one.

“God, give me the grace to humble myself so that I may walk in holiness and avoid disgracing the name of the Lord, His church, and my family.”

Why Pastors Should Memorize Scripture

Before I entered the ministry, I worked for many years as a parole officer for the state of Georgia. I have frequently joked that being a parole officer prepared me for pastoral ministry (haha). People nearly always chuckle at that remark, but the more I’ve reflected on those earlier years, the more I’ve come to believe my tongue-in-cheek statement has proven true. Being immersed in what I would later understand as “the doctrine of depravity” on full display prepared me for future ministry challenges.

But there is another way those earlier years were helpful: I had begun memorizing scripture during my lunch hour. God used a conference speaker to awaken my desire for the Word and, over the next couple of years, the Lord enabled me to commit to memory over 300 verses of scripture. That season was a blessing to my soul as I grew in my Christian faith. And I would later discover how God would use those scriptures as a foundation for future ministry and seminary studies. While I no longer follow as strict a plan as in those earlier years, I still believe in the value of scripture memorization and recommend the discipline for all Christians, especially pastors. Here are three reasons why:

1) Memorizing Scripture Can Strengthen Your Preaching

While preaching styles and convictions vary, any preacher may improve by ongoing scripture memorization and meditation. For example, I prefer expositional verse-by-verse teaching through passages of scripture. Thus, I’ll have one primary text I’m preaching, the “preaching passage,” but I will usually include parallel or relevant scriptures that supplement the text. The Holy Spirit frequently brings memorized scriptures to mind to aid my preparation and strengthen my preaching. Often in the very act of sermon delivery, a memorized verse suddenly comes to mind and leaps up from within the storehouse of scripture in the heart to join with other thoughts and ideas of the message.

2) Memorizing Scripture Can Supplement Your Pastoring

Just as in preaching, when pastors have been regularly memorizing and meditating upon scripture, they find the Spirit frequently bringing particular verses to mind helpful to pastoral care and counseling. Verses recently recited in one’s quiet time, for example, become useful later while praying during a hospital visit. While counseling church members, memorized scriptures may also come to mind that speak to the very issues at hand.

3) Memorizing Scripture Can Safeguard Your Purity

In that wonderfully poetic psalm on the Word, the Psalmist joyfully declares to God, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). Memorizing scripture is no guarantee we will never stumble in the faith, but it certainly will help us stay on the right path. Perhaps greater than any other temptation, pastors seem especially vulnerable to the pitfalls of personal purity. Regularly memorizing and meditating upon scripture fosters healthy thinking (Philippians 4:8) and arms us with crucial weaponry to withstand the Enemy’s attacks (Ephesians 6:11-17).

“How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.”
(Psalm 119:103-104)

Preaching For Divine Encounter

An article about “Divine Encounter” causes some to bristle or at least make sure their guard is up. I understand that reaction because I’m one of those people myself. When someone uses a phrase like “Divine Encounter,” I want to make sure what they are teaching is rooted in God’s Word. So rest assured, I’m not taking you on a journey to the untethered heights of mystical gibberish. Instead, I’m underscoring what I believe to be a neglected component of preaching, essentially what Aristotle identified as pathos, the emotive elements of communication. And I’m calling for dependence on the Spirit as we lead our listeners to meaningful encounters with God. After all, those who gather to hear us are interested in more than receiving information; they yearn for spiritual transformation. To that end, here are four actions to take this week:

1) Talk To The Holy Spirit Throughout Your Study

I know from my own experience how dangerously easy it is to study a passage without frequently talking to the Holy Spirit. We must ask the Spirit to guide our study, resisting the temptation to rely solely upon our exegetical tools and sound hermeneutics. God is there for the asking! So why not ask Him to guide you as you study? Ask Him to reveal exactly what He wants you to see in the text. And believe–really believe–He will guide you to prepare the very message He wants you to preach to those gathered this weekend.

2) Think Long On The Biblical Text

Once we have discerned the meaning of the preaching passage, it is vitally important we “think long” on the text. In other words, once we have identified the author’s intended meaning, our work has only just begun. Before hammering out a preaching outline or typing out a sermon manuscript, we must think deeply about the passage. This step emphasizes the intellectual and cognitive elements necessary to grasp the text’s whole meaning. Spend enough time thinking through the passage to reach a point where you can paraphrase the entire text in your own words. Thinking long about the text strengthens your ability to teach it confidently when you stand before the congregation.

3) “Feel” The Passage Deeply Within

While the previous step involves the head primarily, this step involves the heart. If you find the intellectual elements of sermon preparation to come quickly, then this action may stretch you a bit. To “feel” the passage deeply within, use every ounce of imagination God has given you. At the risk of sounding blasphemous, picture yourself in the text and internalize what you believe the original hearers of the passage may have been thinking or feeling. Visualize every possible detail: the setting, the speaker, the hearers, cultural traditions, and even the weather, if possible. When you do all you can to “place yourself there,” it will equip you better to communicate the passage with genuine, heartfelt emotion to your listeners.

4) Expect Your Listeners To Encounter God

An exciting aspect of preaching is knowing our words transcend the elements of mere pathos and enter the broader realm of the Holy Spirit’s anointing. While we can’t “map out” the Spirit’s work in predictable, logical ways, we know He works through our preaching, and that’s why we pray (see #1 above). So we expect our listeners to encounter God and experience His power and presence. This weekend, think of your listeners as Zacchaeus, a man who desperately yearned to see “who Jesus was” rather than what Jesus could do for him (Luke 19:3).

“Lord, this weekend, help me not just dispense biblical information but preach for divine transformation.”