Preaching and Teaching – Page 16

Notes on teaching through Proverbs

I’ve been posting some talks and articles on Proverbs recently. A few years back we did a teaching series through the book and it was highly enjoyable. Many Christians find it helpful to learn individual proverbs. However, we tend to shy away from running expository series through the book because the literary style is very… Continue reading Notes on teaching through Proverbs

Skin Deep? (Matthew 5:17-48)

“It doesn’t apply to me though.” That seems to be the general attitude of British people to laws we don’t like. If you need to pop up to Durham for a few days and the lockdown rules say no, then you can probably find an exception. Rules about unnecessary journeys don’t apply to me if… Continue reading Skin Deep? (Matthew 5:17-48)

Happy People (Matthew 5:1-12)

“I’m not happy…” the words that you dread at the start of a conversation because you know that it is highly likely that you are the cause of the unhappiness and that they are expecting you to do something that will turn things around and help them to be happy again. Sometimes it is straight… Continue reading Happy People (Matthew 5:1-12)

How Theological College helped prepare me for Gospel ministry

I’m republishing some articles I wrote a little while back about training for urban ministry. I want to share a few thoughts here about the positives of formal theological education and why I recommend it.[1] There’s a temptation to see training as primarily academic and therefore irrelevant to the day to day life of ministry. … Continue reading How Theological College helped prepare me for Gospel ministry

The Benefits of Wisdom (Proverbs 2 & 3)

The Treasure hunt I once took part in a treasure hunt. It was when I was at University. Someone left me a clue in my pigeon hole (post box). I followed it to the next clue which took me along the corridor, then to the next. Eventually I got to the laundry room. There was… Continue reading The Benefits of Wisdom (Proverbs 2 & 3)

Light and Beginnings – Matthew 4:1-17

Last year, the lady who lived next door but one to us died and her daughters sold the house to another family. They haven’t moved in yet. The house was quite dated in many ways and too small for them. They have ripped it apart, tearing out fixtures and fittings, replacing windows, knocking down an… Continue reading Light and Beginnings – Matthew 4:1-17

Hastening Christ’s Coming

Why do we get so frustrated when we see people breaking the lockdown rules? It’s the same reason that we used to get frustrated at school when the teacher said that we would be kept behind longer if people kept messing about. We just wanted everyone to behave so that the detention would end and… Continue reading Hastening Christ’s Coming

Listen very carefully

Here’s today’s Afternoon Tea discussion. As it is Sunday, we have a first look at the Sunday Night topic which this week is “Listen carefully” (Hebrews 2:1-4). Here are the key points: 1. The context is that Jesus is greater than the angels. 2. Although Jesus’ revelation is greater, it does not replace the OT… Continue reading Listen very carefully

Application Overload

Yesterday I wrote about attention spans and suggested that the important question was not to do with how we felt people were doing at staying with us for the duration of the sermon but three key questions. How much do they take in? How long are they able to retain it for? How are they… Continue reading Application Overload

Attention Span – three questions

During lockdown, one of the big questions for pastors and preachers has been about if and how to adapt our preaching. Can we just carry on as normal, preaching to a camera instead of a congregation, or do we need to adapt? A specific example of this, is sermon length. There is some suggestion that… Continue reading Attention Span – three questions