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This is an opportunity we've never been able to offer before, so I hope you can take advantage of it. Through a special gift to our ministry, we have been enabled to provide 100 free subscriptions to Preaching magazine. Here are the three qualifiers: you must be a pastor of a local church, you must be 40 years old or younger, and you must not be a current subscriber to the magazine. If you fit those qualifications and would like to receive one free year of Preaching magazine, then please go to the link shown before February 1 and enter your name and address. We will be randomly selecting 100 qualifying names to receive a free year's subscription. So here's your link: (Entries sent to any other link than the one above will be discarded. So don't send them to me directly or to our main mailbox. Just this one: www.preaching.com/100free) If you don't qualify yourself but you know a young pastor who would, be sure to forward a copy of this newsletter to them. (And encourage them to become a PreachingNow subscriber also!) Michael
Duduit, Editor There will not be an issue of PreachingNow next week. The next issue will be Feb. 8. Click here to visit "I Was Just Thinking" for insights and observations about faith and culture issues.
Internet use growing among churches Research results released for the first time in the January/February edition of Facts & Trends magazine show nine out of 10 Protestant clergy have Internet access they can use for church business, but only about half of all Protestant churches maintain a Web site. The study, conducted by Ellison Research among a representative sample of 700 Protestant church ministers nationwide, shows some very large gaps in technology reliance according to the size of churches. Ninety-one percent of Protestant clergy have Internet access they can use for church business (either at the church or personally). The vast majority of all types of pastors (e.g. different ages, church sizes, denominations) have Internet access. However, only 52% say their church maintains a Web site of any kind. This varies dramatically by church size: 88% of larger churches (200 or more attending worship services) have a Web site, compared to 60% of mid-size churches (100 to 199 people in worship each weekend), and just 28% of small churches. The study also asked ministers to rate the importance of a number of different uses of technology in their church's ministry over the next five years. Of the nine uses of technology tested in the study, the one that is extremely important to the greatest number of ministers (34%) is doing research on the Internet. Other top choices include using Bible study software (28%), building or maintaining a church Web site (27%), using PowerPoint or other types of graphic presentations in worship services (27%), being able to show DVDs or videos (26%), and using e-mail to communicate with members of the congregation (25%). (Click here to read the entire article.) http://www.ellisonresearch.com/erps%20ii/release_14_technology.htm
Secularism driving Christian voice 'to the margins' One of the Vatican's most powerful voices says that a "worrying and aggressive" secularist ideology is blocking religious voices from the public debate in Europe, which results in "Catholic and Christian religion" being "driven into the margins," according to a Nov. 20 report in London's Daily Telegraph. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, 77, cited the development of a "secular ideological aggression" across the continent as "cause for concern." He observed, "In Sweden, a Protestant minister who preached about homosexuality on the basis of an excerpt from the scriptures was put in jail for a month. Secularism is no longer that element of neutrality, which opens up space for freedom for all. It is beginning to change into an ideology which, through politics, is being imposed. "It concedes no public space to the Catholic and Christian vision, which as a result runs the risk of turning into a purely private matter, so that deep down it is no longer the same. In this sense a struggle exists and so we must defend religious freedom against an ideology which is held up as if it were the only voice of rationality, when instead it is only an expression of a 'certain' rationialism." Ratzinger told an Italian newspaper that, "In politics, it seems to be almost indecent to speak about God, almost as it were an attack on the freedom of someone who doesn't believe." He added: "A secularism which is just, is a freedom of religion. The state does not impose a religion, but rather provides free space to those religions with a responsibility to civil society." (Click here to read the full article.)
Do denominations stifle innovation? In his new book From the Ground Up: New Testament Foundations for the 21st Century Church (Kregel), Dallas Seminary professor J. Scott Horrell says that denominations still have value today, but that they may also be obstacles to some of the changes needed in local churches. "To be sure, denominational traditions have made valuable contributions in areas of doctrine and practice. Nevertheless, as argued above, the New Testament is largely nonprescriptive regarding post-apostolic leadership beyond the local church. God's Word allows for organizational freedom within the parameters of a few New Testament absolutes. Denominational institutions, programs, models, liturgies, styles, hymnbooks, and literature will eventually be forgotten. History shows that so much of what has consumed enormous ecclesial effort and often large sums of money will sooner or later become obsolete. Though attitudes are changing, denominational leaders have too easily assumed that what they accomplish will continue for generations to come. Today, such an assumption can rarely be justified. Defending traditional forms and structures, some find themselves frustrated when younger leaders are not convinced that such externals are any longer meaningful. "Other than the covenantal signs of baptism and the Lord's Supper, God did not design rites for the local church to perpetuate. Indeed, if the church is to express sound doctrine in new ways and experience the powerful functions that are central to its existence, it cannot be tied down static forms. When a tradition becomes inefficient in accomplishing the purposes of God, it is necessary to change it or discard it altogether. Critical thinking is required in evaluating denominational goals, priorities, and politics in light of Scripture. "Rather than repress innovation of new forms, denominations would do well to nourish biblical experimentation to discover more efficient and more relevant ways to fulfill God's purpose for the local church. Indeed, championing creative ecclesiology provides denominations themselves with future options for what their churches can become. Otherwise, the pattern of history is that denominations lose the essence of the church by trying to preserve their forms and traditions. When patterns and structures of the church are set in stone, when the shell becomes the absolute, the creative life within breathes its last." (Click here to learn more about the book From the Ground Up)
Register now for National Conference on Preaching The 15th annual National Conference on Preaching is slated for April 18-20, 2005 in Nashville, Tennessee. The theme of NCP 2005 will be "Preaching With Passion," and an outstanding line-up of speakers will be participating, including William Willimon, Dave Stone, H. Beecher Hicks, James Earl Massey, Ray Ortlund, Jr., Robert Smith, Jim Shaddix, Bill Self, Carol Noren, R. Leslie Holmes, Mike Glenn, and more. The annual conference is sponsored by Preaching magazine. In addition to the plenary sessions and workshops for preachers, NCP 2005 will also have workshop tracks for worship leaders, student/youth pastors and ministry spouses. So plan to bring your entire leadership team! The regular registration is $250, but if you register before March 1 the cost is only $225 — a $25 savings! Additional registrants from the same church (and spouses) can register for just $100 per person. For more information or to register, call 1-800-288-9673 (outside the US call 615-599-9889), or visit us on the web at www.preaching.com/ncp.
ILLUSTRATION: Character One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. "The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith." The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
ILLUSTRATION: Judgment, Sovereignty Babe Ruth was at bat and Babe Pinelli was the umpire behind the plate. The first pitch was a swing and a miss, as was the second pitch. Babe Ruth digs in for the next pitch. The pitcher winds up and delivers, and Ruth doesn't move. From behind the plate the umpire cries out, "Strike three!" Ruth gets in Pinelli's face and says, "There's 40,000 people here who know that last one was a ball, tomato head." Pinelli takes a look around the stadium, then responds to Ruth, "Maybe so, but mine is the only opinion that counts. The batter's out!" (Jerry Sutton, The Way Back Home) No
matter what you think, no matter what anyone in the world thinks
— God's opinion is the only one that matters.
ILLUSTRATION: Appearances A guy had told all of his friends about the great steak he'd eaten downtown the day before. A group of them decided to head down and see if was really as large and delicious as he was making it out to be. The group was seated in the back of the restaurant. After looking over the menu, they ordered and waited, hungrily, for their large, delicious pieces of gigantic steaks. To their collective disappointment, the waiter brought out some of the smallest steaks they'd ever seen. "Now see here," the very embarrassed guy said to the waiter. "Yesterday when I came down here you served me a BIG, juicy, steak. Today, though, when I have my friends invited, you serve small miniature steaks! What is the meaning of this?" "Yes, sir," replied the waiter, "yesterday you were sitting by the window." (from Pastor Tim's CleanLaugh List)
ILLUSTRATION: Government How Government Works: Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said, "someone may steal from it at night." So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job. Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies. Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?" So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports. Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So they created the following positions, a time keeper, and a payroll officer, then hired two people. Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?" So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary. Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost." So they laid off the night watchman. |
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ILLUSTRATION: Preaching, Time The guest preacher got a bit carried away and talked for more than an hour. Finally, he realizes what he is doing and says, "I'm sorry I talked so long. I left my watch at home." A voice from the back of the room says, "There's a calendar behind you."
"I
have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then
there is no hurt, but only more love." (Mother Teresa)
Building a Kingdom Dream Team In an article in the January edition of Leader Links, Bill Hybels writes, "Jesus provides us a model of a leader who built a cohesive, loving team. One incident toward the end of his life is particularly touching. On the eve of his betrayal, he gathered his team together in the Upper Room and drew them close with these words: 'I earnestly desire to share this meal with you.' His instructions for the future were specific. They were to continue this practice of remembering him, in community. Think of it. The first time communion was ever taken it was a team experience. And it's supposed to continue to be a team experience. "Having just turned fifty, I have recently spent a lot of time thinking about what is essential to me. I realize that there are really only two things, besides my family, that really matter to me. First, I want to do God's bidding for the rest of my life. That's primary. But in addition to that, I want to do God's bidding in authentic community with people I love and who love me. "When these two essentials are realities, I have 'life in all its fullness.' Carrying people in my heart while we minister together, and being carried in their hearts as well, is what it means to be on a 'dream team.' It's almost like enjoying a bit of heaven on earth." (Click here to read the full article.) Leader Links (www.leaderlinks.com) is a monthly web-based publication for Christian leaders. Interested readers can also go to the site (or just click here) and subscribe to LeadingNow, a monthly e-mail newsletter featuring ideas and resources for Christian leaders. Leader Links is a publication of American Ministry Resources, which is the publisher of PreachingNow, Preaching magazine and preaching.com.
ILLUSTRATION: Preferences, Options Walter is relaxing in a rocking chair on the front porch of his nursing home when he sees a farmer approaching, driving a wagon. "Good afternoon!" says Walter. "Afternoon." says the farmer. "Where you headed?" asks Walter. "Town." says the farmer. "What do you have in the wagon?" Walter continued. "Manure." "Manure, eh? What do you do with it?" "I spread it over my strawberries," the farmer says matter-of-factly. "Well," says Walter, "you should come over here for lunch some day. We use whipped cream."
Great truths from small children — Part 1 • Don't say that the "Last One is a Rotten Egg" unless you're absolutely sure there's a slow kid behind you. • If you don't like the birthday girl, don't go to the party. • Crawling still gets you there. • If you want a kitten, start out by asking for a horse. • Your room gets smaller as you get bigger. • You can't start over just because you're losing the game. • When you're dressed up like a princess, it's easier to act like one. • If a tree had apples last year, don't expect pears this year. • One drop of black paint from the brush clouds the whole cup of water. • You can't be everyone's best friend. • A snow day is more fun than a vacation day. • All libraries smell the same. • Say grace. • If you want someone to listen to you, whisper it. • Sometimes you have to take the test before you've finished studying. • Silence can be an answer. • Ask where things come from. • If you throw a ball at someone, they'll probably throw it back. • Don't nod on the phone. (from The Daily Dilly)
And finally . . . It's frustrating to lose track of where you are — and sometimes it's costly. A 22-year-old man robbed a Chevron station early on Christmas morning, then led Poulsbo, Washington, police on a high-speed chase, according to a Jan. 7 Fox News story. After cleaning out the cash register, the robber and a passenger took off in a red Honda, and soon cops from four towns were in pursuit. "The caravan zoomed at speeds up to 100 mph through the winding roads of western Puget Sound, where twists and turns can leave even locals disoriented," according to the report. "After a while, the fugitives managed to lose their pursuers in the darkness, but they had no idea where they were." That's
when the robber pulled his Honda into a Chevron station to
ask for directions to Seattle — unaware that it was the very
same establishment he'd just robbed. Police caught up to the
Honda soon afterward.
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| PreachingNow is a publication of American Ministry
Resources. Editor: Dr. Michael Duduit. |