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OK, I know I told you last week you'd have to survive two weeks without a copy of PreachingNow. But like a pastor on vacation, it's hard to sit there without preaching for two whole weeks. So here's a "mini-version" of PreachingNow. Don't think of it as getting less stuff. Just think of it as a special "bite size" edition. Michael
Duduit, Editor Because of the International Congress on Preaching in Cambridge (April 17-19), there will be no PreachingNow next week. (Really. We mean it this time.)
Communicating to create involvement In his new book Creating Stories That Connect (Kregel), D. Bruce Seymour explains, "Allegories (and examples) use figurative language to illustrate information, but we have to possess the information in order to understand the illustration. The information comes first. Without the information, we are not able to participate in the communication event. For example, The Pilgrim's Progress is a famous allegory, but a reader would have to possess some information about the Christian life to really understand the message that John Bunyan was trying to communicate. . . . Lack of information precludes participation. "In contrast, a metaphor uses figurative language to create participation. When figurative language is used this way, the participation precedes the information. When Jesus said, 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field' (Matt. 13:31), all of his listeners could immediately participate in the communication event because they knew about mustard seeds, planting, and fields. Jesus used the metaphor, the verbal comparison, to engage his listeners in the communication event. . . . "Sometimes a metaphor is so powerful, it can communicate nonverbally. When the early church baptized new believers, those being baptized were asked to renounce Satan and all his works. Facing westward, the direction in which the sun went down, the candidates would renounce Satan three times. Then they would deliberately spit three times in the direction of darkness. The spitting was a symbolic (nonverbal) way to communicate complete renunciation. Everyone watching the baptism saw that symbol and participated in the communication event." (Click here to learn more about the book Creating Stories That Connect)
Three 'Preaching Truth' conferences set for May A new series of Preaching Truth in a Whatever World events are planned for May 2007. These one-day preaching conferences explore strategies for effective biblical preaching in a postmodern world. Led by Preaching editor Michael Duduit and a variety of guest speakers, these conferences offer a valuable time of insight and refreshment for those who proclaim the Word. Preaching Truth conferences will be held in the following cities: Columbia,
SC -- May 8 For more information or to register, call (800) 288-9673, or visit the website at www.preaching.com/truth
ILLUSTRATION: Humility, Pride Chuck Swindoll tells this story: Marian Anderson, the great contralto who won worldwide acclaim, didn't simply grow great; she grew great simply. In spite of her fame, she remained a beautiful model of humility. A reporter interviewing Miss Anderson once asked her to name the greatest moment in her life. She had had so many big moments to choose from. For example: There was the night conductor Arturo Toscanini announced, "A voice like hers comes once in a century." In 1958 she became a U.S. delegate to the United Nations. Then there was that private concert she gave at the White House for the Roosevelts and the king and queen of England. And in 1963 she was awarded the coveted Presidential Medal of Freedom. Which of those big moments, among many, did she choose? None of them. Miss Anderson quietly told the reporter that the greatest moment of her life was the day she went home and told her mother she wouldn't have to take in washing anymore. Unlike Marian Anderson, some of us go to great lengths to hide our humble origins. The truth is, when we peel off our masks, others are usually not repelled; they are drawn closer to us. Frequently, the more painful or embarrassing the past, the greater the appreciation and respect. The prophet Isaiah mentions this very thing as he reminds us to: "Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug" (Isa. 51:1). That sounds much more noble and respectable than its literal meaning, for in the Hebrew text the word "quarry" actually refers to "a hole." Or, as the old King James Version translates it: "Look unto . . . the hole of the pit whence ye are digged." What excellent advice! Before we get all enamored with our high-and-mighty importance, it's a good idea to take a backward glance at the "hole of the pit" from which Christ lifted us. In fact, let's not just think about it; let's admit it. (Dallas Seminary Daily Devotional, 8-29-06)
ILLUSTRATION: Jesus, Life A business executive became depressed. Things were not going well at work, and he was bringing his problems home with him every night. Every evening he would eat his dinner in silence, shutting out his wife and five-year-old daughter. Then he would go into the den and read the paper using the newspaper to wall his family out of his life. After several nights of this, one evening his daughter took her little hand and pushed the newspaper down. She then jumped into her father's lap, wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him strongly. The father said abruptly, "Honey, you are hugging me to death!" "No, Daddy," the little girl said, "I'm hugging you to life!" This was the greatness of Jesus. He took people where they were and hugged them to life. (eSermons.com)
ILLUSTRATION: Money Money can buy a house but not a home. Money can buy a bed but not sleep. Money can buy a clock but not time. Money can buy a book but not knowledge. Money can buy position but not respect. Money can buy blood but not life. Money can buy medicine but not health. Money can buy sex but not love. Money can buy insurance but not safety.
Diplomacy is thinking twice before saying nothing.
On the preacher's bookshelf . . . Lots of church leaders are trying to understand what the Emerging Church is all about. One slice of that movement is the Emergent Village, a network of church leaders and thinkers. That group has collectively authored a new book, An Emergent Manifesto of Hope (Baker), edited by Doug Pagitt and Tony Jones. You'll find an array of essays on a variety of topics (from theology to leadership to social issues) penned by Emergent folks like Brian McLaren, Dan Kimball, Sally Morgenthaler and others. This is a one-volume introduction to what Emergent leaders are saying about some important issues. An Architecture of Immanence (Eerdmans) by Mark A. Torgerson is an interesting look at how modern architecture is impacting the development of sacred spaces in our own era. Those with an interest in how our worship spaces influence our worship -- and vice versa -- will find this an enjoyable read. (Click on the title to learn more about the book or order from Amazon.)
From the sponsor of this week's edition: LifeWay Conference Center Ministries and Scott Lehman, Founder of In His Grip Golf Association, are proud to join hands to present The Pastors Masters, May 7-9, 2007, based out of the beautiful Ridgecrest Conference Center just outside of Ashville, North Carolina. Three days of golf on three different courses with three different formats will make this an event you won't want to miss. Add to the great golf, professional instruction and Spirit-filled Bible studies to encourage you in your walk with God, and you have the makings of an unforgettable experience in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains.
Seminars Your Wife Wants You to Attend 1. You, too, can do housework 2. How to fill an ice tray 3. We do not want frilly underthings for Christmas: give us money 4. Wonderful laundry techniques (formerly titled, "Don't wash my silks") 5. Parenting: It doesn't end with conception 6. Get a life; learn to cook 7. Reasons to give flowers 8. How to stay awake in public 9. How to put the seat down 10. "The weekend" and "sports" are not synonyms 11. How to go shopping with your mate and not get lost 12. The remote control: Overcoming your dependency 13. Mothers-in-law: They are people too 14. Changing your underwear: It really works
And finally . . . How strong can a candidate be when he doesn't even vote for himself? That's what Missouri City voters must be thinking about City Councilman Joe Selle, who was running for re-election last week, according to an April 5 AP story. They know he didn't vote for himself because he got zero votes. Then again, neither did anyone else, because not one of Ward 3's 35 registered voters came out to vote -- including the candidate. He forgot last Tuesday was election day. Even though Joe got no votes, he'll stay in office because no one else has been "successfully elected and qualified" as the city charter requires. Turnout was better in Ward 2, where two people voted.
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PreachingNow
is a publication of Salem Publishing. Editor: Dr. Michael Duduit.
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