mgpcpastor's blog

Three helpful resources for preachers have been posted over the last few days.
You don’t have to be a preacher to benefit from them.
Justin Taylor has posted some notes from Gerald Bray, Research Professor at Beeson Divinity School, answering the question: ‘What are the questions we should ask when approaching a passage of Scripture?’
The first question we must ask of every biblical text is simply this—what does it tell us about God? What does it say about who he is and about what he does?
The second question is: what does this text say about us human beings? What are we meant to be and what has gone wrong?
The third and final question is: what has God done about this and what does he expect of us in the light of what he has done?
Asking these questions and seeking answers to them will help us interpret the Spirit’s message to Christ’s people and to each of us as individuals.

Secondly, Kevin DeYoung, continuing his inexorable conquest of the blogosphere by also posting on the Nine Marks site, has a post entitled: ‘Learning to be Yourself as a Preacher: From One Still Trying to Do Just That’.
DeYoung shares the journey that a young (or new) preacher makes in trying to assimilate the influences of his preaching heroes while finding his own voice. The communication of divine truth through their own personality and not the conglomeration of their influences. Sometimes when I’m preaching I still hear echoes of the man who taught me to preach.

Thirdly, on C.J. Mahaney’s blog a video about ‘The Pastor’s Teaching’ by Jeff Pursell.
The message was recorded at the Sovereign Grace Pastor’s Conference. This outline helpfully includes the timestamps at which the various points are covered.
Message outline:
Introduction [2:25]
“The governing priority for the faithful pastor is devotion to the teaching of God’s Word” [11:52]
Three characteristics that should mark the life of the one whose governing priority is the teaching of God’s Word:
1. Diligent labor [21:18]
2. Divine awareness [31:03]
3. Careful exposition [37:55]
“Your teaching is the primary expression of your leadership.” [44:53]
Correct meaning and clear communication [48:54]
Minimum standard requirements for rightly handling the Word:
A. Is the biblical text providing the substance for my preaching, teaching, and leadership? [51:33]
B. Am I using individual texts in a way that is consistent with their intended purpose? [53:04]
C. Am I accurately understanding and faithfully communicating the meaning of texts? [53:54]
D. Am I accurately and compellingly impressing upon people the appropriate response to texts of Scripture? [56:53]
Personal implications [58:04]
Team implications:
First, let us set out to create on our pastoral teams a company of expositors. [60:42]
Second, we must preserve the preaching of the Word as the pinnacle of our Sunday meetings. [64:46]
Third, look across the landscape of your church and ask: Is every sphere and ministry receiving regular pastoral leadership in the form of teaching? [66:00]
Conclusion [66:50]