02 08 Bible Preaching Twp

The Preacher’s Notebook The Paper and Electronic Pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Mineral Springs, NC (Delivered by E-mail and Us Postage Through Subscription as an Extension of the Pulpit Ministry of this Church)

Dr. Terry W . Preslar – PO Box 388 – M ineral Springs, NC 28108 (704)843-3858 – E-Mail: [email protected] Copyright (C) 2007. Terry W. Preslar All rights reserved.

Vol. II

February, 2008

Issue 2

Preachers and Preaching Introduction This “Preacher’s Notebook” issue is especially prepared for those called to a Christian preaching or teaching ministry. However, it will serve and help any who are called upon to share thoughts on the Scriptures. Many churches and chapels in small localities depend on what is termed ‘lay’ ministry. This is the first (introductory) unit in a series on preaching. While certain emphases in the series will have particular relevance to those in full-time ministry, it is hoped that all who are in this vital work of the kingdom, will derive some help. Indeed the articles will have been worthwhile if only they help the man in the pew to appreciate a little more the task of those who are engaged in the ministry of the Word. Contrary to what many people think, the Christian ministry is not one of life’s soft options, but; when properly and conscientiously performed, it is the most responsible and demanding work in the world. I have heard it said that a sermon is the Word of God filtered through a person's life. Based on this definition I believe that each preacher needs to write his own sermons. This material is presented to add to the dialogue as others study and prepare their sermons. Do yourself and your congregation a favor. Study and pray and allow the Holy Spirit to move you. God called you to be a preacher. Answer that calling with action! The ministry of preaching is the major work of the Gospel minister. Preaching is the most intense hour in the life of the pastor. There are several factors that bring the preacher to that hour and these elements can not be overlooked. Some were born for this office but it is a professional office and divine interest is vital in this position.

Preachers and Preaching in the Bible (“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jer. 1:5). Preaching is defined by a short passage of Scripture: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (1 Cor. 2:1-5) Preaching is more than Communicating information, more than speaking on religious themes, more than an oral address to the popular mind. Dynamic quality is involved activated in a sense of man’s desperate spiritual need, God’s divine call and the preacher’s driving, compelling, conviction that eternal consequences

rest upon the response to his messages. Preaching is the heralding of God’s Word under the anointing power of God’s Spirit, in a dynamic fashion, with an organized pattern that aims to meet the hearers spiritual needs. Preaching is “...not by might nor by power but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Host.” (Zech. 4:6) The above short outline is full of truth and reeks of wisdom – but seems to have no author that can be found – so it is with Truth – no human pen can claim the strokes that make the words nor the grammar that ties them together – but men who wish to be used of God can claim these precepts and serve the eternal purpose of the Creator. (1 Cor. 1:18) Modern preaching could have no better model than that found in the Bible. In this day when the “Preacher” says more and more about less and less it may seem that the long-winded preacher is the effective preacher. The New Testament speaks of a long-winded speaker named Paul who preached in an old-time “watch-night” service that past midnight and one of the listeners fell asleep and tumbled from a high window to his death. (Acts 20:7-11). It might be best not to preach that long sermon unless you can raise up the listeners if they fall under the weight of time. The only book of the Old Testament that uses the word “Preacher” in its subtitle is the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon takes up the character of the preacher and poses the question of Vanity. The whole book is a sermon that probes the depth of men’s hearts even after these nearly 3,000 years. Do your sermons endure that long? The impact of preaching was meant to be great. So much has been committed to preaching. Jonah preached God’s message in Nineveh and the King stepped down from his throne and took on “Sackcloth and ashes” in repentance (Jonah 3:2-6). Most of the preachers of this day are more concerned with being filled with pudding than with power. It is Holy Ghost power that will impact the heart of the king in any day (Zech. 4:6). This generation has forgotten the most vital element, beyond the call of God. This ingredient is the anointing, the Oil of God, the Breath of the Holy, the Smile Glory. This vain hour has substituted fame, fortune, fantasy, friends and family; but these all come to folly in the face of this filling of the Anointing of Holy Power. The Prophet Isaiah claimed this power (Isa. 61:1) and was quoted by the Lord (Luke 4:18). We find few parallels of this in the modern pulpit. Oh, how we need this on, in and through us. Vanity would fade, pride would perish and boasting would turn to glory for the Lord (Gal. 6:14). Places to preach seem to occupy most of us. “Bookings,” appointments, dates...all this seems to be counter to the cause of Christ. When it comes to Zeal for preaching, we seem to lose most of the drive when the mere “street corner,” rest home or jail cell is mentioned. John the Baptist preached in the wilderness of Judah (Matt. 3:1). The 12 apostles were told to preach the message on the “housetops” (Matt. 10:27). John Wesley preached from his father’s tombstone, George Whitefield preached in the open fields to 10's of thousands in England and America in the mid 1700's, Billy Sunday was saved when he heard an unknown street preacher from The Pacific Gardens Mission in front of the bar where the baseball player and his teammates had been drinking all night. Sunday left the curb of that Chicago street to preach in tents, arbors and tabernacles across America and won a generation to God. Robert Sheffie was rejected for ministerial credentials from his denomination but still preached in the woods to the “bootleggers,” in people’s homes and by the roadside of Virginia and became one of the most beloved preachers of our past history. Where to preach? ...or When to Preach? It is not where or when but WHAT to preach. We MUST narrow our focus to “what” and preach that ANYWHERE and ANYTIME. (1 Cor. 9:16). Confrontational preaching on controversial themes is often avoided by the modern pulpiteer. In our past this was not true as we have the record of these pulpit heroes. Even the Lord Jesus often angered His hearers to the point of violence (Luke 4:28-31). These super-sensitive people are still among us (or some of their relatives) and they will strike out at the message and the messenger. I have known the wrath of these members of the synagogue in resent days but Peter said “...think it not strange...the fiery trial...” (1 Peter 4:12). James said “...count it all joy...” (James 1:2). Take up the prophet’s mantel and do twice the works that he did – take on the convictions of Peter Ruckman (the champion of the KJB), the determination of Jack Wood (the prophet of Houston, Texas), the compassion of Bubba Key (the friend of wayward boys and

unwanted children), the integrity of David Hubbard (the “Baptist” missionary to the United Methodist for 50 years) or the deep concern of Rudolph Lemmons (the patron of Gospel preachers for a lifetime) or many other unknown masters of pulpit heroism. Take to it as if it is your bread of life and feed thereon. We have a vocabulary of failure – having to admit no converts under our preaching we go about to excuse this state with platitudes that comfort us and placate those we report to. Oh, that God would give us fruit. After being filled with the Holy Ghost, Peter stepped out of the upper room into the light of day and called out the invitation seeing 3,000 souls swept into the Kingdom. Peter preached about Noah who had only eight souls on the record of his ministry but was called a “preacher of righteousness.” (2 Peter 2:5). By this epitaph it is found to be true that souls are the factor that brings “righteousness” to the preacher’s account. Philip’s preaching had an impact that saw many saved including Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:5-15). Upon Philip’s preaching of Christ the work was done and God’s Grace was known by many. No doubt, this formula is given to us as the very method to preach. (“...even so must the Son of man be lifted up” John 3:14; “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” 12:32). What will you preach that will bring better results? The greatest contribution the Church can make today to a troubled and frightened generation is to return to the consistent and always relevant preaching of the Word of God! All Christians would agree that what is most needed in the present age is a releasing of the power of God among us, but what is often forgotten is that the proclamation of His word has always been God’s chosen channel of power. “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions...” the psalmist declares (Psa. 107:20). Following this approach, through the years I have gained a growing sense of the grandeur of preaching. I have seen many examples of its power to transform both individual lives and whole communities. I have increasingly felt a divine compulsion to preach, so that I know something of Paul’s words, “Woe is me if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16). But even more – I feel a deeply humbling conviction that I could never be given a greater honor than the privilege of declaring “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” I often fill the deep conviction that this is how the public should regard us; as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God! A servant of Christ! A steward of the mysteries! I can think of no greater work than preaching.

A Lack of Bible Preaching If the reader does a “Google Search” on the internet, you will find that many totally opposing church bodies (Presbyterians, UMC, Church of Christ, SBC, Independent Baptists of several stripes and even Charismatic Pentecostalist) all claim to be “Bible Preachers.” It is ridiculous to think that these denominations, all form different theological positions could all be “Bible Preachers.” “Bible Preaching” can not be defined by either of these factions contending to practice this style of preaching. “Bible Preaching” is in a sad lack in this modern hour. There is such an effort to support some private agenda that “Bible Preaching” has been the victim. This fact has degraded the practice, broken the will of our cadre of preachers, minimized the skills needed to prepare for “Biblical Preaching” and produced a false criteria to judge preaching. A false “litmus test” is applied to our pulpit ministry and must be brought back to truth or we have seen the last of “Bible Preaching.” In order to understand the title of this course we must understand the purpose of preaching. When we refer to preaching we are talking about heralding or proclaiming words. The words we are referring to are the gospel or the good news of salvation and way of eternal life. So, the meaning and purpose of preaching is to proclaim a message that will give people the opportunity to obey the gospel of Christ, which saves. The gospel of Jesus Christ is referred to by the apostle Paul as the “power of God unto Salvation” (Rom. 1:16). If it is the power of God unto salvation, then it should go to say that it is the message we should preach, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith”(Rom. 1:17). Today in our “politically correct” society it is not a very popular thing to do, preaching the gospel. Preaching the gospel is not even considered popular or mainstream in some of the churches of Christ today. Often, it is more common to find a story or a blown out of proportion illustration than to hear the Word of

God preached. When we think of Bible preaching we are talking about preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, the word of God (Rom. 1:15; 2 Tim. 4:2). People need to hear sermons relative to salvation. They need to know what they must do in order to make the proper adjustments to be right with God. A lack of Bible preaching hinders this. To preach the gospel is to preach the truth (Rom. 1:16; John 1:1-5,14,16-18; 8:31,32; 12:48-50; 14:6; 17:17), and to preach the truth is to preach the Word of God found in the Bible. When Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them this consisted of more than just a lovely message (Acts 8:5, 12). Philip preached unto them what Jesus had commanded the apostles to preach. The message consisted of what Jesus had taught and commanded throughout His ministry (Matt. 28:18-20). The Bible says that when they believed the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were obedient (Acts 8:12). Preaching the gospel is all about proclaiming what the Bible teaches relative to the Biblically recorded history of redemption. If we expect to grow (individually or personally; 2 Peter 1:3-11; 3:18), edify, win souls, and judge accordingly we will have to stick to the Biblical standard of truth (John 7:24; 12:48-50). The word of God is the seed of the kingdom (Luke 8:11). It’s no wonder the church is not growing (personally and individually, and then outwardly; 2 Peter 1:3-11; 3:18) if were not preaching the WORD! It is into this situation that the Christian preacher can step with confidence, as he realizes the relevance and power of his message. To men who ask the fundamental questions about God, the way to know Him, the purpose of life, the answer to the sin problem, or what happens after death, the Christian Bible Preacher brings not his own speculations but the sure divine Word. As he heralds forth the good news of what God has done for men in Christ, in His atoning death and triumphant resurrection, he can speak with assurance about the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God and therefore with one’s fellows, the resources of the risen Christ to remake broken lives, the will of God for daily living, and a sure and certain hope of life beyond the grave for those who belong to Christ. The need of men and the provision of God find their meeting place in the preaching of the Word. The day of preaching will never be over while the grace of God and the sin of men remain, for it provides the essential link to bring them together.

The Product of Bible Preaching “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jer 5:31) There seems to be quite a bit of misunderstanding on this vital subject among Christians today. Why this is the case is not clear except for the fact that the Devil has confused the minds of so many. The consequence is that souls go through life without a clear witness, under the condition of authentic preaching, of the Grace of God to save sinners. My friend, just think, if you will, how hungry many people are for the truth, and then think of what they are fed. They ask for an egg and the American Pulpit gives them a stone; they ask for a fish and this liberal day gives them a serpent! One of the reasons our faith is being shaken is the condition of the American Pulpit. This place of separation has been polluted by men without morals who tell likewise others how to escape morality. I find this quotation from Dr. R. G. Lee in his powerful book, “Pathways For Preachers”: “Today black snow falls! The Fever of life's fierce heat burns the divine dew off the grass! Spiritual mercury falls low! Critical Philistines of transcendent cleverness subject the warm wonder of Christianity to cool analysis! Fat deformities ask the world to substitute Christianity's bread for a chunk of cloud bank buttered with the night wind, and our unregenerate humanity is set in the midst of palaces, art, philosophies, and scientific wonders, but remains a bedraggled beggar still – while many Christians are frostbitten in realms of luxury. So the Gospel is our superlative, our supreme inspiration.” It is preaching that struck the Gospel onto the coin of the Earth with the apostles. It was preaching that brought the princes and peasants alike to the cross. The years of the “dark ages” were clouded with darkness but the light never died through the preaching of many like the Waldenses of Europe. The Reformation came to pass as a result of preaching. The great awakening came to America with the voice of a preacher named George Whitfield In the past two hundred years we can see America's shape formed in response to preaching. (Charles

Finney, D. L. Moody, R. A. Torrey, Wilber Chapman, Billy Sunday, J. Frank Norris etc.) It has only been in recent days that preaching has been so lightly taken. Before you start to point fingers at the outside let me first say that I fear the ministry of preaching has problems from within. There is a deepening apostasy from “...the faith once delivered to the saints...” (Jude 3) Preaching, at its best, is expounding eternal truths to those who desire such. If few desire truth, preaching will surely suffer. And for this very reason preaching is on a low slot of interest. Worldliness will always soften the impact of preaching. Today we are under the control of the flesh and pleasure like never before; therefore preaching (a spiritual endeavor) is subjugated to the needs and whims of the flesh. Then, lastly there is the subject of the Gospel Preacher himself. Most spend so little time in prayer for the message that no clear direction is found. Most preachers are faced with a list of personal and ecclesiastical needs so demanding that time is consumed in the pursuit of these to the lose of the pulpit. And most are so spiritually dull until the sharp aptitude for homiletics placed in him by the “call to preach” is blunted to a useless edge. A sad day is come when preachers do not preach. The clear remark of Scripture is that preaching is a very important part of the ministry of the House of God. Every local church's purpose in the world includes this great work of preaching. The local church is to provide for the meetings and promote occasions to carry out the work of preaching. Old Testament as well as New Testament proof can be had upon the matter. The prophet of the “Flood” was said to be a “Preacher of Righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5). Nehemiah preached from the wall of the city (Neh. 6:2-3). The King, David, was a preacher of righteousness (Psa. 40:9). The King, Solomon, was the preacher of Ecclesiastes (Eccl.1:1, 12). Jonah was told to preach to Nineveh (Jonah 3:2). In the New Testament we also find John the Baptist as he performs the ministry of God’s bidding (Matt.3:1; Luke 3:3). Peter preached on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14). All preaching is not effective S much is done in a way that limits the results; but God must give the increase to all service and preaching is subject to that rule. What, then, is the product of God Honored Preaching?

The Product of Preaching “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor.1:18) I- Proclaim The Resurrection (Phil.3:10) A) The power of a new life (1 Cor. 5:17) B) The presence of a noticeable light (1 John 1:7) C) The promise of a never-ending love (1 John 3:1-2; 4:7-10) II- Prepare the way for Redemption (Eph.2:8-9) A) Unto a Heavenly calling (John 10:1-5) B) Unto a heart felt charge (2 Tim. 4:1-5) C) Unto a happy conviction (1 Tim. 6:6) III- Practice Revival (Psa. 85:6) A) Revival is the move of HOLY God on “HIS” OWN work, fallen under clouds of discouragement. (Hab.3:2) B) Revival can be in a day of seeming great visitation and judgement. (Psa. 138:7; Isa. 57:15) C) Revival is for every person and church of whatever sort. (2 Chron. 7:14) Conclusion There is no substitute for Bible preaching. It is true to God, honest with the hearers, loving in its thrust, and able to save the souls of those who heed its warning and obey its commands. Let us all make a renewed commitment to Bible Preaching!

God Give Us Men! A time like this demands strong minds, Great hearts, true faith, and ready hands;

Men whom the lust of office does not kill; Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy; Men who possess opinions and a will; Men who have honor; men who will not lie; Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog. In public duty and in private thinking; For while many rabble with their thumb-worn creeds, Their large professions and their little deeds Mingle in selfish strife S LO! freedom weeps, Wrong rules the land, and waiting justice sleeps! So GOD, give us men!!! Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819 - 1881) American Editor and Novelist This essay is taken from the series of Home Bible Studies called “Preaching and Teaching – The Preparation and Delivery of Gospel Sermons and Bible Lessons” by Dr. Terry W. Preslar. This work will expose the reader to the skill sets required to prepare and deliver Gospel sermons and Bible lessons that will be effective and helpful. The preacher or teacher will gain insight into this mighty work of service for the Master, no matter what level of experience he may be at (beginner or veteran in the service). Dr. Preslar has pastored the same church for over 32 years and been preaching over 38 years. It is hoped that his work and experience has qualified him to provide instructional help in the great work of Preaching and Teaching the Word of God. There is a full set of lessons that cover this subject and other courses to provide for your higher Christian Education. We hope that you will call or write for more information. Please pray for this effort of the “Preacher’s Notebook” and the other work through this mission outreach. This Periodical is printed by Gospel Publishing and Colportage, a ministry of the First Baptist Church of Mineral Springs, NC, and is designed for education, evangelism, and edification. If we may assist you in knowing more about Christ and the Christian life, please write us without obligation: First Baptist Church of Mineral Springs PO Box 388, Mineral Springs, NC 28108 (704)843-3858

Psalms 107:2 S É S Romans 12:1-2

First Baptist Church PO Box 388 Mineral Springs, NC 28108