“Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20 – King James Version) My genuine hope and primary purpose for the Ephesians 3:20 Faith Encouragement and Empowerment Blog is to assist all people of faith, regardless of your prism of experience, to grow spiritually toward unconditional self-acceptance and develop personally acquiring progressive integrity of belief and lifestyle. I pray you will discover your unique purpose in life. I further pray love, joy, peace, happiness and unreserved self-acceptance will be your constant companions. Practically speaking, this blog will help you see the proverbial glass in life as always half full rather than half empty. I desire you become an eternal optimist who truly believes that Almighty God can do anything that you ask or imagine.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

What is Your Philosophy on Preaching?

What is your philosophy on Preaching?


“Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”  Preaching is invaluable to acquiring and progressing in faith.  Preaching is central to worship.  The Bible is the only basis for preaching.  Preaching recounts the story of God’s covenant with humankind.  The eternal and irrevocable fulfillment of God’s covenant occurs in the incarnation, life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.  Preaching equals a verbal sacrament as the rehearsal of Christ’s birth, ministry, death, burial and resurrection parallels the words of institution during Holy Communion.

In seminary, I concentrated on theology, church history and psychiatry and religion.  A significant aspect of my degree was biblical training in exegesis and hermeneutics.  Tools of biblical scholarship courses cemented my love of the Word of God.  I relish the majesty and mystery of God’s Word as embedded within its many layers of wisdom, instruction, poetry and history.  I love to share my personal discoveries and revelations.  My preaching and teaching relies heavily upon this training. 

I preaching according to the “series’ model in which I offer sermons on specific books of the Bible (e.g. Genesis, Deuteronomy, Joshua, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1& 2 Kings, Psalms, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Luke, John, Romans, Acts, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Hebrews and Revelation).  I incorporate major theological, historical and educational materials.  Mostly, I reserve those details for Sunday School and Bible study classes. 

In addition, I preach series of sermons on pastoral matters: “Using the Tool Box of Life,” “Focus on the Family,” “The Sinner’s Perfect Plea,” “Running the Spiritual Marathon,” “Finding the Quiet in the Storm of Life,” “Taking the Inner Inventory,” etc.  Other topics include social, political and economic issues relevant to daily living.  In these series, I offer biblical, historical and theological answers to life’s various challenges.

“We are the Community’s Church – Encouraging and Empowering People with Faith to Embrace Life with Christ’s Power.”  Those words express the vision of ministry that the congregation of Cambria Heights Community Church shares.  Additionally, they perfectly capture my practical objectives in preaching.  In accordance with Ephesians 3:20 and Romans 8:28-39, preaching and teaching encourage believers to persevere steadfastly in the Christian pilgrimage and empower them for victorious daily living.  At its most practical level, preaching creates ministry that matters concretely and decisively in the hearts, minds and character of listeners.  Finally, in the succinct words of Paul, preaching equips disciples to remain steadfast, immoveable and always abounding in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ so that their earthly lives and labor are not in vain.

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