 John Calvin (1509-1564) |
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Greetings!
The Foundation for Reformed Theology works to provide for better preaching, better teaching, and better pastoral care, all to the glory of God and for building up the church of Jesus Christ. A fuller statement of this is found at the link following my signature below.
Today I am writing about one aspect of this: Better Preaching. It is our duty and our joy, as officers of the church, to provide for, and to promote, better preaching of the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
To that end, I am providing some resources in the following article which I hope and pray you can use in your own life and in the shared life of the congregation you serve. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing back from you as appropriate. |
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Better Preaching
Preaching, especially preaching the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ, comprises a major part of the nature and practice of the Christian pastoral ministry. This has been the case since the beginning of the Christian church, and it continues to be the case today.
Hearing, especially hearing the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ, comprises a major part of the nature and practice of being Christian. Again, this has been the case since the beginning of the Christian church, and it continues to be the case today.
Where do we begin? It is crucial, of course, to learn and absorb the Scriptures. It is crucial, of course, to learn and absorb the history of Christian faith and doctrine. This is much of what the Foundation is about. But where do we begin, briefly, to work toward better preaching?
Surely the greatest scholar of preaching in our day is Dr. Hughes Oliphant Old. We would do well to learn from him. Let me make two suggestions from his work.
First, briefly, let me suggest this book:
Old, Hughes Oliphant. Worship Reformed According to Scripture, revised and expanded edition. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox, 2002. xii + 195 pp. Chapter five, in particular, is about preaching. What can be learned from this chapter would be enhanced by a knowledge of the book as a whole, which sees the reading and preaching of the Scriptures as the heart of worship.
It occurs to me that a widespread study of this text by the ministers of our churches could provide the basis for a tremendous improvement in the preaching in our churches. It also occurs to me that a widespread study of this text by the elders, deacons, and other members of our churches could provide the basis for a tremendous improvement in our understanding of Christian preaching and worship and therefore in our ability to hear and receive better preaching in our churces.
So, I am writing to invite, ask, and urge every one who receives this email to read and study this book. In fact, I am writing also to invite, ask, and urge everyone who receives this email to organize an adult class at the church you serve to read and study this book together.
Second, and not briefly at all, let me suggest Dr. Old's massive, recently finished, seven volume work in this area:
Old, Hughes Oliphant. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church. Vol. 1, The Biblical Period. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1998. x + 383 pp.
---. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church. Vol. 2, The Patristic Age. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1998. viii + 481 pp.
---. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church. Vol. 3, The Medieval Church. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1999. xviii + 646 pp.
---. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church. Vol. 4, The Age of the Reformation. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2002. xiii + 556 pp.
---. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church. Vol. 5, Moderatism, Pietism, and Awakening. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2004. xviii + 620 pp.
---. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church. Vol. 6, The Modern Age, 1789-1989. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2007. xxii + 997 pp.
---. The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church. Vol. 7, Our Own Time. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2010. xx + 714 pp.
I cannot think of anything that would help our preaching more than a widespread appropriation by our ministers of this account of how preaching has been done throughout the centuries and continues to be done today. At the same time, I cannot think of anything that would help our hearing more that a widespread appropriation of this account of what preaching has been, can be, and should be.
Dare I invite, ask, and urge every one who receives this email to read and study thesd books? Dare I invite, ask, and urge everyone who receives this email to organize an adult class at the church you serve to read and study this book together? Well, I can dream. And some of you will join me.
I am convinced of this: those ministers who do this will find their souls nourished and their preaching helped, lifted up, and carried forward; and those elders, deacons, and other members who do this will grow in their understanding and appreciation of the nature and practice of preaching, and you can hold the ministers' feet to the fire! How is that for a challenge?
Please understand that I am not at all pretending to be an expert on preaching! But Hughes Oliphant Old is. This is not about me. It is about how best to preach the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The suggested readings are intended to be of help if you might be so kind as to join with me in this endeavor. You may find better guides. The main thing is that we all learn both how better to preach and how better to hear.
Thank you for your consideration. The Foundation egages in many things: translations, publications, seminars, lectures, scholarships, and so forth. This is an attempt to move beyond those in a way that can help undergird better preaching, in particular, in many local churches at once. This is an attempt to expand our work and so increase our service to the church. This is an attempt to be of help to you. Please let me know whether this makes sense to you, whether it is workable, whether it is attractive, and whether you may be able to engage in this study. I look forward to hearing from you as appropriate. |
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 Grace and Peace, |
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The Foundation is exempt from Federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) and is not a private foundation as defined by Section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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