Here's an insightful talk on seeing and thinking creatively--perfect for pastors and preachers--from a favorite writer and thinker of mine, Leonard Sweet:
Great stuff.
An Enterprising Ministry Model
Churches and pastors often provide more than soul food, so to speak. Here is a sign found in Crabby Mike's, a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, restaurant, that may inspire some enterprising ministry models. Or not.
Simple Sermon Outline: When You're Tired of Trying
Here is yet another "Simple Sermon Outline" that comes from a series a few years back entitled "God's iPod." One of the things I really enjoyed throughout this series was that I asked our super-talented worship band to incorporate a song that might be on worshipers' iPods into the message each week. So, for example, on this particular weekend, to accompany "When You're Tired of Trying" (below), the worship band sang, "The Climb," by Miley Cyrus (those were the days). The previous week, when the message was, "When You're Losing Your Grip," they sang "Broken," by Lifehouse. I think those familiar, more-or-less-current songs really helped folks connect with the point of each message.
So here is the outline for "When You're Tired of Trying." It is intended for the hardworking pastor who takes seriously the task of study and preaching but is sometimes up against a wall and fresh out of ideas. Like the other outlines in this series of posts, this one is simple and sparse, in the hope that it will ignite (not replace) the process of prayer, study, and creativity.
So here is the outline for "When You're Tired of Trying." It is intended for the hardworking pastor who takes seriously the task of study and preaching but is sometimes up against a wall and fresh out of ideas. Like the other outlines in this series of posts, this one is simple and sparse, in the hope that it will ignite (not replace) the process of prayer, study, and creativity.
When You're Tired of Trying
Psalm 13
When you feel like you're losing your grip...
1. Trust in God's unfailing love (Psalm 13:5a)
2. Rejoice in your salvation (Psalm 13:5b)
3. Sing to the Lord (Psalm 13:6)
(photo by mferak, via everystockphoto.com)
Target the 88%
Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?
He mostly does it again in his book, Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?: Christian Identity in a Multi-Faith World. In it, McLaren asks the question, "To accept and love God, must I betray my neighbor of another religion? To accept and love my neighbor, must I betray the God of my religion?"
The book is his answer to the question, his quest for a strong and benevolent Christian identity, rather than having to choose between a weak-but-benign sort of Christian life and testimony or a strong-but-hostile experience. He describes his quest in four sections:
The Crisis of Christian Identity. He says, "We Christians will not experience a reorientation of our identity until we are willing to go through a profound rethinking of our history." He suggests that "what we call Christianity today has a history, and this history reveals it as a Roman, imperial version of Christianity"--one that mixes Christ-like elements of love, joy, peace, and reconciliation with "strictly imperial elements" of superiority, conquest, domination, and hostility.
The Doctrinal Challenge. McLaren then goes on to explore how doctrines relating to Creation, original sin, election, the Trinity, Christology, and the Holy Spirit can be understood in new ways--ways that foster a strong/benevolent Christian identity.
The Liturgical Challenge. He next tackles the Christian calendar, baptism, worship and teaching, reading and study, and communion, suggesting new approaches to these practices that conform better (in his view) to the teachings of Jesus. He says, "There is no way forward in the pursuit of a strong-benevolent Christian identity that bypasses a lengthy journey through the wild and challenging landscape of hermeneutics."
The Missional Challenge. In the final section, McLaren addresses the question of how a Christian with a strong-and-benevolent identity might see his or her mission in a pluralistic world. He prescribes "subversive friendship," "friendship that crosses the boundaries of otherness and dares to offer and receive hospitality." He suggests that "explicitly Christian worship can be explicitly hospitable to Jews, Muslims, and others." And he says that "my identity as a follower of Christ requires me first to move toward the other in friendship and then to move with the other in service to those in need."
I liked most of what he said, and loved the spirit in which he said it. I was disappointed in the middle two sections of the book by the impression that the author was not always letting the Bible say what it says, but was sometimes trying to get it to say what it should say (in his view). I think he could have made the same case (and maybe even a stronger one) with a better hermeneutical approach.
Still, like all of McLaren's books, this one delighted me, made me think, take notes, and reconsider a good many things. It opened new doors to understanding and I think has already produced good fruit in me.
Simple Sermon Outline: When You're Losing Your Grip
It is time for another "Simple Sermon Outline" here on the Desperate Pastor blog, for the hardworking pastor who takes seriously the task of study and preaching but is sometimes up against a wall and fresh out of ideas.
This week's outline is from a series I did a few years ago from the Psalms, entitled "God's iPod." Like the other outlines in this series of posts, this one is simple and sparse, in the hope that it will ignite (not replace) the process of prayer, study, and creativity.
This week's outline is from a series I did a few years ago from the Psalms, entitled "God's iPod." Like the other outlines in this series of posts, this one is simple and sparse, in the hope that it will ignite (not replace) the process of prayer, study, and creativity.
When You're Losing Your Grip
Psalm 6
When you feel like you're losing your grip...
1. Run to God (Psalm 6:1-3)
2. Remember who God is (Psalm 6:4-5)
3. Release your grip (Psalm 6:6-7)
4. Rely on God's mercy and timing (Psalm 6:8-10)(photo by mferak, via everystockphoto.com)
The Pastor's Desk (Episode 33)
Today's episode of "The Pastor's Desk" here on the Desperate Pastor blog is that of Major Debbie Stacy, who along with her husband, Major Jeff, serves as corps officer (pastor) at The Salvation Army in Lima, Ohio.
I've looked and looked, but still can't see any Bob Hostetler books on or around that desk. I don't understand.
(If you would like to participate in this recurring feature on the Desperate Pastor blog, submit a single photo of a pastor's study, office, or desk--but no tidying up before taking the picture, mind you--to bob@bobhostetler.com, along with a short description identifying to whom it belongs)
(If you would like to participate in this recurring feature on the Desperate Pastor blog, submit a single photo of a pastor's study, office, or desk--but no tidying up before taking the picture, mind you--to bob@bobhostetler.com, along with a short description identifying to whom it belongs)
Simple Sermon Outline: When You're In the Furnace
When You're In the Furnace
Daniel 3:16-27
You can be thrown into the furnace, and it may be through no fault of your own
God is with you in the furnace, whether noticeably or not
You will be changed by the furnace, one way or another
(photo by Petrusbarbygere via everystockphoto.com)You may be defeated
You may be delivered
You will be different
Barth on Prayer
So when I picked up Barth's Prayer, a series of lectures he gave on the Lord's Prayer from 1947-1949, in which he drew from the wisdom of Luther, Calvin, and the Heidelberg Catechism on the subject, I was pretty sure it would all be way over my head.
I am not often so happy to be wrong.
This short book is long on insight and filled with a pastor's sensitivity (Barth served as a pastor from 1911-1921 in Switzerland). Having read numerous books on the Lord's Prayer, and of course written and preached on it and from it, I nonetheless found new insights, perspectives, and inspiration from Barth's words. And I loved that he moved effortlessly in and out of prayer as he wrote on prayer.
Barth's short chapters are followed by a selection of his pastoral prayers. Barth's content is also introduced and followed by the writings of four other scholars who add much to the reader's understanding and appreciation.
As he did in his famous "Jesus Loves Me" comment, Barth packs an amazing amount of memorable depth and beauty in a short space in the book, Prayer.
Some Churches Are More Honest Than Others
(via Ed Stetzer's excellent site, the appropriately named www.EdStetzer.com)
Simple Sermon Outline: Free Indeed
Today's outline is appropriate for a Fourth of July weekend, if you're among our readers in the U.S....even if you're not.
Free Indeed
John 8:31-36
All who sin are slaves to sin (v. 34)
Sin enslavesThe Son can set you free (v. 36)
Sin distorts
Sin disfigures
Illustration: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Free from sin (Romans 8:2, 1 Corinthians 15:56)Live as one who is "free indeed" (v. 36)
Free from death (Romans 8:2, 1 Corinthians 15:56)
Free from the law (Romans 8:2, 1 Corinthians 15:56)
Live for God (Galatians 2:19)
Live by faith (Galatians 2:20)
Live in grace (Galatians 2:21)
Conclusion: "So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free" (Galatians 5:1, NLT).
Happy Fourth
Lord my God,
I worship you today,
on this 238th birthday of this nation,
these wonderful United States of America
in which I live.
I thank you for the freedom
to worship you publicly...
even as I ask you
to show kindness and mercy
to those who lack that freedom
because they live elsewhere.
Thank you for all those
who have sacrificed for my freedom,
for those who risked
(and some who gave) their lives
to make this a free and independent nation,
for those in my nation's armed services, past and present,
and for all who have served the cause of liberty in other ways...
even as I pray for those who even now
are in harm's way,
far from home,
in this nation's service.
Please meet their needs,
watch over them and their loved ones,
and grant them your favor in every way.
And, Father, on this Independence Day 2014,
I pray for the people in this land
and every land
who have not yet discovered the freedom
that is offered to them in your Son, Jesus Christ.
Draw them to you,
set them free
from sin and sadness and strife,
and grant them the eternal freedom
that is found only in trusting you,
in Jesus' name, amen.
The Pastor's Desk (Episode 32)
Today's episode of "The Pastor's Desk" is that of Shane Schlesman, Family Life Pastor (over marriage, kids, youth, leadership development) at West End Assembly of God in Richmond, VA.
Shane reportedly doesn't like sitting at a desk, so he got rid of it for a living room feel in his office. He counsels, studies, and leads from this office arrangement.
(If you would like to participate in this recurring feature on the Desperate Pastor blog, submit a photo of a pastor's study, office, or desk--but no tidying up before taking the picture, mind you--to bob@bobhostetler.com, along with a short description identifying to whom it belongs)
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