Intake of the Word

One of the most important Spiritual Disciplines is to maintain a steady intake of the Word of God. Many believers have intentions to read their Bible but do not have a plan. As a result, they are hit and miss with more misses than hits.

Last year, as I was planning my disciplines for the coming year, My wife and I had the good fortune of spending a weekend with Steve and Donna Gaines in Memphis. That Sunday, Bellevue Baptist Church distributed an outline of how a person might read through the New Testament in a month. I have incorporated that discipline in my own schedule. Should you get more than three days behind due to unforeseen circumstances, I encourage you to skip those passages and simply pick up on the day's assigned reading. I know of people who get behind and just give up. Don't let that happen to you. Each number corresponds with the day of the month. Here is the outline that I use each day:

1.    Matthew 1-8

2.    Matthew 9-15

3.    Matthew 16-23

4.    Matthew 24-28

5.    Mark 1-7

6.    Mark 8-13

7.    Mark 14- Luke 2

8.    Luke 3-8

9.    Luke 9-13

10.  Luke 14-21

11.  Luke 22- John 2

12.  John 3-8

13.  John 9-15

14.  John 16- Acts 1

15.  Acts 2-8

16.  Acts 9-15

17.  Acts 16-21

18.  Acts 22- Romans 1

19.  Romans 2-10

20.  Romans 11- 1 Corinthians 6

21. 1 Corinthians 7-15

22.  1 Corinthians 16- 2 Corinthians 12

23.  2 Corinthians 13- Ephesians 4

24.  Ephesians 5- Colossians 4

25.  1 Thessalonians 1- 1 Timothy 6

26.  2 Timothy 1- Hebrews 6

27.  Hebrews 7- James 2

28.  James 3- 1 John 1

29. 1 John 2- Revelation 4

30.  Revelation 5-22

 

If you will accept the challenge to read a significant portion of the New Testament on a daily basis, it will strengthen your walk with the Lord. Here is a plan that will work if you will make it a priority. My habit is not to read anything else including looking at my iPhone or iPad until after I have spent time in the Word. Remember, we do what we plan, prioritize, and practice. There is a reward for those who put the Lord first.

The Key to Effective Prayer

One of the most intriguing and inspiring classes I took in seminary was "Spiritual Awakenings" taught by Roy Fish. Several years later I had the privilege of teaching that same subject at Southwestern Seminary. As a follow-up to my keen interest, I (along with my wife, Fern) twice attended one-week intensive classes on Spiritual Awakenings at Regents Park College, Oxford University hosted by J. Edwin Orr. Orr, at the time, was considered the world's leading authority on the subject. One lesson I learned through this study has always stuck with me.

I hear and read friends say over and over, "pray for revival,” "pray for an awakening,” or "pray that God will intervene." It seems to me that these are general prayers and as a rule, general prayers are ineffectual prayers. 

How we can better focus our prayers? Let us trust the scripture in Philippians 4:6: "Be anxious for nothing; but in everything (greek word 'panti' meaning 'every single issue or item; all, any, every') with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God..."

We in the church are alarmed by the spiritual condition of family members, friends, co-workers, folks in our neighborhoods, our communities, the media, the sports arena, the business world, the entertainment industry, the academic world and the political world, not to mention the international scene. We are alarmed at the ungodliness that runs rampant, the shifting mores, the prominence of behaviors, attitudes, and  distorted values that the Bible clearly denounces as manifestations of sin.

I’m reminded of Jesus’ question: "What do you want Me to do for you?" (Matthew 20:32, Mark 10:36,51-52, and Luke 18:14) What do you want God to do for you? Would you answer that question in your prayers? Tell the Lord what it is that you want to see happen!

When you pray, I encourage you to pray in specifics. Instead of "Lord, send revival," pray, "Lord, would you open the eyes of our President to see that homosexual marriage is wrong?" "Lord, help the Supreme Court to see that homosexual marriage is detrimental to the nation." "God, intervene in the life of President Obama, Vice-President Biden, Speaker Boehner, and Chief Justice John Roberts." "Lord, in Hollywood, raise up believers who will challenge the hedonistic norms." "Lord, at Harvard, Yale and Princeton, raise up professors who have both brilliant minds and biblical convictions." "Lord, in my church, I pray that you will open our eyes to see the lost all around us." "Lord, I pray that you would place a hedge of protection around my Pastor and make him holy. Keep him from the destructive temptation of the evil one." "Lord, you know my family's needs. Please provide for us and open the right door for employment."

Each of these is an example of "specific" praying. If you will be more specific in your praying, I believe God will be more specific in His answers. Please, let's redirect our prayers to be more specific. I am convinced that if we pray specifically, God will answer specifically!

Habits of Effective Communication

As a second installment on effective communication, I want to continue sharing some principles on preparation from my text, A Primer on Biblical Preaching. To be an effective communicator, preparation is not a luxury but a necessity.

My first post discussed preparation from the macro perspective. Now, I would like to address the issue from a micro perspective. How can a speaker, a minister, or teacher approach his or her task on a week by week basis?

I teach my students that if they desire to be effective in the pulpit, they must cultivate a rhythm and a discipline in their preparation. Again, remember, there is no substitute for planning ahead. My desire is to help you work smarter not harder although preparing to speak on a regular basis is hard work. I point out to my students that all great communicators have a method of preparation. Probably, no two communicators have the exact same method but each has method nonetheless. I teach my students my method then encourage them to adjust it according to their schedule and demands. Remember, any method is better than no method when it comes to sermon preparation. Here's mine.

I spend all day on Monday working on four items. Assuming I am preparing two messages for next weekend, I prepare two exegeses, one for each message, and two outlines. Again, one for each sermon. Normally, this work would take me all day on Monday and at times the early hours of Tuesday.

In the exegesis portion, I work through all the materials in my file folder designated for the week's messages. At this juncture, I am light years ahead of the guy who wakes up on Monday morning wondering what he will speak on next weekend.

I will read through the text 15 to 25 times before I do anything else. I will attempt to grasp the flow of the text's meaning and message. I will examine the genre and the context. I do word studies and try to grasp the essence of what the text says and what it means. When the exegesis for each message is complete and I have that grasp of the text's main theme, I begin to break the text down into bite-sized bits as I outline it. Honestly, at times I have produced twenty or more outlines for one sermon before I am satisfied with it.

First thing in the office on Tuesday, my outlines are typed and copied for a 9:30 Worship Team meeting. In that meeting, we do three things. One, we critique last Sunday's services. What went right? What went wrong?  Where can we improve? Did we start and conclude on time? The goal is to have a seamless service with no dead time while being sensitive to the Spirit's leading. Second, I do a Bible study on my sermons with the worship team. At its conclusion, I solicit age appropriate feedback from the team. They give me insights, illustrations, or

applications that are appropriate for children, students, or single adults for example. I play scribe and take notes as the worship team provides feedback. I use their feedback as I continue to craft next weekend's messages. We conclude the meeting by having the music team share the music packages planned for the upcoming services. Because we planned ahead, all of our services were themed. Everything said and done revolved around the one biblical theme of the service. Note, at times, my team would say they did not like the outline and I would solicit suggestions on how to improve it.

By the end of the day on Tuesday, I have final outlines completed. Then, I go through the outline placing checkmarks where I think I need illustrations. I spend time Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday looking for appropriate illustrations. The purpose of illustrations are two-fold. First, they are like windows that let light in thereby clarifying what is being taught. In essence, we learn through analogies. Second, illustrations are like mirrors that help us see ourselves.

On Friday morning, I have an interactive outline prepared and reproduced. This is "fill in the blank." I always place the answers on the back page of the notes. Also, a powerpoint is prepared so that those in the services can follow through the outline as the message unfolds.

This is a snapshot of how I work on a micro or week by week basis. I hope it helps. The next post in this series will not be about preparing your messages, but about preparing yourself.

How do you prepare the week before you speak? 

Who Will You Imitate?

Historically, and especially in the ancient world of the Greeks and Romans, one principal method of learning was to imitate someone who was considered a master of their craft. "Watch what we do and emulate it" was a standard method of teaching. This might find its expression in the exercise of a trade, a skill in the world of art, public speaking, or writing.

I recently read an interesting book penned by William Cane, Write like the Masters. In this volume, Cane writes a brief essay on each of twenty-one different writers suggesting that one way to learn to write better is to imitate what these "master writers" do. He points out unique traits of Charles Dickens, Ernest Hemingway, and George Orwell for example. Then, he suggests that the burgeoning writer emulate some of the writers' distinct techniques. Hemingway was known for being heavy on nouns and verbs while avoiding adjectives and adverbs. He used few commas and frequently strung his sentences together with simple conjunctions. If one paragraph was long, the one to follow was, as a rule, brief. All the other writers, too, had their unique trademark styles. Interestingly, some great writers were known for imitating the styles of masters whom they respected.

Now, I use this "imitating" pedagogy in writing to bridge to a biblical principle found in 1 Corinthians 11:1. Paul writing to the very troubled congregation in ancient Corinth wrote, "Follow my example, as I also follow Christ." The word "follow" may be translated "imitate." It comes from the root word from which we get the word "mimic." Here, Paul is instructing believers in a less than ideal context to act, think, and talk like he does himself. In short, he says, "watch me and repeat what you observe." Of course, the qualifier is "as I follow Christ." His point? "As long as I follow Christ, imitate me!"

Here is the lesson: when you want to learn from someone, make  sure they not only say the right things; check their track record. Are they a doer? A practitioner? The Apostle James wrote that it is of critical importance for us to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. Hearing and talking are not enough. It is imperative that we be doers. So, when you want to learn from someone,  choose someone who actually does what you want to do. If not, you might be sorely disappointed.

Grace and Faith: Part 1

Last week I had the opportunity to speak to a Bible study group on Ephesians 2:8-10 concerning the process of God's salvation. I’d like to share it with you. Today's post will be followed up by a post focused on faith on Thursday. 

Salvation always and only starts with God's grace. This is God's initiative in seeking the lost. It is the operating principle from Luke 19:10 where Jesus said He came to "seek and save the lost."

God's grace comes from many directions. It is seen in what is commonly called General Revelation. In Romans 1, Paul asserts that mankind knows the reality of God through conscience and creation. Paul's assessment is because of these two realities, we are "without excuse."

Jesus related in John 16:8 that the Holy Spirit would come at His direction to convince (convict) the world of the reality " of sin, righteousness, and judgment." The Spirit's work, too, is a manifestation of grace.

When we hear a sermon, or a testimony, or read Christian literature  that gives testimony to Jesus and the Gospel, that too is God's means of extending grace.

When a Christian lives a life which demonstrates compassion, or patience or generosity, that too is a means of extending grace. See Ephesians 4:29.

At times, God Himself orchestrates circumstances that drive us to Him. Remember Jonah?

God's grace was seen ultimately in the cross of Christ where He endured the punishment for our sin.

My point? Salvation for anyone always begins with God's grace. Grace convinces me that I am hopelessly lost left to myself. It directs me to God's only provision for my sin. It points me to and draws me to Jesus. That is grace.

When God extends grace (and there is no salvation apart from grace), our responsibility is to respond to that grace with faith. Faith is the human response to grace. Consider Hebrews 11 and the long list of saints who placed their faith (or trust or belief) in the Lord. Everything we receive from God, we receive as a gift through faith. Faith to use a theological and grammatical term is "the agency of means." It is how we connect with God's grace and, indeed, God Himself.

We are saved when God extends His grace and we respond in simple child-like faith. That is why Paul wrote, "By grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9).

In the words of one prominent writer, grace is an amazing reality!