Any parent that has taken their family on a trip of any substantial distance is acquainted with the question, “Are we there yet?” or “How much longer until we get there?” In my case, it was my punishment for asking the question repeatedly as a child of my parents. As it has been said, you…
Month: February 2021
Relevant Sermons
Years ago I came across a book by Os Guinness titled Prophetic Untimeliness. In it Guinness asserts, “Never have Christians pursued relevance more strenuously; never have Christians been more irrelevant.” The challenge for the church is to be timely, not trendy. This comes not by being in step with the times, but having the courage to…
Out of Ur: The Destination
Much of Abram’s life had been spent in between his point of departure and his arrival in Canaan. While the biblical narrative doesn’t give us many details about Abram’s in between, we do learn some valuable lessons that can be of practical help to us today. First, Abram was willing to pull up the anchor…
The Hardest Part of Preaching
Most preachers have a routine of sermon preparation and delivery that has become natural and even reflexive. Some preachers prefer the study and writing, while others prefer the act of delivering the sermon. In order to be effective, preachers have to find a level of proficiency in both, otherwise the sermon will either be all…
Out of Ur: The Decision
Terah’s good intention to leave Ur and travel to the land of Canaan was disrupted at the half way point with a distraction. This distraction led him on an 80 mile detour to the city of Haran, where he stopped and settled. He put down roots in Haran and stayed there until he died. Distractions…
Why Sermons Are Boring
An old time evangelist named Vance Havner once quipped that “most churches start at 11:00 sharp and end at 12:00 dull.” This elicits a chuckle from many pew occupants simply because it is often true. One of the arguments against church attendance has been the criticism that sermons are boring. Is it still possible in…