Grace is what God extends to sinners. So preaching grace can be a complex task: in order to proclaim grace, we must address sin. We face two possible errors when addressing the doctrine of sin. One is to preach grace while neglecting sin. This we must not do. The doctrine of sin is of immeasurable value to our churches. We must never minimize its importance, nor should we apologize for preaching it. Our hearers must understand that sin is pervasive,…
Paul’s benediction for the Corinthian church is consistent with all his letters, and indeed with his entire ministry: he points his readers to the grace of Jesus Christ. Paul did not rely on leadership styles popular in his day, the strength of his own personality, or the quickest way to increase membership numbers. His definition of ministry was rooted in theology, and at its center was the grace of Jesus Christ. For Paul there was no other foundation. And for…
In this series I want to draw your attention to this Trinitarian benediction of 2 Corinthians in order to remind you of what has always been true: the character and work of the triune God define and inform the heart of pastoral ministry. In 2 Corinthians 13:14, hidden in plain sight, is a wonderfully succinct model for pastoral ministry. Paul’s pastoral ministry was theologically informed. Moreover, it was thoroughly Trinitarian—he references each member of the Godhead in his benediction. And…
It happened in my hometown, in a Washington DC Metro station. And I’m sure, had I been there, I would have walked past it without a single glance. In 2007, the Washington Post organized an experiment. During the morning rush hour, world-famous violinist Joshua Bell stood incognito in the entrance to the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station and played a brilliant classical repertoire for forty-five minutes. It was, as Post reporter Gene Weingarten explained, “an experiment in context, perception and priorities—as…
“Pray that I would not bomb so often when I preach,” said my friend after I inquired how I could pray for him. My pen froze. I looked up, incredulous. I could not bring myself to write it down. But the expression on his face was serious; he was not joking. He wanted me to ask God that he not bomb so often when he preaches. Mind you, this was not a seminary student in his first homiletics class or…