I hear preachers talking about their sermons as if they’re concept cars, pretty and accurate, gorgeous – but never taken for a real drive, in the rush hour, to do the shopping, in the rain. With the kids acting up in the back.
Month: November 2016
Elephants Leaders like it large At our best, leaders like it large because that means more people are hearing, believing and maturing in the gospel. More people have found a spiritual home. More people are exercising their gifts in ministry More people are giving their lives in Christ’s service. More resources can be raised
Chip and Dan Heath tell a story of the computer chip company, Intel. Back in the 1970s Intel was well-known for making computer memory – at one point they had a near monopoly – but they were being increasingly challenged by high-quality overseas competition. At the same time, a small team inside Intel was working
Like anyone, I like growth and expansion. I like more. But it comes at a cost. So I admire people who ask what went well last time, that we’re not going to do again
So what if one week the analogy we used for our services was to be like a roller-coaster ride? Or a walk in the forest? Or a surprise party? Or a great epic? Or the movement through the verses of a well-known, or unknown, hymn?
As preachers and church leaders, we get to help people decide each week to put Christ first. And when we preach we should plan to be specific.
There are many differences between most of us and Billy Graham. But here’s a critical lesson we can all take to heart.
Why ever wouldn’t you want to evangelise? And I know the answer: it’s because of the push-back that we anticipate, brace ourselves for, practice feeling the pain for, and therefore fear. As Bill Hybels puts it, “We say people’s ‘No’ for them.” So what’s the answer?
