Section 3 Content

From the January-February 2008 Issue of Preaching...

In an article titled "Preaching Doctrine with Flavor," Jere Phillips begins, "My wife makes the best fudge brownies in the world. Fresh out of the oven, they fill the air with hunger-inducing aroma. Not waiting till they cool, you bite into the soft cake, and it nearly melts in your mouth, making you immediately want more.

"My wife also makes the worst fudge brownies in the world. If any are left over for more than a few days, they become brittle to the touch and dry in the mouth. Unless you soak one in milk, it's quite like eating chocolate sawdust.

"Unfortunately for our church members, much of what passes for doctrinal preaching is more like the second batch of brownies. Most congregations have the same reaction: They'd rather pass. Why? Too often our doctrinal sermons tend to sound like Systematic Theology 101, a lecture rather than a message from God. Wouldn't you like to hear a presentation of biblical truth that was like warm, moist brownies instead of cold, dry ones?" (Click here to continue reading.)
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Every issue of Preaching contains insightful articles on preaching, plus great model sermons and practical resources. If you're not a current subscriber to Preaching magazine, click here (or call toll free 1.800.527.5226) to begin your subscription!

Now in the January-February 2014 issue of Preaching: Learn about Billy Graham's favorite preaching insights, enjoy an interview with Judah Smith, see the year's best Bibles and Bible reference works discussed, gain insights on expository preaching in an article from Al Mohler, be inspired by sermons from Billy Graham and Matt Chandler, plus much more. Click here to see the January-February 2014 digital issue of Preaching.

The Preacher's Bookshelf: Making a Meal of It

One thing virtually every Christian minister does at some point is lead in serving of the Lord's Supper. New Testament professor Ben Witherington has offered us a valuable discussion of this important element of worship in his book Making a Meal of It: Rethinking the Theology of the Lord's Supper (Baylor Univ. Press). He discusses the background of the Eucharist, the biblical discussion of it, and how the practice developed in the church. This is a fascinating and useful book for any pastor.

The Preacher's Bookshelf: Understanding Four Views on the Lord's Supper

Speaking of the Lord's Supper, there's another new book of interest: Understanding Four Views on the Lord's Supper (Zondervan), featuring essays representing the Baptist/Memorial, Reformed, Lutheran and Roman Catholic perspectives. After each essay, the other contributors have an opportunity to respond. The brief volume offers an interesting theological conversation.

From Bookshelf: Everyday Theology

One thing we tell preaching students is that they must exegete both text and congregation. In Everyday Theology (Baker Academic), a team of authors helps us understand how to do cultural exegesis: reading and interpreting the texts and trends produced within our contemporary culture, and recognizing where those intersect with our faith. This will be a useful book for church leaders in understanding the changing culture in which we live and learning to engage that culture with a biblical worldview.

What Would Jesus Drive?

Most people assume WWJD is the acronym for "What would Jesus do?" However, the initials really might stand for "What would Jesus drive?"

One theory is that Jesus would tool around in an old Plymouth because the Bible says, "God drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden in a Fury."

In Psalm 83, the Almighty clearly owns a Pontiac and a GE. The passage urges the Lord to "pursue your enemies with your Tempest and terrify them with your Storm."

Possibly God favors Dodge pickup trucks because Moses' followers are warned not to go up a mountain "until the Ram's horn sounds a long blast."

Meanwhile, Moses rode a British motorcycle, as evidenced by a Bible passage that declares "the roar of Moses' Triumph is heard in the hills."

Joshua no doubt drove a Triumph with an after-market slip-on muffler because: "Joshua's Triumph was heard throughout the land."

Following the Master's lead, the apostles car pooled in—you got it—a Honda: "The apostles were in one Accord." (from Mikey's Funnies)

And Finally...

Justice waits for nothing…except maybe football.

According to an AP story, West Baton Rouge Parish District Judge Alvin Batiste, a Louisiana state judge near the home of the LSU Tigers, agreed to postpone a trial scheduled to start on the same day LSU played Ohio State in the BCS national championship game.
Stephen Babcock, an attorney defending Imperial Casualty Insurance Co. in a lawsuit involving a car crash, requested the delay. In the written request for a new trial date, Babcock refers to Ohio State as "Slowhio" ("due to their perceived lack of speed on both sides of the ball") and noted that Allstate, a sponsor of the Sugar Bowl, was not a party in the insurance case.

"All counsel to this matter unequivocally agree that the presence of LSU in the aforementioned contest of pigskin skill unquestionably constitutes good grounds therefor," Babcock wrote. "In fact we have been unable through much imagination and hypothetical scenarios to think of a better reason."

"We might disagree on the merits of the case, but everyone was in agreement on this, for sure," Babcock said during an interview.