I’ve been thinking about challenging myself, and recently I’ve written about challenging myself with my electric guitar, leading our church youth in worship, how I read, how I write, how we worship, and in my marriage. Today, with my preaching.
When it comes to challenging myself in preaching, I’m like everyone else: I want to become a better orator and communicator. There are basic things, like writing and speaking mechanics, that can always be improved. But here are some aspects of preaching that I want to challenge myself in that others might not feel as inclined to pursue:
I challenge myself by trying different things. It’s easy to fall into the same style of preaching, but I try to vary even my own style, sometimes emphasizing theological themes, Asian American identity, or our own church history.
I challenge myself to use illustrations and examples from my own life. I want to show that I have seen God at work in my real life. I also want to share how I have applied—or at least attempted to apply—what I preach. To walk the talk.
I challenge myself by doing the same things. This might sound odd, but part of challenging myself is being consistent with certain things. I always try to have a clear gospel presentation and invitation. I also try to consistently speak about Christ’s return. And while the quality varies, prayer poems have also become a consistent part of my preaching.
I’m preaching in our youth service this Sunday! Would you please say a quick prayer for me?
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New Morning Mercies for Kids: 60 Devotions to Focus on Jesus
Pre-order this instant classic for 40% off Westminster Bookstore! Grab one to share with your family, or a bunch to give out to the children at your church. Use my code DIVEINDIGDEEP to save an extra 5% off your entire order always.
Author Paul David Tripp has abridged his bestselling daily devotional, New Morning Mercies, to guide children ages 8-12 with the word of God in 60 kid-friendly devotions filled with gospel encouragement. Arranged into 3 weekly readings for 20 weeks--with each week focusing on a biblical theme such as prayer, obedience, and God’s sovereignty--the devotions include a brief meditation, heart-focused questions, puzzles and activities, and much more! Created to be read alone by the child or with their family, New Morning Mercies for Kids introduces children to the living God and helps them live for his glory--day in and day out.
Adapted from New Morning Mercies (Over 1 Million Copies Sold): Along with abridged devotions, this edition features puzzles and activities for children aged 8-12
Written by Paul David Tripp: Author of the bestselling books Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family and Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens
Makes a Great Gift for Birthdays, Graduations, and More
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The #1 Argument for Expository Preaching
Ronni Kurtz on the For the Church Podcast:
The #1 argument for expository preaching is what the Lord does to your soul when you get that deep into a single book.
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Endnotes
Enter our giveaway! Thanks to Christian Focus Publications for providing in partnership with @diveindigdeep, SOLA Network, and FCBC Walnut.
The Pursuit of Holy Leisure by Cara Ray is one of the richest modern books on the Christian life I have ever read. It goes deep while casting a wide vision for how we encounter God in every area of life. This book will help you slow down, delight in his presence, and cultivate deeper fellowship with Christ. Read my full review.
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