Stewardship of time, talents, and treasure isn’t just about sustaining the material of the church. It’s about guiding those resources in service of the church’s primary mission: proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. In Stewardship: For the Care of Souls, Nathan Meador and Heath R. Curtis present a practical theology of stewardship focused on
Read moreA Fresh, Biblical Focus on Stewardship
In this excerpt from Stewardship: For the Care of Souls, Nathan Meador and Heath Curtis present a practical theology of stewardship rooted in our shared identity as image bearers established in Genesis. This is yet another book about stewardship; however, this is not just another book on stewardship. Most books on stewardship focus on money
Read moreFunerals: An Interview with Tim Perry
Fear of death affects us all, and so pastors have significant hurdles to overcome. What Christians need today is a renewed vision of the traditional Christian funeral liturgy. In Funerals: For the Care of Souls, Tim Perry recovers the rich theology inherent to the Christian funeral: communion with the saints in death, peace in forgiveness,
Read moreRecovering the Christian Way of Death
In this excerpt from Funerals: For the Care of Souls, Tim Perry examines the dysfunctional relationship we have with death and how we can recover a Christian imagination of death. “Remember that you will die.” It was a phrase a slave was said to have whispered into the ear of a victorious Roman general as
Read morePractical Wisdom for the Care of Souls
In his preface to the brand-new Lexham Ministry Guides, Harold L. Senkbeil describes the care-filled and practical wisdom that can be found in this series. What’s old is new again. The church in ages past has focused her mission through every changing era on one unchanging, Spirit-given task: the care of souls in Jesus’ name.
Read moreWhy Is It Important to Preach on Racial Justice?
In this excerpt from the foreword to Ministers of Reconciliation, Russell Moore explains why pastors should not shy away from addressing matters of racial justice and reconciliation from the pulpit. Several years ago, reading a Baylor University Press compilation of sermons and speeches from the Jim Crow era, I was struck by one from a
Read moreGiving Greater Honor to the “Minority” in Your Midst
In this excerpt from Ministers of Reconciliation, Raymond Chang argues that a biblical view of honor serves as a helpful framework for discussing issues of race and ethnic division and unity. As a second-generation Korean American, I straddle the line between the East and the West. In my upbringing, I was told to be “American”
Read moreThink About Sermon Writing as Sculpting
In this excerpt from Small Preaching, Jonathan T. Pennington compares the process of sermon writing to the art of sculpture. A few years back, my wife and I had the opportunity to drive around the beautiful North Island of New Zealand. In addition to exploring the stunning scenery, one of our most memorable adventures was
Read moreAddressing Racism in Light of the Image of God
In this excerpt from Ministers of Reconciliation, Matthew D. Kim discusses how pastors can address racism through a full understanding of the concept of the image of God. Race and ethnicity are taboo subjects in many pulpits across the United States. Knowing that some of their congregation will see it as “liberal” talk, a social
Read moreTheology for Preaching, Preaching for Theology
In this excerpt from Theology Is for Preaching, Chase R. Kuhn argues that the most biblical sound form of preaching is deliberately theological. There appears to be a growing hesitancy towards the discipline of systematic theology amongst some evangelical leaders. There is a concern that theological systems pollute a pure reading of the Bible, so
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