tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post7290866113843498770..comments2024-03-10T10:40:32.319-07:00Comments on Pyromaniacs: The need for balance in preachingPhil Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00649092052031518426noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-15233970877410987272011-08-03T19:02:21.604-07:002011-08-03T19:02:21.604-07:00Thanks for your post Dan. I appreciate it. I am ea...Thanks for your post Dan. I appreciate it. I am early on in my first official pastorate (I recently completed a year long interim but unfortunately with the temporariness of an interim pastorate was not able to spend much time with the one flock to cover as much of the Word as possible) and aim to approach balance in my preaching. In being here a month I am going through a few Psalms and then plan to preach through the book of Colossians. I am teaching through Exodus on Wednesday nights and intend to go through Genesis afterwards. Since my calling is to "preach the Word," then I must preach "all" the Word, including both Old and New testaments. Thank you for this much needed reminder. God bless!Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11098631636350342299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-41780347088400798492011-08-03T15:17:56.583-07:002011-08-03T15:17:56.583-07:00Not a preacher here, but this really hit home. It&...Not a preacher here, but this really hit home. It's the same reason I need a Bible reading plan - to give me the assignment to read portions of scripture I wouldn't otherwise gravitate towards. For personal reading, as well as for leading Bible studies and family devotions.<br /><br />The OT/NT books I have the most trouble with are Ecclesiastes and James. So of course earlier this year I axed my Bible study what books they would most like to study in-depth, and every guy named either Ecclesiastes of James. Great. If left solely to my preferences, those would probably be books #65 and 66, although I'd probably go through some of the others five or six times each before getting there. It would be so easy to duck the challenge, but I'd possibly not be serving them well, and would it really help me to teach the stuff I'm comfortable with yet again?trogdorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11452996348717802065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-54297925068987825072011-08-03T12:16:41.038-07:002011-08-03T12:16:41.038-07:00Yay, STP; good on you!
(c:Yay, STP; good on you!<br /><br />(c:DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-82095623748073265822011-08-03T12:14:22.452-07:002011-08-03T12:14:22.452-07:00What you have stated I believe is the command of s...What you have stated I believe is the command of scripture. As a pastor now for 7 years I've preached through 24 books of the bible, Old and New Testament. Longest was Genesis which took a year and a half. Shortes was Zephaniah which we covered in 1 night. Currently in 1 Thessalonians and Malachi. To me, and I stress me, it's the truest way to declare God's word. Give it out as God gave it to us: chapter by chapter and verse by verse. For me, it's the best way to keep me out of things and God at the centerSmalltownpreacherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04757400328758710614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-59664938745015033132011-08-02T23:15:04.935-07:002011-08-02T23:15:04.935-07:00Ok, yeah, you do say in your post, it is best to g...Ok, yeah, you do say in your post, it is best to go verse by verse and do it broadly. I know that's the way Mark Dever does it in his church and it works well there, because the congregation changes so much I guess because people have jobs that are linked to the political nature of the city and an average family doesn't stick around for a long time, not because they don't want to, but because of the nature of the city and jobs.<br /><br />So, anyway, I guess I'm glad that MLJ didn't take that route. Some might say the same for Charles Spurgeon and some others. I don't know.CRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912897040503058967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-10856517913086171982011-08-02T22:56:55.950-07:002011-08-02T22:56:55.950-07:00I want to see if I understand you, correctly. Thi...I want to see if I understand you, correctly. This preaching everything in the Bible, this balance you are explaining, do you mean a pastor should make it his goal to do verse by verse expository preaching through the whole Bible?<br /><br />If that's what you mean, I don't know that is a necessary for a preacher to do that and I'm glad some haven't. I mean, I think it's great that John MacArthur preached through the whole new testament. But I'm glad e.g., Martyn Lloyd Jones didn't do that or we would not have his gems of his Romans series, Ephesians series and Sermon on the Mount Series. I'm sure the same can be said of Charles Spurgeon. Would we have the gems he gave us.<br /><br />I don't think the Holy Spirit necessarily guides or wants all men to have the goal of preaching through the whole Bible (verse by verse). He, The Holy Spirit, may be guiding certain preachers to preach and focus on certain books for that congregation and future generations.<br /><br />Now, all Scripture is profitable for teaching. So, pastors should be preaching through the whole Bible in some way, shape or form, but I don't think it has to be the verse by verse.CRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912897040503058967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-50653695799679551362011-08-02T18:10:34.863-07:002011-08-02T18:10:34.863-07:00Balancing John and Zechariah currently. Also maki...Balancing John and Zechariah currently. Also making it my aim as I teach through John for the congregation to learn more OT than they knew before. That book is so deeply rooted in the OT (and my hearers are not so much) that the goal is very attainable.<br /><br />That said, Zechariah has been a real struggle for me. And I naturally shy away from the OT more - I am reminded by your post to stick at the task.100 Mile Pantshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04934805873293163004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-35886254059979354682011-08-02T15:09:54.938-07:002011-08-02T15:09:54.938-07:00Amen, and amen. One thing I've noted as I lea...Amen, and amen. One thing I've noted as I lead my family through the Scriptures (OT and NT) is that the Gospel shines through even in the most "unlikely" places. There will be a turn of phrase, and there, right there, is a beautiful preincarnate picture of the Savior.<br /><br />As a "dimmer bulb" myself, I have to wonder what many preachers who never get outside the New Testament are doing--there is so much other treasure to be mined!Bike Bubbahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08193546045614393425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-54665042728097223482011-08-02T11:12:07.559-07:002011-08-02T11:12:07.559-07:00Sounds good. Thanks.Sounds good. Thanks.Always Reforminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13018224190996387167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-67998430414871920652011-08-02T10:57:29.246-07:002011-08-02T10:57:29.246-07:00It's all-good, brother. We just don't do t...It's all-good, brother. We just don't do that, here; it's a gentleman's agreement that's served us (and the blog) well.<br /><br />Tell you what: I'll devote a post to it over on my own blog within the next few days, Lord willing. You can come, discuss, ask to your heart's content. Sound good?DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-9851671013152510472011-08-02T10:52:16.408-07:002011-08-02T10:52:16.408-07:00I apologize for my combatant tone. My youth provi...I apologize for my combatant tone. My youth provides me with less tact than I'd like. I'm currently studying the issue of eschatology and many discussions take my brain there. I'm trying to understand Dispensationalism better and respect your opinion/appreciate your interaction. It was my understanding that Dispensationalism represents the Bible as having no prophecy regarding 1) the coming of the Church, and 2) the Coming of Christ for the specific purpose of dying, instead, teaching that He came to bring the Kingdom but was rejected, instituting the Church in the mean time. Is this correct? Am I way in left field?Always Reforminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13018224190996387167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-27363764946203721982011-08-02T09:56:34.662-07:002011-08-02T09:56:34.662-07:00One of my pastor's best series was on Habakkuk...One of my pastor's best series was on Habakkuk, which I don't think I've heard anyone else take on. He does a great job of taking us through the prophets, the poetics, the gospels, and the epistles, preaching the whole counsel as he does so. But he's not doing the 3-5 year model with his eyes on another pastorate. <br /><br />Doug Wilson pointed out somewhere that man does not live by <i>each</i> word, but <i>every</i> word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.David Regierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09766862583586784668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-33470094542625677532011-08-02T09:22:00.549-07:002011-08-02T09:22:00.549-07:00Reading my entire post, from first word to last, h...Reading my entire post, from first word to last, how do you think I'd respond?DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-28702784192940641942011-08-02T09:19:37.611-07:002011-08-02T09:19:37.611-07:00So, if one spends his entire ministry -- say, 40 y...So, if one spends his entire ministry -- say, 40 years -- preaching from the New Testament, is he not balanced in his approach to Scripture?Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10934379903548711286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-72546233790416784482011-08-02T08:29:33.841-07:002011-08-02T08:29:33.841-07:00Most pressing question for many preachers. Wonder ...Most pressing question for many preachers. Wonder how John MacArthur would answer, considering his recent statement that he's about finished with a decades-long tour of the New Testament and might consider "the Christological passages" in the Old.Stuart Brogdenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05293983517209519257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-80668228004904530762011-08-02T08:20:23.753-07:002011-08-02T08:20:23.753-07:00If that's meant as bait, I'll pass it and ...If that's meant as bait, I'll pass it and simply respond that dispensationalism offers no reason <i>not</i> to preach all of the Bible, and every reason <i>to</i> preach all of the Bible.DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-45356173672961014082011-08-02T08:13:22.587-07:002011-08-02T08:13:22.587-07:00I absolutely, 100% agree. However, this conclusio...I absolutely, 100% agree. However, this conclusion seems hard to press in a Dispensationally minded Church. If we are a "New Testament" Church only, how does the Old Testmant apply to us?Always Reforminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13018224190996387167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-33332458693762225352011-08-02T07:34:29.032-07:002011-08-02T07:34:29.032-07:00My pastor is preaching/teaching through John's...My pastor is preaching/teaching through John's Gospel. And as his sermon was brought forth this past Sunday on the words of our Lord about how He must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent, we also had a sermon focused on Numbers 21.<br /><br />I can remember as a new believer back in 1984 learning about the whole Bible in many ways. But to have a church where the Pastor is balanced is essential.<br /><br />Thanks for the good words.donsandshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03665794015011057098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-47883030105074375322011-08-02T06:38:30.053-07:002011-08-02T06:38:30.053-07:00Thanks Dan! God continues to remind me of His good...Thanks Dan! God continues to remind me of His goodness, even in those pesky prophetic books. Perhaps I should share that learning with the folks who I have the priviledge of serving...Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05541485132759487135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-6023271291530332442011-08-02T06:27:53.479-07:002011-08-02T06:27:53.479-07:00Great post, Dan. May we who lead worship in our h...Great post, Dan. May we who lead worship in our homes (when we're not learning at church) also take up this exhortation and read through the OT and NT with our families.Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13987985549747283669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-38273493093707349222011-08-02T05:54:50.869-07:002011-08-02T05:54:50.869-07:00Pitch Perfect!Pitch Perfect!Gov98https://www.blogger.com/profile/08591233575630981982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-58063629410280408532011-08-02T05:47:50.547-07:002011-08-02T05:47:50.547-07:00Absolutely agree across the board. Well said.Absolutely agree across the board. Well said.James Scott Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07641370124346172648noreply@blogger.com