Thursday, April 27, 2006

Together for the Gospel Conference

Beginning this Wed. I have had the privilege of attending the T4G Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. In fact, I'm writing this post from a coffee shop just outside of the conference. I will write in depth about what I've learned in the coming weeks; but let me say now that this is by far the best conference I have ever attended. Why? Because this is not another conference on methodology. I'm weary of how-to, copy-me conferences by the latest fad church. More often than not those conferences leave me discouraged and disappointed. Discouraged because so little of what they give is applicable in my church and disappointed because so much of it is built on such poor theology. This conference has been about one thing - the Gospel. Can you believer it? A entire conference whose aim is to promote good theology! What is even more encouraging are the people I have met here. There are very few gray heads at this conference! Young men in their 20's and early 30's make up the bulk of those attending. However, I am somewhat disappointed that I have met so few Southern Baptists.

My favorite speaker so far would have to be RC Sproul. However, my time is up. I have to get to the next session. In the coming weeks I'll give you an outline of some of the good stuff we have learned!

Monday, April 03, 2006

Biblical Incorporation

What is the purpose of expository preaching? Is it simply knowledge of Scripture? Certainly knowing facts and truths about the Word is good, and is one of the results of exposition, but it is not the goal of biblical preaching. Is the purpose of preaching church growth? We would hope that our congregations would grow as we expound the truth, but the goal of biblical preaching is not numerical. Well, surely the purpose of Biblical preaching is evangelism. Without a doubt, one of the results of preaching the Word is that the lost will be saved. However, evangelism is the not the ONLY purpose of Gospel preaching. So what is it?

The purpose of expository preaching is that God might be glorified through the incorporation of Biblical truth. Biblical expositon strives, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, to encourage the listener to not only hear the truth, but to believe the truth, act upon the truth and to incorporate the truth into every aspect of life. In this sense, expositon is a very invasive method of preaching. It touches every part of a person's life. Biblical exposition will produce evangelism, it will also produce Christians who are radically in love with Jesus. That, really is what it's all about, isn't it?