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Why Johnny Can’t Preach

April 14, 2009 in Book Review, Preaching with 2 Comments

On and between flights today, I read T. David Gordon’s little book, Why Johnny Can’t Preach (P&R Publishers). And it was wonderfully disturbing. Playing off the titles of several classics, Why Johnny Can’t Read and Why Johnny Can’t Write, Gordon argues that media (in the general sense) has shaped the pulpit. Consequently, Gordon argues, many pulpits in America are filled by men who cannot preach. That is, many pastors do not know how to read texts carefully or how to communicate clearly or distinguish between the significant and the insignificant. And the pew is malnourished because of it.

I was challenged by this book. I did not agree with everything I read. Neither will you. But there is so much here that just cannot be denied and needs to be addressed by those of us who have the grave task of heralding the fitness and competence of Jesus Christ  as Savior and Lord.

Personally, reading this book has challenged me all the more to take my preaching seriously and strive to be a faithful, Christ-centered, expository preacher.

Gordon ends with good news: Johnny can learn to preach! He must simply work harder at reading the text and writing himself clear and focusing on eternal matters of creation, the Fall, and redemption. And, of course, the Lord must give Johnny utterance, and boldness to speak, so that he can say what he ought to say and make known the mystery of the gospel.

Following are a few quotes I highlighted as I was reading:

If the hearer’s duty in listening to a sermon is to be willing to submit one’s will to God’s will, then one can only do this if the preacher does his duty of demonstrating that what he is saying is God’s will. (p. 18)

Bad preaching is insufferably long, even if the chronological length is brief. (p. 30)

I realized then that sermon length is not measured in minutes; it is measured in minutes-beyond-interest, in the amount of time the minister continues to preach after he has lost the interest of his hearers (assuming he ever kindled it in the first place). (p. 31)

Anyone who reads normally assumes that you need to read a minimum of three to five books just to get a general introduction to a subject. (p. 54)

I would love to challenge the how-to preacher to preach a sermon on “How the Leopard Can Change His Spots,” since, biblically, this is as easily done as a sinner’s changing his ways. (p. 82)

The particular blindness of the culture warrior is that he permits himself to think God is pleased by coerced behavior; by requiring people to say “one nation, under God” even if they do not yet believe in God (which strikes me as an instance of taking the Lord’s name in vain). (p. 87)

If theocracy didn’t work in Israel, where God divinely instituted it, why do people insist on believing it will work in places where God manifestly has not instituted it. (p. 88)

Preaching well requires more than preparing sermons; it requires preparing oneself as the kind of human who has the sensibilities prerequisite to preaching. An individual without time to read broadly and intensely, without time to reflect on life, without time to compose (even if merely in a person journal), is not likely to be an individual who cam preach. (p. 107)

On Being A Servant God

January 14, 2009 in Book of the Month, Book Review, Ministry, Wiersbe with 2 Comments

As we begin this new year, I will begin recommending a Book of the Month for our congregation to read, which we will also make available to our members in our church’s resource center. I was considering which book to start with, and in a conversation with our deacon chairman, he mentioned a book that the deacons read in training: On Being A Servant of God by Warren W. Wiersbe. And as soon as he mentioned it, I had my book for January.

This book is also a good work for us to read this month as we are gearing up for Ministry Emphasis Sunday on January 25, in which we will challenge our membership to get involved in the body-life of our church. My prayer for SMBC is that participating membership will be the standard. And as we follow the example of the Lord Jesus, I long for a “foot-washing” culture to permeate the fellowship of Shiloh. May the Lord use this little book to bring that to pass.

I am a huge fan of the writings of Warren Wiersbe. His ability to simplify and synthesize a passage of scripture has aided my studies over the years in unspeakable ways. And only God knows how many “Wierbe-isms” I have quoted in my preaching and teaching over the years. I thank God for the gift Wierbe’s writings have been to me and to the church at-large. You virtually can’t go wrong when you decide to pick up a Wiersbe book or commentary. But this little gem may be one of his best works.

On Being a Servant of God is a goldmine of spiritual wisdom. Each chapter is a brief devotional – only a page or two – on a particular subject of Christian ministry and service. And at the heart of it all is Wiersbe’s definition of ministry. It may be the best statement about what ministry/servant that I have read outside of the scriptures themselves. Here it is: “Ministry takes place when divine resources meet human needs through loving channels for the glory of God.” (p. 3)

I highly recommend On Being a Servant of God to you. And even though it is a quick read, I encourage you to read it slowly. Give yourself the opportunity to be challenged to be a more faithful servant of God. Then share this great little book with someone else. Better yet, buy a copy for someone. You’ll want to hold on to yours for future reference, as you continue to grow as a follower of Jesus Christ and servant of God.

When Grace Transforms

June 27, 2008 in Book Review with 0 Comments

Matthew 5:3-12 records the “Beatitudes” of Jesus Christ, which introduce the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). These eight declarations pronounce divine blessings on those who possess the characteristics of citizens of the kingdom of God. Specifically, Jesus blesses the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. These eight brief but potent statements describe what it means to right with God. They teach what it means to be righteous, rather than merely being religious. In a real sense, a clear understanding of the beatitudes is a life-transforming introduction to the practical implications of Christian salvation, growth, and service. In the preface to When Grace Transforms, Terry L. Johnson comments:

In the Sermon on the Mount in general and the Beatitudes in particular we are treated to Jesus’ most complete description of his disciples. Jesus works from the inside out, zeroing in on the heart and describing the behavior that flows from it. What emerges is an individual, and then a community that is radically different. (p. 8)

Without a doubt, one of the most profitable things we can to examine ourselves and to care for our souls is to regular meditate on and study the beatitudes of Jesus. Indeed, there are many helpful resources available you can use as a guide to lead you through the high and rugged terrain of Matthew 3:1-12. But I would like to recommend that you add Johnson’s When Grace Transforms to your collection of resources.

Terry L. Johnson is the senior pastor of the Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia. And along with his ministry of the word to his own congregation, Johnson has put pen to paper to the benefit of the larger church of Christ. In fact, When Grace Transforms is a part of a trilogy, of sorts, on the dynamic work of God’s sovereign grace. Johnson has also written When Grace Comes Alive (on living through the Lord’s Prayer) and When Grace Comes Home (on how the doctrines of grace change your life). I warmly recommend all three of these works. But When Grace Transforms would be a great place to start reading Johnson.

Published in 2002, Transforms is a newer study of the beatitudes. And in some instances, that would be a bad thing. I have found that when it comes to finding helpful materials on the Sermon on the Mount, the older the better. But Johnson provides a sound, fresh, and compelling treatment of the beatitudes. Though Johnson has obviously studied the classic, he his not merely parroting what has already been said. In Transforms, Johnson combines the skill of a theologian, the precision of an expositor, and the heart of a pastor, to explain what the beatitudes do and do not mean in simple, challenging, and practical terms. I encourage you to change your life by prayerfully reading When Grace Transforms. And I dare you to change your world by sharing this rich, little book with someone else.

The Pastor’s Public Ministry

February 8, 2008 in Book Review, Pastoral Work with 0 Comments


I have just finished one of the most helpful and challenging little books on pastoral ministry that I have ever read (For the record, it always seems that whatever I just finished reading is the most important book I’ve ever read.): The Pastor’s Public Ministry by Terry L. Johnson (published by Reformed Academic Press). Terry Johnson pastors the Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah, Georgia. I first heard of Johnson when I was given a free book he had written at a conference I attended several years ago (Footnote: For a bibliophile like me, there are few things in the world that are more wonderful than receiving free books!). Afterward, I picked up several other works Johnson had written.

Johnson has written a series of books that I really appreciate: When Grace Comes Home (which explains the practical implications of Calvinism for Christian living), When Grace Transforms (on the Beatitudes), and When Grace Comes Alive (on the Lord’s Prayer). And when I found an article on public prayer Johnson had co-written on public prayer in the February 2008 9marks newsletter (click here for article), I began digging for more material by Johnson. This is how I got my hands of The Pastor’s Public Ministry.

The Pastor’s Public Ministry is the publication of a series of lectures Mr. Johnson delivered, which were later published as magazine articles. In this short book (only 82 pages), Johnson carefully and passionately exhorts pastors to make a renewed commitment to three basic, fundamental pastoral responsibilities: (1) leading corporate worship, (2) leading prayer in worship, and (3) biblical preaching. I have read quite of few books on pastoral ministry over the years. (In fact, I have already read four books on pastoral ministry from cover to cover so far this year.) But so many books that are written by pastors for pastors really have nothing to do with what it really means to be a pastor. I think this one of the reasons why I found Johnson’s Public Ministry to be so refreshing – even revolutionary. So many – too many – so-called experts promote various, competing programs, techniques, and gimmicks for pastors to use in church growth. Of course, “church growth” is usually measured in purely numerical terms of bodies in the seats or dollars in the plate, rather than developing fully-devoted followers of Jesus Christ (Matt 28:18-20).

With all the books, conferences, and websites promoting different theories of pastoral work, it’s easy for pastors to become confused about what a pastor is to be and do. For the reason, Public Ministry is a much needed call for pastors to be actually be pastors – not CEOs, administrators, motivational speakers, or any other worldly offices imposed upon unsuspecting churches. The title of John Piper’s book for pastors says it well: Brothers, we are not professionals! We are pastors. And our public ministries should be concerned about ensuring that the worship assemblies of our congregations focus on the ministry of the word. And not just at preaching time, but also in the music that is sung and the prayers that are offered.

Johnson not only calls pastors to renewed diligence in overseeing the music, prayers, and preaching of our worship services, but he makes a sound and compelling argument – from both scripture and church history – that these are the proper priorities for the pastor’s public ministry. And he fills each section with practical advice for starting where you are and taking small but definite steps to watch out for your congregation’s souls in and through corporate worship. I warmly commend this volume to every pastor and every congregational leader and member who truly desires their church to be a biblically functioning community of believers.

Good News for Life’s Dead Ends

September 6, 2007 in Book Review with 3 Comments

Here is the book review I wrote in our church newsletter for our August book of the month.


I have some books that have shaped my life in powerful and significant ways. I also have some authors who have shaped my life – with practically every book they write or have written. Ron Mehl is one of those authors. In fact, I consider Mehl a good friend who I have only met through his writings. I was introduced to Ron Mehl some years ago through his book, “God Works the Night Shift.” Honestly, I bought the book just for its provocative title. But in reading it, I made a friend for life. I immediately found, bought, and read Mehl’s “Surprise Endings.” Then I eagerly waited for Mehl’s next work to be released. Finally, “Meeting God at a Dead End” was published, and I quickly devoured it. And I was not disappointed – except for the fact that I had to wait again for Mehl to write another work.

The late Ron Mehl was the pastor of the Beaverton Foursquare Church in Colorado until his death in 2003. And his writings were the overflow of his ministry to his beloved, Beaverton congregation, which he and his wife founded in 1973. This is one of the reasons why I appreciate Mehl’s writings so much. He wrote with a pastor’s heart – God-centered, scripture-based, and faith-building. And his writing style was clear, practical, and engaging. But I think I was most touched by the fact that Mehl’s writings were “real-world” (for lack of a better term). His writings really helped me to forge a real-world’s faith. This was because Mehl did not just write and preach about pain – he lived through it. In 1981, Mehl was diagnosed with incurable lymphocytic leukemia, which required him to undergo extensive chemotherapy. And in 1996, he suffered a heart attack that limited his activities. Yet, through it all, Mehl continued to display stubborn faith and to pursue his ministerial calling – which included his writing.

“Meeting God at a Dead End” is one of my favorite books. Filled with godly wisdom, scriptural insights, and practical illustrations, “Dead End” is an enjoyable, encouraging, and edifying read. Mehl makes it clear that every one of us will face dead ends. We will all find ourselves at points where life closes in on us as we deal with painful setbacks, crushing disappointments, family problems, health concerns, financial difficulties – or whatever it may be that causes you to think and feel that you cannot go any further. But the good news is that when you find yourself at a dead end in life, God always has a way of showing up to meet you there to manifest his character, strength, and purpose for you in fresh and new ways. That’s the point “Dead End” makes over twelve wonderfully compelling chapters. In the opening chapter, Mehl writes: “It’s about coming smack up against a brick wall and seeing no gates whatsoever – or even any loose bricks. It’s about coming to the end of our wisdom, the end of our strength, the end of our ideas, the end of our options, the end of our coping skills, and the end of our cherished dreams. It’s about standing in that dark, hopeless place and discovering – beyond all logic, against all hope – that God is very much alive and can fill our little cup to overflowing” (p. 21). Amen.

I am excited to commend my friend, Ron Mehl (whom I have never met!), and his great work Meeting God at a Dead End, as our August Book of the Month. Read it and be blessed. Share it and be a blessing.

Facing Your Giants

August 1, 2007 in Book Review with 0 Comments

Young David was just minding his business. Doing his duty. Obeying his father’s orders to take food to his brothers who were soldiers and to find out how the battle with the Philistines was going. But David got more than information. He got involved. With great jealousy for God’s reputation, David faced Goliath when none of Israel’s army dared to accept the giant Philistine’s challenge. Not his big brothers. Not the best of Israel’s fighting men. Not King Saul himself. How could a little boy like that ever hope to defeat a giant like that? Simple. Or is it? You decide: David was able to defeat the giant Goliath because he focused on God while every one else focused on the giant.

This simple, difficult point is the message of Max Lucado’s, Facing Your Giants, in which Lucado crystallizes the message of David’s life with this powerful thought: “Some note the absence of miracles in his story. No Red Sea openings, chariots flaming, or dead Lazaruses walking. No miracles. But there is one. David is one. A rough-edged walking wonder of God who neon-lights this truth: Focus on giants – you stumble. Focus on God – your giants tumble.” (Page 9)

Lucado, who has served as the Senior Pastor of the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio for more than two decades, is also a prolific writer who has earned a reputation for penning Christian devotional books that are clear, practical, and encouraging. And beyond being helpful in pointing readers to God; Lucado’s writing makes for good reading. Period. His creative way of teaching scripture with compelling storytelling, stirring word pictures, and memorable illustrations usually makes it hard to put a Max Lucado book down. And he does not fail to produce his trademark encouraging and enjoyable work in this study of the life of David.

Lucado begins with David’s epic battle with Goliath, in which the young man defeated the seasoned warrior by focusing his confidence on the God who is greater than all. And Lucado challenges the reader to believe that our giants – sin, fear, debt, grief, loss, or whatever it may be – can also be defeated when we focus on how big our God is, rather than how big the giant is. Then Lucado masterfully applies this principle to the ongoing saga of David. Goliath was not the last giant David had to fight. There were other giants – both literal and spiritual – that confronted David as he ascended to the throne, established the nation of Israel, and serve God’s purposes in his generation. And the standard stands in each situation. When David focused on God, there was great victory. When David did not focus on God, there was miserable defeat. And you will find that this is inevitably true in your life, as well. If you will keep the eyes of your faith focused on our God who has never lost a battle, no giant will be able to stand against you. I warmly commend Facing Your Giants as our July Book of the Month. Read it. Heed its call to focus on God. And watch the giants begin to tumble in your life to the glory of God!

The Expository Genius of John Calvin

June 22, 2007 in Book Review with 0 Comments

I am a big fan of the writing and preaching of Dr. Steven J. Lawson – the senior pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama. I was introduced to Lawson’s work more than ten years ago, when I read a book of expositions he published on the book of Job. Since then, I have followed his writing ministry closely, purchasing and reading nearly every work he has produced. And I have always been challenged and edified by Lawson’s writings – both in my personal walk with Christ and my public ministry for Christ. I have equally benefited from his preaching. Lawson regularly places full audio recordings of his messages on his website for free. And whatever I am studying, I check to see if he has posted a message on that text. And, yes, his example is one of the motivating factors behind our uploading my weekly messages for free on our church’s website.

When I recently discovered that Lawson had published a new book on preaching, I was excited and eager to pick it up. And I was all the more intrigued when I learned the subject matter of the book, “The Expository Genius of John Calvin.” John Calvin is most noted for his role in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, his magnum opus, The Institutes of Christian Religions, and the doctrines of grace that are named after him. But what many do not know is that, most fundamentally and essentially, Calvin was a preacher and a pastor. Lawson’s Expository Genius introduces the reader to this important, but neglected, aspect of Calvin’s life and ministry in a clear and compelling way. From Calvin’s personal convictions about scripture, to his view of proper interpretation, to the nuts-and-bolts of his sermon delivery, Lawson indeed introduces us to the preaching genius of John Calvin.

The word “introduction” best describes this book. It is a short work, consisting of only 142 pages. And after a brief overview of Calvin’s life and ministry, the book consists of 32 “distinctives” of Calvin’s preaching. Though clearly explained and amply documented, these distinctives are not addressed in great detail. Lawson describes aspects of Calvin’s preaching that directly contradict his own. But Lawson doesn’t even pause to note the differences. This book is not meant for deep analysis. It is meant to point to Calvin as a faithful preacher and pastor, and to lift up the elements that made Calvin’s ministry so powerful – with the hopes that a new reformation will take place today as men give themselves to the pastoral task of expository preaching with greater zeal and diligence.

I do not have the words to encourage you to read this book as strongly as I desire. Any preacher – novice beginner or seasoned veteran – will be both encouraged and challenged in reading it. I would even commend it for those who are not preachers – as it will help you to better understand that prayer and the ministry of the word are your pastor’s greatest responsibilities. And it will lead to more pointed prayer on the behalf of our pastors. Enough with pastor-teachers who would rather be executives, entertainers, “life-coaches,” or whatever tasks and trends distract the man of God from the priority of biblical preaching. Our charge has not changed: Preach the word! (2 Timothy 4:2). Your calling requires it. God commands it. Our people need it. Preach the word!

Confessions of a Pastor

May 2, 2007 in Book Review with 2 Comments

Our Book of the Month for May is Confessions of a Pastor, by Greg Groeschel. Groeschel pastors the Life Church, a multi-campus congregation in Oklahoma. I really didn’t know much about Groeschel when I purchased the book. I had seen an advertisement for Confessions in a Christian magazine. And it piqued my interest. While in a bookstore in Chicago last year, I saw it and bought it. The chapter titles were quite provocative, such as “I Can’t Stand a Lot of Christians,” “I Have to Work Hard to Stay Sexually Pure,” and “I Hate Prayer Meetings,” etc. I was really curious about how Groeschel would address these subjects. Would this be a reality-TV type treatment of a pastor’s personal life? Was he serious? What was this book really about? I couldn’t wait to read it. And I wasn’t disappointed.

Once you get past the provocative way in which the book is presented, Confessions is a sound, clear, and helpful guide for those who want to have a more authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. Groeschel does make confessions about each of the things he mentions in the various chapter titles. And he is rather candid about his spiritual struggles, which was both shocking and refreshing. But, as you dig into each chapter, you soon discover that Groeschel is not just talking about himself. He’s talking about you, as well. You begin to see yourself in the discussion. And then Groeschel turns to scripture to address what the Word of God has to say about the subject. And his handling of the texts he uses is both faithful and helpful, providing both a better understanding of scripture and practical guidance for drawing closer to God.

I heartily commend this book to you. It will, as its subtitle says, help you to drop your pose and get real with God. And yourself. It’s about 200 pages long. But it’s very readable. Groeschel’s writing is clear, thought-provoking, and even entertaining. I read a lot of theology, exegetical works, and commentaries that are written with a lot of technical language. So I like to read books like this that are, well, readable – deep thoughts packaged in fresh language. I trust that this book will be a good read and a spiritual benefit to you. Likewise, my fellow preachers and teachers will find some good illustrative material in it. Let me know.