In many evangelical churches, the primary commitment is to expository preaching. And rightly so, because such preaching teaches God’s word in its original setting and within the context of the Bible’s own plot-line. However, I would like to argue that there is a place for preaching which gives more than usual attention to what the Bible as a whole teaches; that is to say, to doctrine.
(a) It might be argued that doctrine is unbiblical. …
It might seem strange to describe the doctrine of the love of God as ‘difficult’. But it is, and D.A. Carson explains why.
1. Because if people today believe in God at all, then they are almost certain to believe that he is a God of love, and yet the very concept of love is likely to be shaped by the surrounding culture rather than by Scripture. For example, in Jodie Foster’s Contact the unexplained intelligence is ‘suffused with love, wisely provident, gently awesome’.…
Systematic theology seems in eclipse at the moment. It is suspected not only of being detached and impractical, but also of using biblical texts in hopelessly non-historical and non-contextual ways. It’s time, I think, to re-assert the value systematic theology for the preacher. Here’s a summary of what Donald McLeod has to say on the subject:-
“Theology without proclamation is empty, proclamation without theology is blind.” (Gerhard Ebeling) “I don’t care anything for a theology that doesn’t help a man to preach.”…
The word ‘fundamentalism’ has gone through several metamorphoses in the course of its 100-year history. Originally, it attached itself to the sentiments of a set of articles entitled, The Fundamentals: a Testimony to the Truth, which sought to affirm, in the light of ‘attacks’ from liberals and modernists, what were regarded as essential doctrines of the Christian faith. Latterly, of course, the word has often been used to refer to militant extremists of any religious background. …
I’ve been reading (well, listening to, actually, on my MP3 player) Brian McLaren’s book, A Generous Orthodoxy. McLaren is a leader in the Emerging Church movement and is an engaging writer and speaker. I found D.A. Carson’s review of McLaren’s writings in Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church, 158-182, to be fair and perceptive. Carson evidently thinks that McLaren, in his generosity, is giving too much away. I’m inclined to agree with him. Anyway, here’s a summary of Carson’s comments.…
We have been witnessing a number of important trends within evangelicalism. I’ve been trying to sort out in what I fondly call my mind what some of these trends might be, and how they might be connected to each other. The following basic analysis emerged.
1. New ways of doing church. This trend reacts against traditional passive/conformist approaches, and prefers authenticity to slick professionalism. Interested in developing ‘fresh expressions’ of church. It emphasises development of communities of faith, not just individual salvation.…
