Continuing our series of hot topics, this week we consider the question of other religions...
Category: podcast
Podcast: Christianity and Science
Episode 57: Andy and I speak about science and how the truths of 3, 2 and 1 give us the strongest possible foundation for scientific enquiry.
For more on the issue of science:
Are You Sitting Comfortably? Then Let's Do Science!
We All Have Our Creation Stories
Podcast: Hot Topics – Suffering
In evangelism it might be tempting to run from the suffering question. Actually suffering allows us to speak of the deepest gospel truths.
Yes, Christians have a problem with suffering. But that's a good thing. The real problem is when people don't have a problem with suffering. Unfortunately that's the trouble with every other approach to suffering - non-Christian answers do not let us engage with suffering as the evil that it is.
Naturally the world responds to suffering in one of two directions - either they explain it by Karma or by Chaos.
With Karma - no suffering, ultimately, is undeserved. At the end of the day suffering is not a problem, it's just unpleasant.
With Chaos - no suffering is objectively wrong. We just happen to live in a random universe and some will get hurt.
But Christ offers us a third way - not all suffering is deserved, but no suffering is random. With Christ we have a way of upholding the meaningfulness and the unnaturalness of suffering.
Tune in to hear how, and to learn how 321 can help address the suffering question...
Podcast: Church is full of hypocrites?
In our series of “hot topics” we’ve talked about Homosexuality, Hell, and now we look at Hypocrisy.
Have people said to you: “I don’t go to church because it’s full of hypocrites?”
How should we answer?
Going through 321 might help:
Podcast: How Can God’s Love and His Judgement Coexist?
In our series of "hot topics" we talk about God's judgement. In particular, how can a loving God send people to hell? We see how 321 helps answer the question:
THREE: Judgement is not original to God - love is.
TWO: In Adam, we're already in the pit - hell is this disconnected life.
ONE: Eternal life is a connection to Christ.
Armed with these truths we see how hell is not opposed to a God of love. Madly, we are opposed to a God of love - hence hell!
Podcast: Easter Edition
In this episode we talk about Easter. In particular we spotlight our latest spoken word video: "Bread of Heaven."
We also speak about Easter preaching.
In the podcast I mention 8 Easter sermons I've given in other settings.
Nothing a resurrection won't fix (Job) - Featured Sermon
And...
Easter songs and resources - especially for all-age services
Podcast: How to give an evangelistic talk
This week Andy and I talk about delivering an evangelistic talk.
We discuss my (tongue-in-cheek) 10 commandments for evangelistic preaching (below):
- Thou shalt worship Christ from the pulpit.
- Thou shalt communicate the newness of God’s revelation.
- Thy tone shalt be declarative and devotional.
- Thy method shalt be expositional and christocentric.
- Thou shalt not preach “the passage” thou shalt preach Christ from the passage.
- Thy fevered entreaty shall not be ‘DO’ so much as ‘LOOK’.
- Thou shalt not apologize for the word
- Thou shalt not be clever
- Thou shalt not go searching for illustrations.
- Thou shalt not go searching for jokes.
And how can you tell if you’ve done a good job? Ask yourself these questions:
Have I communicated JESUS - has He been the centre of it all?
Have I used or abused the passage?
Have I encouraged confidence in the flesh or faith in Christ?
Have I taken people on a journey from Adam to Christ?
Have I offered promises or simply stated truths? (In other words, Have I offered Christ?)
Podcast: How To Prepare An Evangelistic Talk
We've been thinking about the nature of preaching and the tone of it. Here we get more practical with ten steps to preparing a talk...
STEP ONE: Read, Read and Read again.
STEP TWO: Write an initial SUMMARY
STEP THREE: Make NOTES on each and every verse.
STEP FOUR: Consult the WISDOM of others.
STEP FIVE: Return to the SUMMARY
STEP SIX: SHAPE it for your audience
STEP SEVEN: Make an OUTLINE
STEP EIGHT: WRITE it
STEP NINE: Add COLOUR.
STEP TEN: Final FORM.
Podcast: Evangelistic Speaking
Podcast: Evangelistic Speaking
Giving an evangelistic talk is more than sharing a few thoughts about a Bible passage!
Evangelistic speaking is a spiritual event – God himself is speaking.
Does that mean preachers can say "Thus sayith the LORD" with impunity?
Listen in as we begin our new series about evangelistic speaking, based in 2 Corinthians.