When I began to explore my calling as a pastor, I latched onto the images of the Old Testament prophets. Who could have been a better role model for a young pastor than Elijah calling down fire from heaven or Elisha calling bears to attack the boys who taunted him? Red-faced, fist-swinging, veins bulging, Holy Ghost preaching was what the …
Preaching Hope to the City
Hope is found in the very circumstances that cause despair. Paul wrote about hope with these words in Romans 8:24 is this: “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?” Paul’s exposition is that in hope we are saved. The Christian pulpit has long noted that men are not …
Will You Be a Shamgar?
Judges 3:31; 5:6 In the spring of 1979, I was a sales representative for the 3M Corporation. I graduated in 1976 from Stephen F. Austin State University with a bachelors in business administration. I went to work for 3M as a result of my choice. When I graduated from college my car was a wreck. You see, 3M provided me …
Preaching Hope in an Age of Fear
Michael Quicke challenges us to be preachers who confront false hope by opening up to the wonder of Christian hope and the practice of it every day.