The Lloyd John Ogilvie Institute of Preaching
...in the Brehm Center for Worship, Theology, and the Arts at Fuller Theological Seminary was dedicated last night at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, and I was present. The service began at 7:30, and it ended at 10:10. It was very long. Everything in it was very good, there was just too much of it. The music was phenomenal - pipe organ and choir - and everything that was said was very well put. The cake was good, too. All the talk about the need for strong biblical preaching that is bold and passionate in our congregations got me to thinking. Specifically, it got me thinking about the possibility of Ph.D. work again - this time in homiletics (big academic word for preaching). I think preaching in a church for some years and then going for a Ph.D. (or Th.D.) so I can teach future preachers sounds like a pretty good idea, so I'll keep thinking about that.
How do you like this: according to Ogilvie (a very well-known preacher and former chaplain of the U.S. Senate), a preacher should spend one hour in the study for every minute spent in the pulpit. For me, that would usually be 20 hours, and I think it's reasonable, because I agree with Ogilvie that preaching is the central task of parish ministry.
I tell people that preaching is pretty much my favorite thing to do, and I really think it is. When I hear good preaching, I get a strong itch to do it myself. As I help plan worship services and look at various themes we're dealing with, etc. I begin to wish that I were the one writing the sermon for that day, because I see so many connections between different things and have so many thoughts about what the text is saying to God's people. I look forward to preaching after I graduate.
I think the words of 2 Timothy 4:1-3 provide a charge that our preachers need to hear today:
1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
How do you like this: according to Ogilvie (a very well-known preacher and former chaplain of the U.S. Senate), a preacher should spend one hour in the study for every minute spent in the pulpit. For me, that would usually be 20 hours, and I think it's reasonable, because I agree with Ogilvie that preaching is the central task of parish ministry.
I tell people that preaching is pretty much my favorite thing to do, and I really think it is. When I hear good preaching, I get a strong itch to do it myself. As I help plan worship services and look at various themes we're dealing with, etc. I begin to wish that I were the one writing the sermon for that day, because I see so many connections between different things and have so many thoughts about what the text is saying to God's people. I look forward to preaching after I graduate.
I think the words of 2 Timothy 4:1-3 provide a charge that our preachers need to hear today:
1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
posted by R. T. Bailey at 4:56 PM
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