“Remember the poor” – by Simon Pettit

simon-preaching-blantyre

This is a sermon that changed a movement. Anybody who has been in the same family of churches as me for any length of time will probably have heard mention of this sermon by Simon Pettit. Until now it has not been available to watch online. This really was a transforming message, and as a direct result of this sermon countless ministries to help the poor were started by Newfrontiers churches. The impact of this talk is still being felt today many years later. If you are an Evangelical who is … [Read more...]

Free Martyn Lloyd-Jones sermon

The Martyn Lloyd-Jones Recordings Trust have made available another free sermon on their website. It is the one recording that they have of MLJ preaching from the Book of Judges – a sermon titled ‘A Right View of Life’. Click to listen to or download ‘A Right View of Life’ Also check out a previous guest post by Robin Lane from the D. M. Lloyd-Jones Recordings Trust. … [Read more...]

Ministers need to be filled with the Holy Spirit – Spurgeon

Spurgeon spent a whole sermon arguing for the desperate need of the preacher to be annointed of the Holy Spirit in order that souls may be saved. We would do well to listen and be inspired to cry out to God for greater fullness of the Spirit on our leaders: There is a necessity that the preacher himself, if we are to have souls saved, should be under the influence of the Spirit. I have constantly made it my prayer that I might be guided by the Spirit even in the smallest and least important … [Read more...]

Sermon Preparation by Terry Virgo

In this segment of Terry Virgo's video series he is asked, How long does it take him to take to prepare a sermon? His answer is illuminating and strangely encouraging given that he is such a well known and well respected preacher. It is worth watching the whole video: "The time it takes to prepare can so vary with the theme. Sometimes you can be living with the theme weeks before you preach it . . . Other times in the week run up to the preach I haven't got a clue what I am going to do. Im … [Read more...]

Terry Virgo’s favorite preachers

In this installment of Terry's video series, his son asks him which preachers have influenced him and that he listens to. His answers (with reasons) were as follows: His first Baptist pastor Lloyd-Jones "a man obviously of the word, but also a man of the Spirit." Mark Driscolll "I am fascinated by his mind. He has so much background information and he has a huge passion" Tim Keller "An extraordinary preacher, not a word is wasted." John Piper "I have enjoyed enormously listening to … [Read more...]

How a reformed charismatic views preaching

Terry Virgo was asked in the following video "How can a preacher improve?" I will share a few highlights from this video then embed the video itself. If you haven't been following this excellent series, I commend them to you. "One of the best ways to learn preaching is to listening to a good preacher" "In my praying before I preach, I am asking God "lord please let people feel that their Father in heaven is speaking to them" "You have got to be true to the Bible…you want to be … [Read more...]

Entrusted with the Gospel

Appropriately enough given what we were speaking about yesterday, this month an important new book was released by Crossway. Entrusted with the Gospel is based on expositions of 2 Timothy and has a broad range of contributors. Here is what I said about it, I encourage you to go buy a copy and read it! Here is what I said about it: “Piper, Ryken, Driscoll, Copeland, Chapell, and Duncan are very different people, but they are all proven champions of the unchanging gospel of Jesus. This book … [Read more...]

Terry Virgo on the authority of Scripture and the vital place of preaching

I am really enjoying this series of videos from Terry Virgo, I encourage you to subscribe to his blog if you haven't already. In this one, he begins to speak about his very high view of Scripture and preaching. It is prompted by the second of a series of values that have governed his work with churches over the past decades. These values are expressed in the form of the kind of church he is looking to build: ‘A church where regular teaching and preaching of the Bible holds a primary role and … [Read more...]

Faith and Feelings Part Seven – How the affections of a preacher must be stirred

Today we turn to Jonathan Edwards, that master of discussing Christian experince and his concept of the affections.  We would be wrong to assume that affections are simply the emotions as the following quote makes clear.  Although this idea does include emotions, it relates to the entire inclination of our heart and wills. When thinking about our affections, we have to ask "what draws our heart's attention?" Jonathan Edwards’s Treatise Concerning the Religious Affections (1746) has provided … [Read more...]

A Sentence can change your life

This post will explain why I am so keen to invite you to join us to hear John Piper live on 26th and/or 27th June, especially if you are already a leader or are thinking that God might be calling you to some leadership role in the church. The reason is very simple:  A single phrase anointed by the Holy Spirit might transform your life, and hence the life of the church you are in.  Tickets are disappearing fast, so book now!  The following is an excerpt from a John Piper sermon: I have often … [Read more...]