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August 2007
volume 3, issue 1
I can't believe Summer is already beginning to fade away. I am so thankful that I live and work for Someone who is not constrained by time. We don't need to ask, "Where did time go?" We only need to center ourselves on the here and now. That being said, I am going to start right now and see if the time we live in will slow down just a little.
Grace & Peace - Bridget Erickson, Assistant Director
Dr. Ole Hallesby, God's Word for Today, 1945
"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." -Matthew 6:20
When Christ warns us against laying up for ourselves treasures on earth, it is not a warning against saving.
On the contrary, He admonishes us in His Word to practice godliness with contentment. A child of God dare never be wasteful, extravagant, or careless in the use of his worldly goods. By the miracle of the loaves in the wilderness Jesus provided food in an easy manner. Nevertheless He bade His disciples gather up all that remained over.
It is therefore not saving and laying aside for a rainy day against which Jesus warns us. Rather, He has in mind, here as elsewhere, our attitude of heart. What He is opposed to is the desire to lay up treasures for the sake of possessing them, for the sake of becoming rich, or in order merely to enjoy them.
Jesus makes very clear here and in other places in the Scriptures how a person with the right attitude should make use of that which he has saved and which he possesses. We are to use our earthly treasures to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, He says.
He admonishes us directly to make use of our earthly means to win unto ourselves friends who will receive us in the eternal mansions.
Think of this when you meet a suffering and needy person. It will help you to make your sacrifice gladly.
According to my understanding of the words of Jesus, it is ordained of God that whatever you give in love of your time, strength, food, clothing, or money is noted in heaven. Even such a lowly deed as the giving of a cup of cold water, Jesus says.
However, Jesus cuts off very quickly any one who would speculate in these things. He who gives from selfish motives has already received his reward, He says. He has received his returns in cash. Nothing therefore is credited to his account in heaven.
Dr. Tim Laniak will be hosting a two-week trip to Israel focusing on leadership topics. If you are an alumni/alumnae of the program or if you have completed all work except your thesis-project, then this may be a perfect opportunity for you. Please look at this letter for details.
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
If you have an illustration or quote you would like to share as noteworthy,
please submit to berickso@gcts.edu and
in the subject line, write illustrations.
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Arthurs states, "I believe that a sermon's content should explain and apply the Word of God as it is found in a biblical text, and a sermon's form should unleash the impact of that text." (p.13)
Arthurs is not arguing that the form of a text dictates the form of a sermon, even if that were possible. Rather he argues that genre sensitive preaching seeks to replicate the impact of the text. He affirms the great freedom in form available to preachers, and encourages that freedom by presenting the great variety found within the six major Biblical genres.
The first two chapters argue in favor of variety in preaching, firstly because God the master communicator uses such great variety in all His communication - not least in the diverse forms of literature used in His Word, and secondly because our listeners value variety.
The rest of the book deals with six Biblical literary forms: Psalms, Narrative, Parables, Proverbs, Epistles and Apocalyptic. In each case Arthurs presents an introduction to the genre, a helpful explanation of the rhetorical devices used to create their impact and numerous helpful suggestions on how to preach the different types of text. The result of these suggestions, if heeded, will be real variety in Biblical preaching.
Arthurs is as much concerned with rightly handling the Biblical forms as he is with prompting variety in preaching. He is urging effective understanding of the rhetorical function of Biblical genre, so that one's preaching might also fizz with Biblical variety. This is not the definitive book on creative preaching, for there are others that suggest many exciting and bizarre possibilities. However this may well become a model book on interpreting Biblical genre (and in that divinely designed diversity is the shove we all need to vary our preaching!).
So I hope this book gets the recognition it deserves. Thomas Long's brief paperback on literary forms has been rightly praised as a helpful introduction to the subject of genre studies with some help for the preacher. Arthurs' work may well replace Long's, for it is a more complete introduction to more Biblical genres from a more definitive evangelical stance, with much more in the way of practical suggestion for the preacher.
This book will help you say what the text says, and do what the text does!
-Peter Mead, The Preacher & The Message
The Student Financial Services office is pleased to announce that students may now pay their tuition accounts online with MasterCard or Visa! Gordon-Conwell also accepts American Express and Discover cards, but you must call the Student Accounts office or visit the Cashier in order to pay using these types of cards – they are not accepted online.
Take a moment to review the schedule of other upcoming cohorts. Let us know if you would like us to send information to anyone you know.
Also, take a moment to see where we will be over
the next few months. Maybe you can join us!
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To access a list of online databases, first log in to your “mydot” account (http://my.gordonconwell.edu). Then click the “Remote Access” link in the lower left “Student Services” box. Simply choose the database you are interested in using, click the link at the top of the page, and you will be directed to a description of that database, along with all of the information necessary to remotely access the database.
A list of new items added to Goddard Library is available at http://www.gordonconwell.edu/library/hamilton/newtitles.
/library/onlinedata.php
www.ministrylist.com
PulpitTalk
www.thinkingthefaith.org
www.ChurchHeart.org Newly updated web page on church health. Reviews of current books to help pastors minister more effectively. Devotionals are added monthly.
www.biblicalpreaching.wordpress.com This is a simple concept - a blog for discussing anything related to
preaching. It is designed to generate discussion of how to preach specific
Biblical passages, aspects of delivery, preaching theory and also book
reviews. The goal is to stimulate better Biblical preaching.
You could know links to websites that have proven to be a useful resource for ministry; subjects for research; good topics for thesis-projects. If you have anything that you would like to add to this section, please submit it to berickso@gcts.edu and in the subject line, write links.
Karen Ristuccia, Ministry to Postmodern Generations 2006, is the principal of a Classical Christian school. It has been a wonderful and challenging year. On the difficult side, her husband Matt had a strange thing happen (in late April)--somehow his optic nerve in his left eye lost oxygen while he slept (all the tests for possible sources have come up negative), and consequently he has lost 2/3 of the vision in his left eye. If you ever read World Magazine, the 6/9 article discusses his struggle with adjusting to a new normal. Clickhere for a synopsis.
David Stinson, Ministry to Postmodern Generations 2006, has been selected by the US Navy for promotion to flag rank effective 1 October 2007. As Rear Admiral, he will become Deputy Chief of Chaplains for Reserve Matters in Washington DC. He was commissioned a chaplain by the Navy in 1979. During the three years of this appointment he will concurrently serve as minister of the Glen Ridge Congregational Church (United Church of Christ), New Jersey, a position he has held since 1992.
Jeff Iskra, Ministry to Postmodern Generations 2003, began a new church - New Journey Fellowship.
March 2005
August 2005
October 2005
February 2006
June 2006
September 2006
January 2007
If you have any information you would like to contribute to future editions,
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