It's been a couple weeks since I've posted blog entry, but that's because I'm in the middle of some vacation time. Even though I'm standing in Montana's Madison River with my fly rod in hand, I'm still thinking about preaching! I'll start posting again towards the end of April. But in the meantime, here are a few thoughts. . . .
First, I'm planning a sermon series from Deuteronomy this fall on "Living the Good Life." That title comes from Deuteronomy 30:15, 19. I'm taking Christopher Wright's commentary along on vacation for those rare moments when I'm not casting to rainbow trout!
Second, I'm thinking about a series on the six perceptions which emerging generations have about the church. Check out Dan Kimball's book, THEY LIKE JESUS BUT NOT THE CHURCH, for the list. He summarizes it well on page 252. That page is a great outline for a potential sermon series.
Third, if you're going to preach on money any time soon, you have to get Craig Blomberg's book, NEITHER POVERTY NOR RICHES: A BIBLICAL THEOLOGY OF MATERIAL POSSESSIONS. It's in the 'New Studies in Biblical Theology' series edited by D. A. Carson. I'll be so bold to suggest that there's nothing even close to it in quality. Craig is so biblical and balanced. Quite frankly, I hear so much preaching about giving which takes personal practices and turns them into "hard and fast" rules for stewardship. This book is a breath of fresh air! Craig's final chapter -- "Summary, Conclusions, and Applications" is worth the price of the book.
I'll check in with you in a couple weeks.
Posted by Steve Mathewson at 9:30 PM on April 13, 2008
