In the church I grew up in, the offering was received at the end of worship services. The congregation would walk around to bring their offering. Some members walked forward, placed their offering in the plate, and walked out. The minister would encourage members to remain until the end of the service. His reason was simple: “There’s a blessing in the benediction.”  As a young pastor, I issued the same exhortation and rationale. Then I became curious. What is the blessing in the benediction? I discovered the benediction is a blessing. That is what the word means. It is the pastor’s privilege and duty to announce the...

As a young pastor in my first church, a theological crisis erupted. Someone began distributing copies of Benny Hinn’s Good Morning, Holy Spirit. Charismatic phenomena, like speaking in tongues and being “slain in the Spirit,” broke out in this traditional Baptist church. These events divided the congregation and left members looking to their young pastor for answers – answers that I did not have.  Thumbing through a magazine, I saw an ad for a new book, Charismatic Chaos. This was my introduction to the John F. MacArthur Jr. I drove to Logos Bookstore in Westwood (CA) to get a copy, and quickly devoured...

Fueled by envy, hatred, and malice, King Saul named David Israel’s “public enemy number one.” David fled to Philistia, thinking Saul’s assassins would not follow him into enemy territory. David went to Gath, the hometown of Goliath, seeking asylum. The people immediately recognized David as the one who slew the giant. They even remembered the song the women sang about David’s exploits. It didn’t help that David came to town carrying Goliath’s sword. Terrified, David played crazy. He scribbled on the wall and drooled all over himself. Achish, King of Gath (whose dynastic name was “Abimelech”) rebuked his men for wasting his time with this madman. David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. That strange incident – recorded in 1 Samuel 21:1-15 – is...

Imagine you are a father teaching your son to be a man, or a monarch teaching your prince to be wise, or an old man teaching a young man to be godly. What would be the most important truth for you to teach? Proverbs 4:20-27 is a profound but practical answer to that question. King Solomon wrote this proverb. Verse 20 addresses it to his son. It is the third fatherly discourse in this chapter.  Verses 1-9 teach what not to do.  Verses 10-19 teach what to do.  Verses 20-27 teach how to do it.  The proverb teaches us that wisdom is not intellectual. It is not about what you know. Melvin Wade says, “Wisdom teaches knowledge how...

Larry King hosted the top-rated CNN Interview show, Larry King Live. For twenty-five years, King interviewed the movers and shakers of the day. On one occasion, King was asked if he could interview anyone in history, whom would it be? He answered, “Jesus Christ.” When asked what he would ask and why, King answered, “I would ask if he was really born of a virgin, because the answer to that question changes everything.” That’s a good answer. But it demands and deserves an asterisk.  The virgin birth is great.  The resurrection is greater.  Matthew and Luke record the miracle of Jesus’s birth. All four Gospels record the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection. Mark’s report is the most succinct. Chapter 15 spends forty-seven verses chronicling the day Jesus died. Chapter 16 tells...

The book of Ruth begins with Naomi facing closed doors. Famine struck Bethlehem. Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, relocated the family to the country of Moab. Elimelech died in Moab. Naomi’s two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, married Moabite women. Mahlon and Chilion died in Moab. They had no children. When the famine was over, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem. She pressed her two daughters-in-law to remain in Moab. One of them, Ruth, determined to stay with Naomi. When the two widows arrived in Bethlehem, the women of the city asked, “Is this Naomi?” In Ruth 1:20, Naomi answered, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” ...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you to preach faithfully, clearly, and better. I have recently concluded preaching through the Gospel of Mark. I started the study before the COVID-19 pandemic. It took me a few years to get back to it, preaching it in sections, as I preached other short series. The series consisted of eighty-seven sermons. I have around fifty commentaries on Mark's Gospel. I have read through each of them in my preparation for every message. That list of Mark-specific commentaries does not include study Bibles, multi-book commentaries, and other Bible study...

In his Ars Poetica, the Roman poet Horace advised writers, “Do not bring a god onto the stage, unless the problem is one that deserves a god to solve it.” Romans follows this advice perfectly. Paul begins this letter with a God-sized problem: sin.  Chapter 1 condemns Gentiles before God.  Chapter 2 condemns the Jews before God. Romans 3:10-12 indicts us all: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”  We are guilty, condemned, and helpless sinners. How can one get right with God? Various religions offer different answers. There is only one right answer. Romans 3:21-26 states it clearly, fully, and powerfully. Martin Luther called it: “The...

There are three main characters in the book of Ruth. Chapter 1 introduces two characters: Naomi and Ruth. Naomi was married to Elimelech. During a famine in Bethlehem, Elimelech, Naomi, and their two sons became refugees in the country of Moab. Elimelech died in Moab. Naomi’s sons, Mahlon and Chilion, married Moabite women. Without having children, both sons died, Naomi was left without her husband and two sons. When the famine passed, Naomi returned to Bethlehem. Her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, followed her. Naomi pressed them to remain in Moab to restart their lives. Orpah obeyed. Ruth clung to Naomi.  When Naomi arrived in Bethlehem, the women asked, “Is this Naomi?” In Ruth 1:20-21, Naomi...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you to preach faithfully, clearly, and better. For the last several episodes, H.B. has answered questions about sermon presentation and delivery. One more time, we will tackle some questions about how to preach faithfully, clearly, and better. We hope you find these questions and answers beneficial. You can contact us to get your questions answers in a future episode of the podcast. If your preaching doesn't eventually offend everyone, you're likely guilty of favoritism or cowardice. Don't pull punches to please people, it's not safe for them or good...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you to preach faithfully, clearly, and better. In this episode, H.B. continues to answer questions about preaching. Royland Kirkwood joins H.B. again in this episode to ask him questions. We hope you find the answers helpful. In the future, we will dig into the On Preaching mailbag to respond to questions. Send us your questions, and it may end up on a future episode. HBC2 RESOURCES:  On Preaching by H.B. Charles Jr.  On Pastoring by H.B. Charles Jr.  On Worship by H.B. Charles Jr.  It Happens After Prayer by H.B. Charles Jr.  The...

The story of Ruth begins with a time reference: “in the days when the judges ruled.” The Judges ruled during 400 years of moral chaos and corruption in Israel. Judges 21:25 explains: “In those days there was no King in Israel and every man did what was right in his own eyes.”  This was arguably the darkest period in Israel’s history. Yet against this dark backdrop, Ruth records a beautiful story of redemptive love.  Ruth is one of two books named after a woman – the other being the Old Testament book of Esther. Ruth is one of two books named after a Gentile – the other being the New Testament Gospel of Luke....