Some Christians are fanatical about biblical prophecy. They have an unhealthy fixation with the future, end-times, and Second Coming. It is easy to mock the caricature of the person who goes overboard about prophecy. But those who fit that category are few and far between. There are many more Christians who ignore the subject altogether. They have their heads in the sand, unable or unwilling to look up. The neglect of biblical prophecy is as bad as the abuse of it, maybe worse.  The Old Testament is filled with prophecies of the coming of Christ. Did you know it is also filled with prophecies of his second coming? There are 1,845 predictions of the second coming in the Old Testament. There are 318 references to the second coming in the 260 chapters of...

After Jesus departed the temple in Jerusalem for the last time, a disciple pointed out the remarkable temple complex. Jesus responded by predicting the destruction of the temple. When Jesus stopped on the Mount of Olives, the “inner circle” asked follow-up questions in Mark 13:4: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” The disciples asked two different questions:  A Time Question: “When will these things be?” A Sign Question: “What will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” Verses 5-37 records the Lord’s answer. It is called “The Olivet Discourse.” This is the fullest answerJesus gave to...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better. In this episode, I interview Mike Gendron, president and featured speaker of Proclaiming the Gospel. Gendron is also the author of "Preparing for Eternity" and "Contending for the Gospel." I first heard Mike many years ago in a seminar chapel. His presentation of the gospel and confrontation of the errors of the Roman Catholic Church were faithful, clear, and compelling. I would later have the joy of meeting him, and inviting him to speak at the Shiloh Church in Jacksonville. He was scheduled...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you to preach faithfully, clearly, and better. Planning your preaching is wise time-management. It enables you to spend the time you have to prepare in actual preparation - not looking for what to work on. Planning your preaching is wise spiritual leadership. To shepherd your congregation well, you need to know where you are going. And planning your preaching is a personal growth tool that facilitates your ongoing growth as a preacher or teacher. The best time to have started working on you 2024 preaching calendar was two months...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better. In this episode, I want to talk to you about the priority and practice of the public reading of scripture. In my travels and observations, I note several elements of corporate worship that tell me a lot about a church's health and focus - namely, (1) corporate singing, (2) the pastoral prayer, and (3) scripture reading. Some church services contain no scripture reading. Others read the Bible perfunctorily. Word-centered, word-governed worship services begin with taking the reading of God's word seriously. Until I...

It was Wednesday of Passion Week. As Jesus taught in the temple, religious delegations questioned him. They did not desire to learn anything from Jesus. They sought to discredit or accuse him. They failed miserably. As Jesus departed from the temple for the last time, he condemned the religious leaders and commended a poor widow’s offering.  That is where our text picks up the story.  Jesus left the temple to return to Bethany for the night. On the way, the disciples pointed out the gloryand grandeur of Herod’s temple. In response, Jesus predicted the destruction of that magnificent edifice. The inner circle later asked follow-up questions.  When will these things come to pass?  What will be the signs of...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better. If my travels, I am asked what advice I would give to a young minister. It is a stark reminder that I am old enough for young preachers to ask this "old preacher" for advice. I often answer by quoting scripture. Biblical advice is the best advice. Good advice is also personal - coming from those who know you best. And the best advice is practical - principles to live by. With that in mind, permit me to give some free advice to...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better. In this episode, we will talk about simple preaching. No, we should not dumb down the message. But we should not strive to be deep, profound, mystical, technical, or academic. We should not talk over the heads of our hearers. We believe in the perspicuity of scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Scripture is clear. And the aim of preaching is to be help the hearer understand the truth of scripture. Jesus himself modeled simple preaching. And, throughout church history, strong preachers have been characterized...

Joseph is the bridge between Genesis and Exodus. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. But the Lord was with him. Joseph arrived in Egypt as a slave. He became a wrongly convicted prisoner. But he was promoted to Prime Minister. Before his death, his reconciled family – seventy persons – moved to Egypt with him. After Joseph’s death, the people of Israel became large, strong, and great. Then the drama begins.   A pharaoh emerged who did not know Joseph. Pharoah viewed the Hebrew population as a threat to national security. Pharoah oppressed the Israelites. But the Lord raised up Moses to deliver his people. The Lord revealed himself to Moses as the “I Am” at the burning bush. He compelled Moses to return to Egypt to tell Pharaoh to let his people...

As a boy preacher, I accompanied my father to many funerals he officiated. I probably attended more funerals as a youth than most people attend in their lifetime.  My dad never allowed me to do anything in the services. But he often had me assist him during the processional before the service and the committal after the service.  As my dad led the family in the processional, he would read Psalm 91 as he walked down the aisle. Always Psalm 91. He frequently asked me to read the passage as I walked alongside him. One time, I started reading Psalm...

In On a Hill Too Far Away, John Fischer wrote about a church with a ten-foot wooden cross in its sanctuary. Bolted to the ground, it stood between the pulpit and the pews. The crossbeam blocked the preacher’s face. He had to come down to be seen clearly by the congregation. This is the way it should be. The cross should be intrusive and obtrusive. Unfortunately, the cross is no longer central to our worship. It is ignored and unnoticed on the back wall.  “The hill was far away to begin with,” Fischer wrote, “now it is so far away that the old rugged cross tends to be forgotten.” Mark 8:31-33 strategically places the cross at the center...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better. In this episode, H.B. talks about a process for text-driven preaching. Something drives every sermon. Because the Bible is the word of God, the text of scripture should drive and direct every sermon. How can I prepare and preach text driven sermons? Choose the text strategically. You only have fifty-two Sundays to shepherd your congregation in the truth of God's word, at best. Therefore, you cannot afford to be casual or careless about sermon text selection. Be strategic about planning your preaching. Think...