by Bret Capranica | Aug 9, 2009 | Biblical Studies, Preaching
Here’s a few salient quotes from last week’s study of Zephaniah 1:2-13: On verse 4: Zephaniah 1:4 “So I will stretch out My hand against Judah And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, And the names of the idolatrous priests along with the priests. Baal was the god of productivity: his function in Canaanite religion was to make land, animals, and humans fertile. Baal was another name for the gross national product, and wherever people see bank balances, prosperity, a sound economy, productivity, and mounting exports as the essence of their security, Baal is still worshiped. Baal was also the god of religious excitement and sexual free-for-all. Human sexual acts were publicly offered to h im to prompt him to perform his work of fertilization. No wonder his officiants were called the “frenzied ones.” Wherever excitement in religion becomes an end in itself and wherever the cult of “what helps” replaces joy in “what”™s true,” Baal is worshiped. On verse 12: Zephaniah 1:12 “It will come about at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And I will punish the men Who are stagnant in spirit, Who say in their hearts, “˜The Lord will not do good or evil!”™ This is not atheism as a dogma but practical atheism; it does not say, “God is not there,” but, “God is not here” ““ not that God does not exist but that he does not matter. In relation to this philosophy of life, the prophet reveals both the mind of God and the mind of humans:...
by Bret Capranica | Aug 4, 2009 | Biblical Studies, Expositions, Featured Articles, Preaching
It was a sad day last week when I said good-bye to some very close friends who had helped me out in ministry over the past three years. They were by my side through some rough waters. I didn’t always agree with their conclusions on matters, but I valued everything they had to say. Many in my congregation will never know the impact these friends have had not only on me but all who sat under my preaching over the last three years. Amazingly, these close friends are some I have conversed with on a weekly basis, but have never personally met (well, I have met two of them personally, but they would not remember me). Anyhow,it was a sad, but gratifying day last week as I packed away and shelved all of my commentaries on the book of Romans. What a pleasure to preach through the book and have such good friends to help me think through critical issues. Here’s a list of the commentaries I have used and consulted. Top 5 – I never missed a page of reading these each week as I studied. This is the order I would read each of them. I found Cranfield and Schreiner to be the absolute best of the lot 1. C.E.B. Cranfied, International Critical Commentary, Romans 1-8; Romans 9-16. The best on the details of the Greek Text. 2. James D. G. Dunn, Word Biblical Commentary, Romans ““ Volume 1 Volume 2 (if you want to see the New Perspective on Paul, Dunn is essential). 3. Douglas Moo, New International Commentary on the New Testament, The Epistle to...
by Bret Capranica | Mar 31, 2009 | Pastoral Ministry, Preaching, Presidential History
Josh Harris posts some good food for thought for preachers in light of Michael Gerson’s recent article on President’s, teleprompters, and well-crafted words. Gerson argues that teleprompters have increased a President’s disciplined thought and communication. Josh Harris says preachers should learn from this and pursue a more disciplined approach to communicating Scripture. I don’t think we’ll see teleprompter preachers any time soon (nor should we), but we should be thinking and crafting our gospel communication more carefully. Gerson’s article is a good read. What the Teleprompter Teaches Preachers (Josh...
![When Preaching Is Not Central]()
by Bret Capranica | Feb 26, 2009 | Featured Articles, Preaching
A few quick thoughts on what happens when the pulpit and expository preaching loses a place of centrality within the life of the local church: Personal intake of Scripture becomes tiresome Personal prayer becomes little more than religious day-dreaming An atmosphere of worship gives way to a craving for entertainment Truth is replaced with preferences Discipleship is dismissed by the cult of personal excitement Culture becomes central Creativity becomes a mantra Personal desires become dominant Tradition becomes foundational Counseling becomes, at worst, psychological, and at best merely conservative Dr. Laura-type of advice or simply relational Fellowship becomes superficial Unity becomes merely relational Missions becomes nothing more than temporal societal betterment The gospel becomes self-help Discipleship becomes nothing more than a mere decision All this will be true because people, for people’s sake, become the focus and God becomes a servant to their own lust for centrality (2 Timothy 4:1-4) ““ our thoughts are no longer tethered to what God has systematically revealed to us about Himself. In the end, people are not best served where they are most prized. When expository preaching is not central in our life: We ultimately and over time won’t feel fed, satisfied, fulfilled The grass will always look greener in another ministerial field “¦because ultimately, God, truth, and His glory is not what we crave. Or perhaps we are misinterpreting our cravings and feeding them with the wrong things. When expository preaching is not central in the church’s life It will give way to the whims of culture It will be replaced by the mystical It will be sapped of true spiritual power It...
by Bret Capranica | Feb 25, 2009 | Miscellaneous, Pastoral Ministry, Personal, Preaching
My calf-skin Shepherds’ Conference Bible is my favorite preaching Bible. I love the durability of the calf-skin. I love the size of the print. Most of all, I have loved the translation – the New American Standard. I’ve been preaching from the NAS for about 18 years. But, if I were to win this brand new Calf-skin ESV, from “A Boomer in the Pew,” (I use the ESV in my morning devotions), it may be enough to bring me over to begin preaching from it. We shall...
