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Chapter 13: Of Preaching With And Without Notes, Considered.
The Holy Ghost hath better gifts for men in the ministry whom Christ sends, than such have yet received, who can’t so much as exhort, much less instruct without their notes. A dry paper hath been found to be a very dead assistance in the work. Sententious, premeditated forms of preaching are a Scripture-less way of preaching. And what signifies a dressed matter upon the cushion, when I find it all out of order, where it should be better dressed upon my heart? What a piece of disorder is it to read a message that is to be spoken, Tit. 2:1, 15, I Thes. 2:2, Col. 4:3, Eph. 6:19, &c., and surely, if my heart were big with my message, I need not have recourse…
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10 The Church’s Mission
Churches are Heaven's appointed agencies for the salvation of men. For, though it would be false and profane to say that men could not be saved outside the churches, and without their aid, yet, as a matter of fact, but few are converted and saved aside from associated Christian effort, as represented by the churches, or the zeal of personal piety, as nourished and stimulated by them. The mission of a Christian Church, therefore, is to a "world lying in wickedness," to men "dead in trespasses and sins," as the bearer of glad tidings to "prisoners of hope," and herald of the great salvation to lost men. In order to accomplish this, the Church must sustain a suitable spiritual condition, and maintain itself in the…
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A Call To Discipleship
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27 Bible Doctrine – How Can The Framework Of Sovereign Grace Be Used As A Tool For Discipleship And Evangelism?
A Transcript Of The Video Study In our previous study, I commended the Framework of Sovereign Grace as an excellent teaching tool for evangelism and discipleship. First, it is a scripturally shaped framework, based on the teachings of Romans 9:21-23 and 2 Timothy 2:20; Second, it begins with the Unconditional Election of God the Father, rather than the Total Depravity of man; Third, it allows room to discuss other vital doctrines and related issues within the context of God’s masterplan for the ages; Fourth, it doesn’t require the use of unnecessary academic labels; Fifth, it presents the major teachings of the Bible in the form of a diagram, illustrating how they fit together as a whole; Sixth, it tends to nurture a warm and humble…
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Chapter 12: Of Exhortation To Sinners To Come To Christ, In Preaching The Gospel, Examined.
The bowels of Jesus Christ are the greatest bowels to sinners, Phil. 1:8, and therefore let us understand what the bowels and mercies are, Phil. 2:1, and understand what the mind and will of the Lord is, Eph. 5:17, in exhortations. An exhortation plainly differs from an invitation, {though we see that men have mismatched them, as if they understood not the property of them,} and likewise is the difference from an offer of Grace. It is sheer ignorance in the thoughts of any men to take them up promiscuously; that is, without order or consideration, without any regard or respect to difference. An offer, as I’ve have shown, is before a person, and an invitation is of a person, and is sent out after…
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26 Bible Doctrine – Are There Disadvantages Using The Five Points Of Calvinism As A Tool For Evangelism And Discipleship?
A Transcript Of The Video Study In our previous study, I gave an explanation on what I believe the terms evangelism and discipleship mean, and then proceeded to show how the Five Points of Calvinism can be used as a teaching tool for both. In my concluding remarks, I commended to you the use of the Five Points for that purpose. Indeed, there are some advantages associated with using the Five Points as a teaching tool—first, it provides a basic summary of the duties incumbent upon the unregenerate under the authority of the covenant of works, and also of the blessings bestowed upon the regenerate under the authority of the covenant of grace; second, it clearly distinguishes between the free will of man on the…
