aBeLOG
Welcome to the aBeLOG, a series of (hopefully!) fortnightly posts on all matters homiletical. I intend to touch on whatever grabs my attention regarding preaching—issues contemporary and ancient, ideas hermeneutical and rhetorical, personalities conservative and liberal, publications antiquarian and avant-garde. Essentially, I’m going to follow my own homiletical olfactory instincts up rabbit trails and after red herrings. Comments are always invited and appreciated.
Devotion!
Recently, I answered a couple of questions for a series A Scholar’s Devotion on a blog maintained by a Southern Seminary student. His request:
I ask scholars and seminary professors: 1) how they spend their devotional time so that seminary students (and anyone else, really) can grow in their devotional life and become more enamored by Christ amidst the rigor of seminary academics (or, just the rigor of life); and 2) how they continue to love him with all their mind,
1 Timothy 5:17–25
God’s leaders who demonstrate godliness in their ministries, particularly with regard to Scripture, are to be amply rewarded, and impartially disciplined when they do not.
“Honor” that began the previous section (5:3), recurs to mark a new section (5:17). The word clearly has the connotation of remuneration; especially here in 5:17, in light of the following verse. Perhaps “double” honor means the honor of respect and the honor of remuneration. Such honor is due
Interview on H & H
Folks, here is a recent interview of mine on Homiletics & Hermeneutics (H & H) ….
1 Timothy 5:1–16
God’s people care for the needy both personally within their own households, and also corporately within the divine household, focusing upon those deserving ones who are believers, who have lived godly lives with a reputation for good works, and who are engaging in the community’s worship.
That God’s people shout treat one another as family members, as befitting their joint membership in the divine household, is established at the start (5:1–2).
The discourse on
Long-Term Preaching!
Folks, here’s a recent article published in Southern Seminary’s journal, Southern Equip, discussing long-term preaching: “Preaching for the Long Haul.” (For more details, see my A Manual for Preaching: The Journey from Text to Sermon, Baker, 2019.)
Coming soon …!
FYI, for those looking for a commentary on the Psalter—three volumes, dealing with all 150 psalms, a little over 1,000 pages—that aids preaching!
Coming soon … (i.e., should be available for order/purchase the next 3–4 months).
More info (and endorsements) here.
Spread the word … and let me retire!
1 Timothy 4:1–16
God’s people nourished on scriptural teaching engage intensely in spiritual discipline, persevering in modeling Spirit-directed, Scripture-based godliness, ensuring future reward for themselves.
After providing requirements for godly leaders in: 1 Tim 3:1–16, this section contains both negative and positive exhortations to a leader: broadly, advice regarding false teaching (4:1–7a; how to avoid the negative) and advice for personal ministry (4:7b–16; how to follow
Abe Kuruvilla is the Carl E. Bates Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY), and a dermatologist in private practice. His passion is to explore, explain, and exemplify preaching.