Lectureship!
Dr. Mark Bailey, President of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), described W. H. Griffith Thomas (1861–1924) as “one of the founding minds and hearts of Dallas Theological Seminary … with a passion of a new approach to theological education, where the central text of study would be the scriptures, and where Christ especially would be honored.” You might be surprised to know the man was an Anglican; but, then again, the two other co-founders of DTS were a Presbyterian (William M. Anderson [1889–1935]) and a Congregationalist (Lewis Sperry Chafer [1871–1952]).
In any case, in Griffith-Thomas’s memory, the W. H. Griffith Thomas Lectureships are held at Dallas Seminary each Spring. This year’s invited lecturer is … your faithful aBeLOGger and RaMbLeR!
Not to say I’m intimidated or anything … (well, OK, I am!), take a peek at the list of lecturers who have preceded me annually since 1926! The roster reads like a Who’s Who of evangelicalism in the last hundred years. Mark Dever was “it” last year. This year it’s a Terrapene indica/texana, aka an Indian/Texan turtle (I’m making this up as I go along), only the second time in all these years that an in-house, DTS person has been picked (the other was Prof. Hendricks in 1999).
All this to say, y’all are invited!
When: February 3–6, 2015 (Tuesday through Friday, 10:40–11:30 am each day)
Where: Lamb Auditorium, on Dallas Seminary’s main campus, here in Dallas
What: A Vision for Preaching, the Heart of Pastoral Ministry
[For more info on the Lectures, check out the official notice here.]
WHGT is said to have urged his students:
Think yourself empty, read yourself full, write yourself clear, pray yourself keen—then enter the pulpit and let yourself go!”
It’s quite an honor to follow him and his respected ilk.
So I know this: I.NEED.PRAYER.
Thanks!
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.
13 Comments
Thank you so much for making these lectures available for live streaming! I live in Bangkok and I watched them, despite the time difference. (The last one was not available to watch live online as there were problems with the website. I just finished watching it). I really appreciated your vision for preaching. In your last lecture, you mentioned the necessity of preaching sequentially. There is very little solid biblical expository preaching here. Most of it is topical and the word of faith/prosperity gospel is rampant. People don’t want to listen to a 40 minute sermon on the book of Romans. But I see the necessity, just as you do, to preach sequentially. I teach 2 Sunday School classes at my church, and I always teach through a book. I also preach in 3 churches, although there are other men who preach as well. Sometimes I have a hard time selecting a text, when I’m not regularly preaching there every week. This Sunday I am preaching at a church in Rayong, and since it is Valentine’s day I was asked to preach about love. Since I recently preached on Romans 8:31-39 I will preach it at this church. But I always give a synopsis of the book, the passage and the author’s argument before diving into the text. Your lectures challenged me to have a vision for preaching as well as to be biblical. Dr. Tim Ralston, whom I had for preaching when I was a Th.M student at Dallas Seminary, always reminded me, “Where does the text say that? Take me back to the text.”
I would like to know if it is possible to get the handouts and PowerPoints of your lectures. And I will definitely get your book, A Vision for Preaching when it comes out!
Thanks, Michael, for the encouragement.
Keep on preachin’!
As for handouts, it was a single sheet with the “Vision” and my definition of “pericopal theology,” printed out. Pretty much all that I said will show up in the Baker book (summer 2015?), so that’s your best bet.
Blessings on you and your ministry!
You go, Abe! Wish I could be there. But I am busy poring over both your Genesis and Mark commentaries in preparation for teaching at PBC and at the PD. We are all benefitting from your labor of love.
Thanks, much, Robert. Your encouragement means much.
All God’s blessings on your ministry!
You are definitely in my prayers! I have the dates on my calendar, I look forward to seeing you! Sherry.
Thanks, Sherry!
All the best, when you let yourself go and grow! Can’t listen to your sermons, unfortunately, as the U.S. isn’t at the next junction for me. However , I would be glad to read your sermons, if they aren’t extempore. Would like to know what you have to say about preaching and practicing going hand in glove, like home and love. There are many here who are skeptical about this, saying preachers mostly preach and most often don’t practice.
Congratulations and may you always continue to glorify His Name!
Thanks, Sheela!
I will be praying and cheering for you Abraham – may the God of Moses, David and Paul be with you!
Thanks, Vinodh!
Congratulations RaMbLeR!
Hey, thanks!