Magazine
Issue 04
Preaching Christ Editorial Michael Reeves Preaching Matters Peter Mead Preaching Christ Sinclair Ferguson
Reading Scripture with the Fathers Daniel Hames A Theology of Preaching Glen Scrivener
The reformation of Christ’s church worldwide.
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RESEARCH
Preaching for Pastors Sinclair Ferguson, Michael Reeves Ad and Eryl Davies. Union, Ligonier Ministries and the Evangelical Movement of Wales welcome pastors, regular preachers and those who want to grow in preaching ministry to this day conference. We want to serve local churches and equip preachers to offer the Christ of the scriptures to the hearts of their hearers.
27th November 2019 Union Campus,
Book your place at
Bryntirion, Bridgend,
www.preachingforpastors.org
South Wales
0330 123 4446
Contents
We are a ministry of the church for the sake of the church, that she may be fit for Christ.
06
Michael Reeves
08 Editorial Board Michael Reeves (Editor) Daniel Hames (Associate Editor) Joel Morris Design There is Something MoreÂŽ
www.theolo.gy Freephone: 0330 123 4446 Twitter: @UnionTheology
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OX4 3AJ
Preaching Christ Sinclair Ferguson
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Reading Scripture with the Fathers Daniel Hames
26
A Theology of Preaching Glen Scrivener
34
Student Interview Stephen Unwin talks to David
Union Oxford The Old School House Hertford Street Oxford
Preaching Matters Peter Mead
www.thereissomethingmore.com hello@thereissomethingmore.com Find out more
Editorial
38
Renewal in Liverpool Peter Gower
Union Campus Bridgend Wales CF31 4DX Union is a registered UK charity #517324 Union Foundation US is 501(c)(3) not-forprofit
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E D I TO R I A L
Editorial This issue of the Union Magazine is devoted to the subject of preaching Christ. As you turn the pages, you’ll find articles on the theology of preaching, Christ and the Bible in church history, the importance of raising preachers today, and stories of Union students holding out Christ in needy places. It’s unpopular In a strange way, talking about Jesus to Christians isn’t very popular any more. Among the old Puritans you can scarcely find a writer who did not write – or a preacher who did not preach – something called The Unsearchable Riches of Christ; Christ Set Forth; The Glory of Christ or the like. Yet today, what sells? What puts the smile on the bookseller’s face? What kind of sermons seem to gee up the troops on a Sunday morning? People generally want to read and hear about themselves. Their lives, their convictions, their behaviour. They like a challenge, an application, or even a bit of a (polite) telling off. Purposedriven, out-of-the-boatstepping, emotionally healthy Christian living is the way to gather the crowds. There’s nothing necessarily wrong in that, of course; but that is not primarily what life is about. ‘For to me, to live is Christ,’ said
I consider everything a loss
As Sinclair Ferguson urges us
compared to the surpassing
on page 13, we don’t want
greatness of knowing Christ
to jump on a bandwagon of
Jesus my Lord’ (Philippians 1:21;
speaking about this subject
3:8). Startling words, all too
simply because it’s a popular
easily dismissed as religious over
theme with some now. Rather,
excitement. But Paul was not
in Union, this is about our very
raving; he was speaking plainly
core values. We want to raise
the deepest wisdom: that life is
up leaders for the church who
found in Jesus Christ, the author
give their lives to proclaiming
and source of it, and if we know
Christ because they have been
him rightly, we will find nothing
truly, personally captured by his
so desirable, so delightful, as
beauty and glory. We believe
him.
that churches served by such
It’s popular
leaders will truly bless the world. Talking about ‘preaching Christ’ cannot be a question of branding
In another way, talking about
for us, but of our whole lives and
‘preaching Christ’ is also quite
ministry.
popular. In fact, for some in the Christian world, it might sound a rather well-worn theme by now. Lots of books, conferences, and blog posts are devoted to ‘preaching Christ.’ It may be that pastors are hotter on the idea than their congregations, or that ‘Young, Restless, and Reformed’ have made it a catchphrase, while wider evangelicalism hasn’t caught the bug.
the apostle Paul. ‘What is more,
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The knowledge of the glory of the Lord… ‘For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.’ (Habakkuk 2:14) We have always said that Union
May we all—Union students,
is about mission. We are working
staff, Lead Mentors, supporters,
for the reformation of Christ’s
and friends—give ourselves to
church worldwide so that, by her
delighting in God through the
witness, the earth would be filled
gospel of his Son, and so draw
with the knowledge of the glory
many more to Christ our life
of the Lord.
before that great day comes.
This great moment will come.
We’re so grateful for your
We’re waiting for the day when
interest in this ministry and
Jesus Christ, the radiance of the
for your support. We hope
Father’s glory, steps out from
and pray that what you read
behind the curtain and descends
here will encourage you and
to dwell with us. How could
draw you deeper into the great
we not labour with him now in
commission before us to see
holding out his salvation to men
Christ made known.
and women and everywhere?
__
How could we hold on to the
Michael Reeves,
promise of such a wonderful
President and Professor
future hope without talking
of Theology
about it? ‘Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!’ says Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:16.
UNION MAGAZINE
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S C H O O L O F T H E O LO GY
Preaching Matters Peter Mead Preaching matters because our
dynamic, not just an exegetical
These three relationships make
God is a speaking God. Preaching
pursuit.
preaching such a dynamic and
matters because our God has
vital subject for us to study at
a redemptive plan to transform
The second relationship is between
Union. Preaching should never be
hearts and lives through the spoken
the preacher and the listeners. This
a niche subject studied separately
word that points listeners to Christ.
is a vital relationship, whether the
in a corner. Actually, preaching
Preaching certainly matters, and
preacher has a long-term ministry
is where all the other studies
yet we can so easily drift into a pale
amongst that congregation, or
should converge. The biblical
imitation of what God intends. I
even if the preacher’s connection
studies, original language exegesis,
know personally how the pressures
is limited to that one sermon as a
theology, history, practical and
of real-life ministry can squeeze the
visiting speaker. The preacher’s
pastoral theology all come together
dynamic of preaching into a merely
privilege is not simply to convey
when we think about how to preach
mechanical process. I understand
truth, but to incarnate that truth
God’s Word to a congregation.
how tempting it can be to lower my
and communicate it via a highly
expectations and simply offer some
personal connection. It is when
At Union it is our passion to produce
good textual explanation garnished
we lose sight of the importance of
graduates who are capable of
with some appropriate applications.
communication that great content
handling God’s Word accurately
can get lost in the dense foliage of
and who are passionate about
Christian preaching should be
a dull delivery. To not communicate
communicating it effectively to
profoundly relational because our
as well as we can is to not love the
others. The Good News that we
God is. That is why we start each
listeners as much as we should.
have flows from God’s generous
preaching course at Union with a
heart and so should spill out from
reminder that preaching involves
The third relationship is between the
our hearts in all our ministries.
a whole set of interconnected
listeners and God. This is the goal
Our approach is to combine the
relationships. First there is the
of our preaching. Whether we are
expected process of passage study
relationship of the preacher with
introducing listeners to the gloriously
and message formation with a
God. This is a vital relationship
good news of Jesus for the first time
pastoral concern to understand
upon which to build the ministry of
or building up believers by bringing
how people are changed by
preaching. The preacher’s task is, in
them back to the wonder of God’s
hearing God’s Word proclaimed – a
fact, a real privilege. The preacher
goodness, our goal should always
Word inspired to offer redemptive
does not simply go to the Bible and
be their relationship to him. They
transformation at every step. Our
find a message to preach, but rather
will not find life by simply knowing
approach is to not just study about
the preacher gets to go to the Bible
their Bibles and applying some life
preaching as a subject, but to have
and meet the God who reveals
lessons. They need to be graciously
students gain experience preparing
himself there. As Haddon Robinson’s
invited to trust in the character of the
and delivering messages, receiving
definition of Biblical Preaching puts
God who reveals himself through the
feedback and growing as effective
it, in the context of the preacher’s
Bible, while praying that the Spirit
communicators of God’s Word.
biblical study, the preacher derives
of God will truly magnify Christ in
a message that “the Holy Spirit first
their hearts and lives as they listen
applies to the preacher, and then
and then live in response to what is
to the listeners.” This is a relational
preached.
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Preaching our God has a redemptive plan to transform hearts and lives through the spoken word that points listeners to Christ.
This past week I was in a classroom
Preaching is never easy and there
bring long-term relational health in
on the Union campus listening to
is always more for every one of us
the church, and effective outreach
students deliver their final sermons
to learn. Nevertheless, at Union we
by the church. Not only do our
in this year’s course. We were
believe that raising up theologically
congregations need good preaching,
on the threshing floor as Ruth
informed and pastorally motivated
our world does.
approached Boaz, alongside Ezekiel
preachers is central to our calling.
__
as he saw God’s throne, and ringside
For the church to be healthy there
Peter Mead is a leader of Trinity
as Jacob wrestled through the night.
must be a steady diet of healthy
Chippenham, a mentor for Cor Deo,
They were not the easiest passages
meals served up Sunday by Sunday.
and teaches at Union School of
to preach, but they were preached
Very few of us achieve 5-star
Theology.
to point us to God’s goodness and
gourmet preaching, but it is the
grace ultimately revealed in the
steady diet of healthy food lovingly
person of Christ.
served by caring shepherds that will
UNION MAGAZINE
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We form men and women to grow Christ’s church.
Union
School of Theology ust.ac.uk
PUBLISHING
Preaching Christ: Comment, Caution, Counsel Sinclair Ferguson Preaching Christ is undoubtedly
the present day. That is but a fraction
preaching Christ also stress the
a subject that merits book-length
of books on preaching published in
importance of the blessed Trinity?’
treatment.
this period. But to a contemporary eye
But that aside, in any discipline a
there is a surprising common feature
statistical ‘spike’ or ‘cluster’ of this
There is more in those last three
in the books I own published between
nature (e.g. a particular disease),
words than meets the eye, but to that
William Perkins’ Puritan classic, The
leads students of the discipline to
we will return momentarily.
Arte of Prophecying (English, 1606)
seek a specific cause for it.
and the two classics of the modern Our responsibility to ‘preach Christ’
era, D. M. Lloyd-Jones’ Preaching and
So, what explains this ‘cluster’
lies on the surface of the New
Preachers (1971) and J. R. W. Stott’s I
of interest and emphasis in
Testament. He is the heart of the
Believe in Preaching (1981, USA title
preaching?
gospel (Rom. 1:1-6), although it
Between Two Worlds).
should always be remembered that
Perhaps in fifty years or so
he is not the whole of the gospel (it
The common feature? Only one of
someone will provide a magisterial
is ‘the gospel of God, 1 Thess. 2:8).
my hundred volumes has Preaching
analysis and interpretation. My own
Christ himself taught his apostles to
Christ as (or in) its title — a single
guess, for what it is worth, is that
preach him (Lk. 24:46) and to teach
address by the admirable American
part of the answer is found in one
others to do likewise (Matt. 28:18-
Episcopalian Bishop Charles P.
word: Hermeneutics. Its coming
20). Thus, from the Day of Pentecost
McIlvaine, a brilliant fellow-student
to prominence brought with it a
onwards, Jesus Christ was preached
and friend of Charles Hodge (and as
new interest in the (actually old,
(Acts 2:22-36; 3:11-26; 8:4-5 etc.). It
far as I know the only American ever
but much neglected) discipline of
is particularly clear that Paul saw this
to lie in state in Westminster Abbey!).
biblical theology.
1 Cor. 1:23; 2:1-2; 2 Cor. 1:19; 5:18-
More striking still, none of these books
I remember as a teenager reading
21; Gal. 3:1; Eph. 2:13; Phil. 1:15-18;
contains a chapter on preaching
that the ‘conference joke’ at the
Col. 1:28).
Christ – not C. H. Spurgeon (Lectures
first Keele Congress of Anglican
to My Students), not Dr. Martyn
evangelicals (1967) was that
In this context, however, we encounter
Lloyd-Jones, not Dr. John Stott. But
‘Hermeneutic’ was a German
a curiosity-arousing fact about book-
in more recently published books
professor of theology (Herr
length treatments of preaching which
it has become de rigueur to focus
Meneutic!). A discipline involved in
is worthy of comment:
on preaching Christ. It might not be
the interpretation of any literary field
too strong to say that any book on
was now being applied in a much
preaching that failed to do this would
more detailed and self-conscious
in many circles today be regarded as
technical manner to the reading of
profoundly inadequate.
the Bible.
hundred volumes large and small,
Now, it might be asked by way of
In turn this raised the profile of
dating from the Reformation period to
a tu quoque, ‘How many books on
biblical theology. Heretofore to most
as central to his task (Rom. 10:13-17;
Comment The ‘preaching section’ of my bookcases contains perhaps a
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For he is the same today as he was yesterday. Thus, perhaps, God will raise up a new generation of men who can say ‘Him we proclaim’.
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evangelicals this expression denoted
With the apostle Paul we rejoice
puzzles) come in one of a number of
no more than getting your theology
if Christ is preached (Phil. 1: 18)!
forms. Seasoned crossword puzzle
from the Bible, while to others it was
Speaking personally, I align myself
solvers (of whom I am not one!) will
a reference to a movement among
with the emphasis that anyone who
recognise them immediately. But
largely neo-orthodox scholars. Only
preaches from either Testaments
they simply mystify the uninitiated.
now was the term being broadly
needs to preach Jesus Christ. But a
The person who understands the
understood by evangelicals in
‘cluster’ phenomenon, a spike in the
code solves the puzzle. To apply
the sense intended by the title of
graph of literature, should give us
the metaphor, there are basically
Geerhardus Vos’s 1948 ground-
pause to ask if there are cautionary
X number of ways you can ‘get to
breaking book. In fact, a redemptive-
notes we need to hear.
Christ’ from the Old Testament. While
historical approach to interpreting and expounding Scripture had long
Caution
not all these ways will work for every passage, one or more of them will always work. The solution is always
been preserved in a few oases of reformed theology (think of Herman
Two cautions are, perhaps, worth
C-H-R-I-S-T. Eventually the method
Witsius’ The Economy of the
noting. They relate to biblical balance
can be learned and employed, and
Covenants or of Jonathan Edwards’
and biblical fulness.
in turn one’s hearers will be able to employ it in their own reading of the
History of Redemption, or of George Smeaton and Patrick Fairbairn).
By raising the issue of ‘balance’
But now it was becoming common
in this context it is enough to ask
Bible.
property, and in due season created
whether we are in danger of a form
The needed caution here of course is
various ‘schools’ of approach.
of Christo-monism in our preaching
that the programme or pattern easily
which has been abstracted from a
produces a certain ‘sameness’ and
In this context, Luke 24:27 became
biblical trinitarianism. The Christo-
eventually even a kind of ‘Oh, not
a major text, even the central
monism of which Karl Barth was
another crossword puzzle solution
hermeneutical key.
accused (not least by evangelicals),
sermon’ form of boredom in the
was nevertheless accompanied by
hearers. Those who employ the
Here it should be underlined that
a heavy dose of trinitarianism. It is a
approved method (and institutions
our forefathers (those who authored
question whether this is true of the
and programmes almost always
my hundred books) preached ‘Christ
contemporary recovery of Christ-
have one) tend to end up sounding
and him crucified’ to great effect;
centred preaching. I suspect it is
more or less the same as each
dare one say to greater effect than
still the exception to hear someone
other. This hardly accords with
we do? But they did so, in a sense,
showing you ‘How to get to the
how different from each other the
intuitively, because they read and
Father from the Old Testament’, or
apostles must have sounded.! In
knew their Bibles well and were
for that matter, to the Holy Spirit. We
some ways, however, we can make
grounded in reformation principles
are, after all, baptized ‘in the name of
a more serious mis-step in ‘preaching
of interpretation. But now a more
the Father and of the Son and of the
Christ from the Old Testament’. We
self-conscious approach was
Holy Spirit’ (Matt. 28:19). Amen?
show the congregation how to ‘get
encouraged, so that, in particular,
But there is also the issue of ‘fulness’.
to Jesus’ from the text (be the genre
preaching Christ from the Old
Here we should note a subtle
history, prophecy, wisdom, psalmody
Testament Scriptures was developed
danger in a programmatic approach
or whatever). But in the process of
in a much more programmatic
to preaching Christ from the Old
exposition little more than lip service
way, especially in some theological
Testament. It can too easily give the
is given to the actual texture of the
schools and training programmes.
impression that the Old Testament
text itself and the life-situation of
is a kind of theological crossword
those embedded in it. The important
puzzle. The ‘clues’ (as in crossword
task is seen to be to show that it really speaks about Christ. But too
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PUBLISHING
often there is (i) a lack of covenant consciousness and consequently (ii) little or no emphasis on the nature of the Old Testament believer’s bond of union with Yahweh who fully reveals himself in Christ. The danger to which this then leads is that once we have used the clues to solve the puzzle and ‘got to Christ’ – we stop. We have pencilled in C-H-R-I-S-T, but not preached Jesus Christ himself clothed in the garments of the gospel (the phrase is Calvin’s). We have solved the puzzle, but we have not really introduced our hearers to the person, Jesus himself. We have not ‘portrayed’ him as crucified (Gal. 3:1). When this is so, our hearers are left with an appreciation of the Bible’s plot line, but at the expense of meeting its Chief Character who is the same in our ‘today’ as he was ‘yesterday’ (that is ‘in the days of his flesh’, cf. Heb. 13:8; 5:7). For that we need to begin with the Gospels and work backwards, not with the Old Testament and work forwards. In fact, ‘Emmaus Road’ preaching may not be such after all. For in ‘Emmaus Road’ preaching’ Jesus himself draws near, expounds his own word, and hearts burn as a result of hearing him preach his word (Lk. 24:15, 32; cf. Rom. 10:14b, ESV margin; Eph. 2: 17). Here is a litmus test. Perhaps millions of sermons are now available online. Of how many of the galaxy of preachers
represented is your instinctive
the New. That, after all, is the
sense: He preached Christ and him
way the apostles learned how to
crucified; He was determined to
preach him; from the incarnation
know nothing but Jesus Christ; He
backwards.
proclaimed him (1 Cor 1:23; 2:2; Col. 1:28), and as a result I know,
At the end of the day, it is the
trust, love, and adore my Saviour
man who knows Christ best whose
and want to obey him more and
preaching will most satisfy those
more? Or is the central focus
whose request is: ‘Sir, we wish to
somewhere else, even somewhere
see Jesus’ (John 12: 21 – words that
good, sometimes even on the
in the past were often embedded
explanation of the text but not on
into pulpits).
the presentation of the person of Christ himself?
Counsel
So, if you are a new preacher, pour over the Gospels. And if you are a seasoned preacher, make sure you recalibrate your preaching to the
What will help us here, in the context
Christ they portray. For he is the
of this ‘cluster’ of emphasis on
same today as he was yesterday.
preaching Christ? What counsel will
Thus, perhaps, God will raise up a
help us grow—especially if we are
new generation of men who can say
young preachers—in ‘balance’ and
‘Him we proclaim.’
‘fulness’?
__ Sinclair Ferguson is Associate
One suggestion must suffice here:
Preacher and Elder at St. Peter’s
The Gospels. We need to read and
Free Church of Scotland, Dundee
re-read all four, meditate on them,
and a Teaching Fellow for Ligonier
be saturated in them, and come
Ministries.
to know Jesus Christ ‘today’ by knowing him as he was revealed ‘yesterday’. For he is still ‘the same’ (Heb. 13:8). Otherwise when we ‘get to Christ’ from the Old Testament, we may have too little to say about the Lord Jesus himself. Expressed in literary terms, the plot line will have swallowed up character analysis. If so, our preaching will present only a pale shadow of ‘the real Jesus’. Perhaps there is a broader principle here: before we think about preaching Christ from the Old Testament, we need to learn to preach him, as incarnate, from
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At the end of the day, it is the man who knows Christ best whose preaching will most satisfy those whose request is: ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus’
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15
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RESEARCH
Reading Scripture with the Fathers Daniel Hames The great theologians of the early church are known to us precisely as that: theologians. We tend to picture them as ancient academics, poring over candle-lit dusty tomes in the library, debating the intricacies of arcane terminology, and so on. Apart from being a slightly unrealistic idea of what theologians do (!) the portrait is missing something important. The likes of Gregory Nazianzus, Athanasius, and Augustine were pastors. Many of the fathers are rightly known for battling heresy or making definitive contributions to the development of Christin doctrine, but for most of them, the vast majority of their time was given to pastoring. Week by week, they cared for and shepherded their flocks in all the same complexity of life we experience today. Week by week, they opened the Scriptures and preached. Delving into their sermons, evangelistic writings, or biblical commentaries shows us how creeds and councils weren’t abstract matters for these men, but went hand-in-hand with their pastoral ministry of opening Scripture. Alongside ‘the unassumed is the unhealed’ or homoousios, appreciating the way they read the Bible, saw its witness to Christ, and preached accordingly, has much to offer us today.
Christ the Theme of Scripture In the second century, in the context of the increasingly hostile Roman empire, the church’s best theology was done by its evangelists and apologists. Often thinking on their feet in response to challenges from Jewish or pagan critiques, these men were the first to begin piecing together the structure of Christian doctrine. Given that they lived so soon after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, it’s striking just how Christ-centred their reading of all Scripture is. Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho is an account of an evangelistic conversation he had with a Jewish man, Trypho. It came to be written down as a tract to persuade the Jewish people of the day that Jesus was their longed-for Messiah. In the conversation, Justin limits himself purely to the Hebrew Scriptures, but sees in them a depth of revelation of Christ that might surprise us today. His argument is that God the Son is revealed in the Old Testament as the Lord of Israel and that his coming incarnation is constantly foreshadowed and promised there. The One who met with Abraham outside his tent in Genesis 18 was
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Given that they lived so soon after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, it’s striking just how Christ-centred their reading of all Scripture is.
“
‘sent… by Another who remains ever
key to understanding Scripture rightly
Irenaeus, on the other hand, turned
in the supercelestial places, invisible
is the person of Jesus Christ.
to Scripture to understand the story
to all men,’ and yet, because of
of salvation. In the Bible, he also
Genesis 19:24, clearly ‘is both God
Later, Irenaeus’ account of the Bible’s
saw a story of creation, fall, and
and Lord, and ministers to Him who
overarching narrative was something
salvation. Instead of gnosis, it was
is in the heavens.’ Here, as in many
like an early ‘Bible overview.’ Like
centred on the person of Jesus, who
other Old Testament passages, he
Justin, his purpose was evangelistic:
revealed God’s purpose and destiny
sees the Father and Son working in
he was seeking to draw those in
for humanity, and secured it for us
concert. The change of name given
the grip of the Gnostic heresy to the
by his work on earth. Humanity
to Hoshea son of Nun, who became
truth of the gospel. The Gnostics told
was created (and created good!) in
Joshua (or Jesus), reveals the name
a story of the fall from paradise of
Christ’s image to know him eternally,
of God: the one who would lead his
a semi-divine being that ended up
but was plunged into death by
people into the promised land and
producing the physical creation, which
Adam’s sin. When Christ came,
rest. Because Justin isn’t leaning
they thought to be pretty rotten. They
taking to himself that very humanity
on the New Testament, he doesn’t
held out hope that human spirits could
and answering Adam, the gate was
reference John 1:18 or Colossians
rise up again, throwing off the prison
opened to new life, salvation, and
1:15 which speak of an invisible and
of the body and the constraints of the
glory. As he saw it, Adam in the
unseen God revealed by his ‘image’
material world through gnosis inside
garden (Eden) had brought death
who is ‘at the Father’s side’ – but the
knowledge possessed by a select few.
to all by disobediently eating from a
reader can see immediately that his
tree.
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But in another garden—
later in church history, a group of
scholarly institution (usually played
Gethsemane—Jesus had determined
theologians began to contradict the
off against the rival ‘Alexandrian
obediently to go to another tree on
consensus reading of the Bible that
School’). In fact there were only really
Calvary to undo all that Adam had
Justin and Irenaeus represented.
three men who could meaningfully be bundled together in this way with
done. The fall of creation was thus ‘recapitulated’ or transformed in the
Important among this group of
a consistent approach to biblical
uplift of redemption, and humanity
challengers was Theodore of
interpretation and theology: Theodore
finally entered into God’s original
Mopsuestia (c.350–428), who
and his teacher, Diodore of Tarsus,
plan for it: sharing his own glory in
is sometimes referred to as ‘the
along with Theodore’s most famous
union with Christ. This is a history of
Interpreter.’ Going quite dramatically
student, Nestorius.7
salvation and a biblical theology that
against the flow, Theodore argued
is to, from, and for Jesus.4
that the Old and New Testaments
What’s vital for us to note is that their
were separate bodies of literature
non-Messianic approach the Bible
Patristics scholar John McGuckin
from different sources: one Jewish and
sprang from their theology of the
summarises all this well, speaking of
one Christian. For example, Theodore
person of Christ. It went like this: Jesus
the wider tradition of interpretation
said that the Psalms ought not to
was just a man. He wasn’t even born
among the fathers.
be understood in a Messianic way,
when the Psalmist was writing, so the
but should generally be understood
Psalms can’t be about him. Theodore
‘The patristic writers… regard the
as relating to the various kings of
believed the Lord was divine—
text as a continuous narrative of the
Israel. He believed only a handful of
Theodore wasn’t an Arian—but he
Logos himself. It was the Word who
the Psalms had any Christological
argued that we ought to distinguish
spoke through all the prophets, the
interpretation.6 To understand the
carefully between Jesus the man and
Word who inspired the psalms, the
Psalms, Theodore would have you
God the Son. The two were united
Word who appeared to Abraham,
leaf through the books of Samuel,
in appearing as one person because
Moses, and Jacob, and so on. In every
Kings, and Chronicles to place the
God the Son had ‘assumed’ the man
instance the text (be it Old or New
Psalms somewhere in the history
Jesus, forming a kind of partnership or
Testament) relates to the Logos’
of Israel and her kings. There you’d
co-operation.
revelation of God, whether in the life
have your answers! Justin and
of the Trinity or the earthly economy
Irenaeus wouldn’t have disagreed
In seeming to divide Christ into two
of salvation… This thoroughgoing
with that at all, but they’d also look
persons, Theodore’s theology also
christocentricity, and the different
at Peter’s Pentecost sermon in Acts
began to pull apart the biblical picture
understanding of historical reality,
2. They’d want to follow his lead in
of salvation. Jesus of Nazareth,
marks off their exegesis from
understanding the Psalms primarily
empowered by God the Son, became
contemporary interpreters…’5
in the light of the life, death, and
not the Saviour, but a uniquely grace-
resurrection of Jesus. Jesus was the
filled example of the true Christian
For the fathers, Scripture was a single
central theme of the Bible in their
life to be copied. A trailblazer we
book, written by a single author, with
minds in a way he simply wasn’t for
could follow.8 This Christology,
a single theme.
Theodore.
known as ‘Nestorianism’ (because
Who is Jesus?
Theodore and his friends are
roundly rejected by the church and
sometimes slightly misleadingly
condemned over successive councils.
The theological convictions behind
called the ‘Antiochene School’ of
The orthodox bishops and pastors
the early church’s reading of Scripture
patristic theology, which suggests a
saw that Diodore, Theodore, and
were perhaps best shown when,
rather grand sounding and esteemed
Nestorius had a picture of Jesus
Theodore’s pupil popularised it) was
W W W.T H E O LO.G Y
RESEARCH
that had begun to poison both their
If, as Theodore and Nestorius thought,
understanding of salvation, and of
Jesus the man only shows up part-
Scripture. If Jesus of Nazareth, born
way through history to announce
of Mary, was anything other than
something entirely new in the story
God himself come down to save us,
of redemption, he’s hardly relevant to
he could never be the central theme
the Old Testament and not truly the
of the whole Bible and its story of
theme of all Scripture. But if Jesus is
redemption. It was all intertwined.
the God of creation, Israel, and the
One Christ, One Bible
prophets enfleshed, revealing himself and redeeming us, then the whole of Scripture cannot but revolve around
The razor-sharp Cyril of Alexandria (376–¬444) led the charge in dealing with Nestorianism. Cyril wanted to be clear that unless Jesus was none
him.
Endnotes [1] Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 56. [2] Dial., 56 [3] Dial., 75 [4] See Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 3. [5] John McGuckin, St Cyril of Alexandria and the Christological Controversy, p. 190. [6] Probably Psalms 2, 6, 16, 68, and (perhaps) 54. See, for example, J. Behr, The Case Against Diodore and Theodore, p. 35; Dudley Tyng ‘Theodore of Mopsuestia as an Interpreter of the Old Testament’, Journal of Biblical Literature 50 (1931): 298–303. [7] Donald Fairbairn, ‘Patristic Exegesis and Theology: The Cart and the Horse’, Westminster Theological Journal, vol. 69 (2007): 1–19. [8] Charles Gore famously remarked that the Nestorian Christ was a fitting Saviour for the Pelagian man. [9] Cyril of Alexandria, Introduction to Commentary on Isaiah, translated by Robert Charles Hill.
Christ in all the Scriptures
other than God the Son himself, personally our flesh and blood, then
Gnostics and Nestorians will fail to
there was no salvation for us. All
enjoy the true gospel because they
Cyril’s ammunition here came from
scatter apart the man Jesus, the story
his long years preaching, pastoring,
of the Bible, and the revelation of God.
and writing biblical commentaries
But if we go with Justin, Irenaeus,
as Alexandria’s archbishop. Leafing
and Cyril we’ll see the whole Bible
through his commentaries on Isaiah,
sparkling with the grand sweep of
John, or the Pentateuch, you quickly
God’s gracious redemption in Jesus.
spot the deep foundations of his
The fathers saw the connection
arguments against Nestorianism. He
between these things as worth
read Scripture as one book, all held
fighting for because it made a
together in Jesus the God-Man, and
difference to real Christian lives every
believed it must be read that way
day. It’s pastoral wisdom that we can
deliberately.
put into practice now.
‘Although the discourse of the holy
How will we go about opening the
prophets is always obscure, it is full of
Bible with a friend who doesn’t yet
hidden thoughts ready to deliver to us
believe? How will we give scriptural
the premonition of divine mysteries.
comfort to a church member who
Christ, in fact, himself is the fulfilment
is terminally ill? How do we sustain
of the Law and the prophets, as the
ourselves daily with the word of God?
Scripture says. Those who want to clarify such traces and the obscure
The answer is to look for Jesus in all
of thought need to apply themselves
the Scriptures.
with the eye of the mind and keen
__
understanding both the precision
Daniel Hames is Associate Director
of the facts and a development of a
of Union and lectures in systematic
spiritual interpretation.’9
theology.
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PUBLISHING
A Theology of Preaching Glen Scrivener It is often said that the real issue in
this Word of God is now preached
a preacher dare to speak the word
preaching is not ‘How to?’ but ‘How
in the church by preachers lawfully
of the LORD?’ What is the nature
can?’ How can a preacher stand
called, we believe that the very Word
of divine revelation such that this
before a congregation and dare to
of God is proclaimed and received by
is even possible? Once we have we
speak ‘In the name of the Father
the faithful.’ 1
addressed this we will find that the
and of the Son and of the Holy
‘How to?’ has been decisively and
Spirit’? The ‘How can?’ is by far the
Luther would agree:
more pressing question. And yet, in
“Tis a right excellent thing, that
the textbooks, at the conferences
every honest pastor’s and preacher’s
and in preaching groups it seems
mouth is Christ’s mouth, and his
the ‘How to?’ is the perennial
word and forgiveness is Christ’s word
concern. Notes or full script?
and forgiveness… For the office is not
Powerpoint or no? Topical sermons
the pastor’s or preacher’s but God’s;
or lectio continua? These questions
and the Word which he preacheth
abound. Even issues like ‘how to
is likewise not the pastor’s and
address the heart?’ or ‘how to
preacher’s but God’s.”
much more faithfully shaped.
2
preach wisdom literature?’ threaten to drown out proper theological
Or consider this from John Calvin:
reflection. All the while the ‘How
“When a man has climbed up into
can?’ question stands above our
the pulpit… it is [so] that God may
practice demanding an answer.
speak to us by the mouth of a man.” 3
Our silence on this issue could
The reformers viewed preaching as
simply reflect the pragmatic spirit
God’s own word proclaimed in His
of our age. We want to know what
name, by His power and with His
‘works’ so we can copy it. But I
authority. More to the point this is
suggest there is a deeper problem.
the bible’s own teaching, as we’ll
Fundamentally we have an
see. Proclamation of the word of
impoverished theology of revelation
Christ is not simply an explanation
which fails to appreciate what
and application of the Bible. It is
evangelicals from another age held
itself a divine encounter in which
dear – namely that God Himself
the Spirit again confronts the
addresses us in preaching.
hearers with the omnipotent force of God’s own Word.
Consider this classic statement of reformed faith from the Second
In the face of such an audacious
Helvetic Confession:
claim, the ‘How to?’ must be put on hold. This paper seeks a
‘The Preaching of the Word of God is
theology of revelation that is able
the Word of God. Wherefore when
to address the question ‘How can
W W W.T H E O LO.G Y
Encountering the Speaking God Let’s begin at the beginning. Our God is the Speaking God. The eternal life of Father, Son and Spirit has ever been an out-going, communicative life. Because our God simply is Trinity there has never been such a thing as a God who then comes to speech. Arius was wrong: there is not a God who then has a Word. God’s existence does not precede His expression. Rather God’s expression, His Word, is eternally constitutive of His life. God is always and eternally the Speaking God. To encounter His Word is not to be obstructed or distanced from a divine reality behind His disclosure. Rather to receive His Word is to be drawn into the depths of His eternal reality as the Speaking God. Revelation, as the unfolding of God’s own life in Word and Spirit, is not simply what He does. It is who He is. From the overflow of this communicative life came creation. Again, by His Word and through the Spirit, God brought all things
into being (Genesis 1; Psalm 33:6;
Matthew 10:40). From Father to Son,
Consider how the book of Acts
John 1:1-4). The universe exists in
from Son to His bride and so out into
describes the growth of the word.
correspondence to God’s Word. ‘God
the world the Spirit carries divine
said... and it was.’ This means that
revelation.
•
of the Word. The universe is His
Contemporary proclamation is not
•
congregation and, derivatively, His
simply the remembrance of past
herald (Psalm 19:1-6). Humanity, as
events or the recitation of ancient
the pinnacle of creation, is supremely
words. To proclaim this Word in the
called to appropriate God’s
power of this Spirit is to stand in
revelation. Our vocation, not simply
a stream of revelation which both
as Christians but as creatures, is to
preceded and produced the universe.
of the Lord spread widely and
receive the Word. And in receiving
Our words witnessing the Word
grew in power.
the Word we participate in the life of
have their source and authority in
the Speaking God.
the Speaking God who graciously
Where there is Scripture-consonant,
includes us in His ongoing life of self-
Spirit-empowered witness to Christ,
disclosure.
not only does the church grow - the
to be is to be an obedient hearer
What is more, He comes to participate in our life. In incarnation, the Word comes not simply to
Acts 6:7: And the word of God continued to increase
The Word of God
man or even just in man, but as
Acts 12:24: But the word of God increased and multiplied.
•
Acts 13:49: The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.
•
Acts 19:20: In this way the word
word grows. And it is God’s word, His presence and power attending and enlivening it.
man. God’s revelation could not be
In saying all this, it should be made
louder or clearer. The Word, Jesus
clear that the Bible has a vital role.
Consider also these verses from the
Christ, reveals His Father through
The law and the prophets proclaim
epistles:
His words and actions (e.g. John
the gospel of the Son in advance – a
‘…when you received the word of
14:5-11). Both these words and
gospel which was ‘according to the
God, which you heard from us, you
actions were committed to Him by
Scriptures’. The apostles attest its
accepted it not as the word of men
the Father (e.g. John 5:19ff; 8:26,38;
finished truth and significance for the
but as what it really is, the word
10:37f; 15:15; 17:6,14). These words
global church. Both Old and New
of God, which is at work in you
were entrusted to the disciples and
Testaments are the Spirit’s perfect
believers.’ (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
these actions were witnessed and
and authoritative testimony to the
remembered by them, all through the
Son. This completed canon stands
‘You have been born again, not of
power of the Spirit (e.g John 16:12-
above the church as its infallible rule
perishable seed but of imperishable,
15). In the power of that same Spirit,
and the test for all its proclamation. It
through the living
these disciples proclaimed them to
is enduringly and entirely the word of
and abiding word of God; for “All flesh
the world (e.g. John 20:21-23; Acts
God written.
is like grass and all its glory like the
1:8). The world’s response to this
flower of grass. The grass withers,
witness is their response to Christ,
Yet, to be true to these same
and the flower falls, but
and their response to Christ is their
Scriptures, we must confess that the
the word of the Lord remains forever.”
response to the Father (e.g. John
title ‘God’s word’ does not simply
And this is the word that was
14:22-26).
apply to the Bible. Already we
evangelized to you. (1 Pet 1:23-25)
have seen how the Son is originally To put it another way, the Father
and definitively ‘the Word of God’.
‘Remember your leaders, those
Himself confronts us in the Person
But we can also identify a third
who spoke to you the word of God.’
of His Son and the Son Himself
sense in which it is right to use the
(Hebrews 13:7)
confronts us in the Spirit-empowered
phrase ‘word of God.’ The witness
words of His messengers (e.g.
of the church – a Scriptural, Spiritempowered, Christ-focused witness – can also be called ‘the word of God’.
UNION MAGAZINE
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PUBLISHING
So we see that the reformers did not
to notice my words let alone submit
Christ is proclaimed biblically there
overstate their claims. The preacher’s
to them as divinely authoritative. In
we can (and we must!) prayerfully
lips are speaking God’s living and
what context are my words to be
expect divine encounter.
active word! What does this mean?
heeded as God’s?
Recently I sat in a friend’s living
The first thing to say is that the
this context is not an institutional
room on a Tuesday afternoon. There
initiative lies entirely in the hands
or situational context. It is not
were about ten teenagers present
of the Speaking God. No human
God’s word because it is Sunday,
and we had John chapter 20 open
technique conjures Christ into the
this is a pulpit, and the preacher is
on our laps. I looked them in the eye
upper room. Equally no locked doors
ordained. The context I am putting
and told them that the risen Christ
can keep Him out! Revelation is
forward could apply to any number
had entered this living room and
always grace. So then, perhaps we
of situations – a bible study, a drink
was confronting each one of us in
should rephrase our question. Not,
with friends, a greeting card, even
a way more blessed than Thomas’s
How can we bring God’s word down?
a text message. We can speak
own encounter (this is the clear
But, How is it that God chooses to
words of immeasurable comfort to
implication of verses 29-31). I called
speak through our human words of
one another in a thousand different
on them all to confess Christ as their
witness?
situations. Yet the focus of this
Before we go on, you will notice that
paper will be on preaching to the
own Lord and God to receive the life that was on offer. Now, here’s the
Here is my central conviction:
congregation gathered around
question. If they refused to do so, had
At God’s initiative, preaching is God’s
word and sacrament by those the
they merely disobeyed me? Had they
own word when Christ is proclaimed
Second Helvetic Confession referred
merely disobeyed Glen Scrivener the
according to the Scriptures.
to as ‘lawfully called’. It is not that
preacher? No, to refuse my words
This draws together the three senses
genuine proclamation only occurs in
in this context is to refuse Christ
in which we have spoken of the
the Sunday sermon or only from the
Himself.
‘word of God’: Christ, Scripture and
lips of the ordained. Not at all. But
proclamation.
there especially we are to prayerfully
When are the preacher’s words God’s? Here is a vital question. What is the context in which such feeble and faltering human words carry divine authority? I rarely expect teenagers
expect the voice of the living Christ. This is the key context. And we must be wise to perceive when this context
In the rest of this paper I will just
holds. We still listen as Bereans to
tease out some implications of this
discern its biblical character (Acts
central conviction:
17:11). We still ‘test the spirits’ to discern its Christ-focus (1 John 4:1-3). If proclamation fails these tests it fails to be proclamation. Yet where
W W W.T H E O LO.G Y
Christ must be proclaimed biblically. We proclaim Him (Colossians 1:28). The point of the sermon is not to inspire certain feelings, to convey certain doctrines, to enjoin certain ethics, to dissect certain passages. The point of the proclaimed word is precisely the point of the written word – to witness the eternal Word (See John 5:36-47). We don’t preach Luke or Ecclesiastes. We preach Christ from Luke or Ecclesiastes. Perhaps the Lord’s Supper provides a helpful analogy (it too is proclamation – 1 Cor 11:26). Just as the point of communion is the receiving of Christ by faith, so the point of the sermon is the same. He is as vital for sinners as bread to the famished. He is as available to sinners as the bread on the table. And in preaching, as in the sacraments, He is handed over to sinners for their nourishment. Where Christ is received by faith, proclamation has done its work. Where Christ is not graciously held out to the congregation the preacher has spoken in vain and the people go hungry.
What does this mean for the
us. The Word is being applied to our
‘application’ of the sermon?
hearts in lively, surprising, evocative, nourishing ways to the end that He
Often ‘application’ is taken to mean
might be trusted. We hear in order to
distilling the text into timeless
believe (Rom 10:14). This is the work
doctrinal propositions to be turned
of God – faith (John 6:29). The work
into contemporary moral injunctions.
of God for which the preacher aims is
Application on this understanding
not so much what the congregation
is a discrete portion of the sermon.
will do on Monday morning having
Once the preacher is done explaining,
been inspired by the word. The work
then come exhortations about our
of God is what God Himself does to
practical response. Usually the
the congregation right there in the
application is something along
Sunday sermon.
the lines of ‘read your bible, pray, evangelize.’ Occasionally it’s ‘Give
Application then is the Spirit’s work
money, cut out the porn, volunteer
in driving home the Christ whom
more.’
we proclaim. It is a work which we cannot perform as preachers but to
Now besides being a suspect view of
which we are called nonetheless. In
sanctification, this betrays a deficient
prayerful dependence we follow the
view of revelation. Here the bible is
way of witness in the Scriptures as
‘God’s instruction manual for life.’
they point to Christ. And we point,
The preacher is the expert coach.
too. With excitement, with passion,
And Christ? Where is Christ on this
with entreaty. And we say as Moses
understanding?
did regarding the bronze serpent: Look and live!
On the analogy with communion, such preaching is like the minister
Christ must be proclaimed biblically.
pressing into our hands not bread
Hopefully it is not a new thought
but a ‘To do’ list. We leave the
that Christ is the Word of God.
communion rail (or rise from the
Perhaps, though, it is a new thought
sermon) not so much savouring
to consider preaching as the word
Christ as resolving to improve. Not
of God. Therefore some may wonder
glorying in His work but plotting our
whether we have lost the vital
own.
importance of Scripture as the word of God.
But what if we took to heart the theology of revelation outlined here?
Absolutely not. Without Scripture we
In that case application would be
have no Christ. Without Scripture we
by the pointed driving home of the
have no preaching. Yet here is the
gospel. On this model, application is
irony. When the preacher is viewed
not what we must do on account of
simply as ‘explainer and applier’ of
the word. Rather, application is what
God’s word (the Bible), this results in
the word itself is doing to us and in
a lower view of Scripture.
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PUBLISHING
If preaching is simply explanation
In all this we communicate the idea
Christ must be proclaimed biblically.
and application of the bible then
that the bible is actually obscure,
Nothing has been said yet about the
it’s difficult to avoid the impression
boring, weak, vague and disjointed.
character of the preacher. This has
that the Bible stands in need of
So then the preacher’s task is making
been deliberate. It’s not the character
our interpretive and psychological
the obscure clear; making the ancient
of the preacher but the character of
expertise: the Bible needs explaining
relevant; enlivening the dead letter;
the word that is determinative. It’s
as an obscure text and it needs
making pointed application where we
not ultimately the skills, gifts or even
applying as a distant text. On this
find the bible too vague and providing
godliness of the preacher that will
understanding preaching either
cohesion to the disjoined Scriptures –
bring the word home to hearers. The
doubts or dilutes the authority
bringing things back to ‘the gospel’ or
Second Helvetic Confession continues
of the Bible. It doubts it if the
‘the kingdom’ or ‘the cross’ etc. Yet the
its article on preaching by saying...
preacher ‘comes between’ word and
bible is already perspicuous, already
... the Word itself which is preached is
congregation as the word’s helper.
living and active, already a persuasive
to be regarded, not the minister that
It dilutes it if the preacher ‘comes
word, already a pointed (application-
preaches; for even if he be evil and a
between’ simply to pass on Scriptural
making) address, already a witness
sinner, nevertheless the Word of God
information. In either case we are left
to Christ.
remains still true and good.
preacher even attempt to offer words
Perhaps the greatest need for
Whatever we say about the
in addition to the written word? If, as
preachers today is to understand the
character, gifting or expertise of the
the reformers contended so fiercely,
significance of this ‘already.’ We think
preacher it must begin with these
the Bible is perspicuous, why should
of the bible as an obscure and distant
immovable indicatives. The preacher
the preacher take up thirty minutes of
text given to the individual believer
is, first, recipient (and a thoroughly
the service but the Bible reading only
for the sake of their personal morality.
unworthy recipient) of God’s
three? If all that can be called ‘word
On this understanding the preacher
overflowing revelation. We gratefully
of God’ exists in the Scriptures alone,
comes along merely to strengthen
hear this word, knowing its divine
how do we dare to embellish with
Scriptural admonishments to piety. Yet
source and character. Preachers
our own blessed thoughts?
the bible was not given for the prayer
though find themselves carried along
closet but the pulpit. The Scriptures
in the same movement to testify to
Here is the problem: if the preacher
are the Spirit’s living testimony to
this same Word that holds them
is reduced to a bible-expert we
the Son, addressed to the church
captive.
inadvertently reduce the bible to a
and intended for proclamation to the
difficult text. And simultaneously
world.
with this question: Why should the
Thus the preacher is never a person
the preacher is raised up to stand
capable of preaching. Really the true
in the gap. The ‘scholarly’ among
What then is the role of the preacher?
mark of the preacher is that they are
us will dissect and expose the text
We don’t ‘stand in the gap’. We
incapable of doing otherwise.
with expert exposition. The ‘dynamic’
stand in a stream. We don’t draw
among us will ‘enliven’ the Word
out the living waters. The Scriptures
‘If I say, “I will not mention him, or
with rhetorical flair, persuasive
overflow. Already the written word
speak any more in his name,’ there is
apologetics and well-aimed
has this out-going character. God’s
in my heart as it were a burning fire
application. However, in either case,
word cannot be chained (2 Tim 2:9).
shut up in my bones, and I am weary
whether as explainers or appliers,
Preaching is simply the expression
with holding it in, indeed I cannot.”
preachers become essential aids for
of the Scriptures’ own uncontainable
(Jeremiah 20:9)
a word that seems less than ‘living
witness.
and active.’
W W W.T H E O LO.G Y
Conclusion This paper has sought to provide an answer to the ‘How can?’ of preaching. Hopefully, along the way some of the ‘How to?’ has been addressed as well. Yet, in the end, a true understanding of preaching should always propel us to the most urgent question: ‘How can we not?’ ‘Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!’ (1 Cor 9:16);
“
‘The love of Christ controls us … Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us…’ (2 Cor 5:14-21)
‘Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak.’ (2 Cor 4:13) __
“
Glen Srivener is Director of Speak Life and teaches at Union School of Theology. Endnotes [1] www.ccel.org/creeds/helvetic.htm [2]Quoted in Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics¸ I/1, p107. [3]Sermon XXII on 1 Tim 3:2 “apt to teach”, quoted in THL Parker, Calvin’s Preaching, Westminster/John Knox, 1992, p24.
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S C H O O L O F T H E O LO GY
Student Interview David* Union’s Stephen Unwin spoke
wasn’t able to relocate again for
with David, a student on our MTh
studies, but because the MTh is
Programme in his first year.
delivered through a number of
Tell us about yourself. I’m originally from the US but for the last five years I’ve lived in the Balkans, primarily doing gospel work in a Muslim context. I studied for an MDiv in the past but over these last five years, I’ve felt the need to deepen my biblical and theological understanding, so this year I’ve started studying with UST on the MTh.
intensive teaching weeks on the campus I’ve been able to continue in the Balkans and simply visit the campus a few times each year. Studying like this has also impacted my ministry because I’ve been able to see how the studies practically fuel and shape ministry.
What has surprised you about studying at UST?
How have you found the teaching here? I’ve mentioned the warmth of the community and that really fosters the academic side of the programme. It’s evident that the lecturers are experts in their fields, that’s obvious not just from the books and papers they’ve published but also from the lecturers themselves. The teaching is very engaging and thought-provoking but also accessible. Lecturers encourage us as students to freely ask questions but also challenge
I perhaps shouldn’t have been
them on their own teaching and
surprised, but what’s continually
ideas. You very much feel that
struck me is the warmth of the
you are studying the scriptures or
community. Studying here isn’t
particular doctrines together with
The main thing that attracted
simply an opportunity to study
the lecturer as peers while also
me to UST was their emphasis on
the scriptures and understand
gaining from their wisdom and
serious academic study which is
theology and ministry better, it’s
insight.
done for the sake and benefit of
also an opportunity to be refreshed
the church. Initially I thought that
personally and spiritually. I’m used
was a really nice, positive thing
to the American academic style
to say, but I wondered if it would
where you address lecturers as
really be the case. Having studied
professors (even in a seminary!)
with Union for a year now I’ve been
and where there’s often a clear
excited to see that it’s actually true.
distinction between faculty and
Faculty and students take great
students, but here I’ve found
care over their academic studies
that you get to know lecturers
and teaching, but it’s clear that
as brothers and sisters in Christ
it’s all done to serve Christ and his
on a first name basis. It’s been
people.
so encouraging to not only learn
Why did you join UST as an MTh student?
from them as scholars, but also as A second, very practical thing that
friends in their homes and through
attracted me to the MTh was the
the daily worship and prayer
delivery format. Having moved to
meetings.
the Balkans for gospel ministry I
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What do you think you’ve gained from your time here so far? I’ve gained so much from the programme so far. To pinpoint a couple of things: I believe some people are called to serve the church in research and writing ministries and I’ve never been sure whether that’s for me or not. Being part of the community here while doing the MTh has been a helpful way to reflect on that possibility. As I expected it’s also equipping me in my current ministry,
*Surname removed for anonymity
Our School of Theology has 150 students in the UK and Europe this year. From BA to PhD, studying with Union will equip you to delight in God, grow in Christ, serve the church and bless the world.
and I can see how it’s forming me
personal Bible reading and spiritual
for future ministry too. It’s deepened
growth - I was hoping that would
my ability and understanding when
happen and I’m so thankful it has.
it comes to teaching and discipling
__
others. Most of all God has used the
David is studying on the MTh
programme to reinvigorate my own
programme at UST.
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Studying here isn’t simply an opportunity to study the scriptures and understand theology and ministry better, it’s also an opportunity to be refreshed personally and spiritually. 37
MISSION
Renewal in Liverpool Peter Gower The Lord began to ignite a passion in
Ebenezer Chapel, there is no other
towards the goal of revitalising
my heart for church planting during
evangelical church in that council
Ebenezer. This was partly funded
my time as an undergraduate law
ward, and no reformed Gospel
student, and then as a church intern
church in the wider Walton area at
by Union Mission partners, SaRang
in Durham. Especially church planting
all. Estimates are that less than 2%
in the many vastly under-reached
of people in the area regularly attend
parts of Northern England.
any church.
In 2012 I moved to Liverpool and
Ebenezer Chapel, planted in 1906,
joined Christ Church Liverpool, a
was once a thriving church. In the
of gospel partnership between local
church in the city centre with a vision
last few decades its membership has
churches like Christ Church and
to plant and revitalise churches
fallen from the hundreds to around
Cornerstone working together, with
across Merseyside. I spent 6 years
15, mostly elderly, congregants.
working for UCCF, training and
Without external help the church
the Lords help, for the renewal of
equipping university students in
was moving towards closure.
evangelism through Christian Unions.
Ebenezer first reached out to Christ
During this time, I met (and married!)
Church for help in 2012. After further
Rachel. After being appointed as
conversations with another church
an elder at Christ Church in 2016,
leader in Liverpool, I was invited to
we began to think more specifically
discussions around March 2018 to
about future ministry, and particularly
explore the possibility of leading a
began to think about church planting
team to revitalise the church.
or church revitalisation. After a few months of talking and “Estimates are that less than 2% of
praying, we decided to go for it.
people in the area regularly attend
Before meeting the leaders in March
any church”
2018, I barely knew anything about Walton. We felt no particular burden
We see a particular need for the
or call to the area other than seeing a
gospel in North Liverpool - one of
church in need of help, but we knew
the most economically deprived
it was an area in desperate need of
and under-reached areas of the
a vibrant gospel witness and we had
UK. It’s home to approximately
a conviction that we were willing to
250,000 people who live in different
go and do it with the Lord’s help if he
communities, most of whom have
wanted us to.
never really engaged with the gospel. One such community is Walton.
So, in September 2018 I joined the
Walton has a population of around
Christ Church staff team as our next
15,000 people and aside from
church planter to work specifically
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Church. I’m grateful to the Lord for the faith and generosity SaRang and Union Mission have shown in wanting to support this vision. It’s also been a wonderful expression
“ Ebenezer.
“As we have got to know members, we’ve seen more of the wonderful ways in which the Lord has been providentially at work to prepare the way and bring things together.”
“
Liverpool’s home to approximately 250,000 people who live in different communities, most of whom have never really engaged with the gospel.
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MISSION
My wife and I have begun attending
is that this springboard will enable
and we trust that he will do it as the
Ebenezer occasionally on Sundays
us to bring wider and deeper cultural
Word is proclaimed in the power of
to get to know members. We’ve
change as we seek to welcome
the Spirit.
been holding information evenings
visitors and make disciples in the area.
to explain to the existing members
On May 12th we will begin full-time,
why things are changing and what
As we prepare for Ebenezer, I’ve
and I will be appointed as the pastor
that will look like, and to give them
started on the MTh programme at
of the church. Lots will change on that
a vision for the future of the church.
Union School of Theology. I’d been
first Sunday, and so we will need a
As we have got to know members,
thinking about further theological
special measure of God’s kindness
we’ve seen more of the wonderful
training for a few years, having a
as we get started in those first few
ways in which the Lord has been
desire to be equipped for a lifetime
weeks. We anticipate the work will
providentially at work to prepare
of fruitful gospel ministry. I applied
be long-term, slow, and hard, but
the way and bring things together.
to Union to do the MTh and started
know that the harvest is plentiful. Our
We’ve met members who have been
in January. I particularly appreciated
prayer is that by revitalising Ebenezer
praying for people to come and help
the flexibility and breadth of options
and re-establishing another gospel
for many years, and a godly family
at Union, especially since I’ll be
church in North Liverpool, we might
have recently joined the church
balancing it with pastoring Ebenezer.
partner with other gospel churches in
hoping to be part of seeing the
But the thing I most appreciated
the area in an effort to see even more
church revitalised - they have been a
about Union is its emphasis on
churches planted and revitalized.
great encouragement to us as we’ve
forming healthy, humble, godly
discussed and planned changes for
leaders who are delighted in Jesus. I
Please join us in giving thanks for the
the future. We’ve also seen the way
know that in the stresses and strains
witness of the church in Walton for
in which God has been graciously at
of pastoral ministry it’s easy to lose
many years and join us in earnest
work to humble both parties as we
sight of that, and I love that my time
prayer that the Lord would bring new
prepare to work together.
at Union keeps me coming back to
life to a dying church, for the sake of
that.
the lost, and for the glory of his name __
There are some particular challenges that come with revitalisation: for many
One of my chief tasks to prepare
Peter Gower is leading a church
of the more elderly members, change
has been pulling together a team
revitalisation project in North Liverpool
is a diffcult and painful process,
of gospel-hearted people willing to
and is studying on the MTh at UST.
involving loss and grief. Bringing
move with us in this exciting project.
change in a sensitive, clear and
For most this also involves moving
honouring way is often more diffcult
house into a completely new area of
than starting something new - yet
the city. We now have a core team
there is much grace and beauty in it,
made up of 12 adults, 4 children (with
particularly in seeing older believers
2 more on the way!), and 3 teenagers
get excited about reaching their
which we praise God for! We’re all
community once again. Our initial
excited to see what the Lord might do,
focus will be on changing Sunday
but also conscious of the challenges
mornings to be a place for preaching,
that face us. But we know that God’s
for family, and community. My prayer
speciality is bringing life from death,
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“The thing I most appreciated about Union is its emphasis on forming healthy, humble, godly leaders who are delighted in Jesus”
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Bringing change in a sensitive, clear and honouring way is often more difficult than starting something new - yet there is much grace and beauty in it.
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Preaching for Pastors 27th November 2019 Don’t forget to book your place at www.preachingforpastors.org
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