Sublime

Biblical personal ministry is rooted in the story of a war and a Savior King.

His library was surprisingly wide-ranging, flowing from his belief that a teacher of the Bible should never stop learning. For all his fire and persistent stubborn streak, he had spent a lifetime building a team of genuine partners rather than yes-men.

The authority of community, both in the present tense and across time (tradition), is a guardrail that keeps individuals from veering into heresy.

When we scratch a little deeper, we quickly recognize that the power of the professional office of pastor rests not in a divine order or a disciplined will (bound to education) but solely in the strength of the institution.

When there is little direct connection to divine action, and no vision for something bigger, the pastor is left wondering

When preachers perceive the power that the Word holds, confidence in their calling grows even as pride in their performance withers.

But the pastor can, as a primary element of his vocation, help his people be open to God arriving, even in his immanent frame.

He retired the belief that it was the pastor’s duty, particularly in the sermon, to prod the people into obedience. “Henry realized [that] the point was not to outline ‘correct’ doctrine but to motivate the audience psychologically.”18