Strategic Planning & Foolishness

“We depend on plans, programs, vision statements—but somewhere along the way we have succumbed to the temptation to displace the foolishness of the cross with the wisdom of strategic planning.”

-- D.A. Carson, quoted by Michael Haykin

Don't You Understand?

We would think someone crazy if they told us that they were hearing voices in their head. "The Bible says that people who don't have the Holy Spirit (the divine receiver that helps us understand and apply to our lives the truth of Scripture) think that our way of life is foolish and strange."

-- Lou Priolo, Pleasing People, p.89

Our Need for the Spirit

The gospel is preached in the ears of all; it only comes with power to some. The power that is in the gospel does not lie in the eloquence of the preacher; otherwise men would be the converters of souls. Nor does it lie in the preacher's learning; otherwise it would consist in the wisdom of men. We might preach till our tongues rotted, till we should exhaust our lungs and die, but never a soul would be converted unless there were a mysterious power going with it -- the Holy Ghost changing the will of man. Oh Sirs! We might as preach to stone walls as preach to humanity unless the Holy Ghost be with the Word, to give it power to convert the soul.H

-- Charles Spuregon, quoted by Greg Heisler, Spirit-Led Preaching, p.126

Ministering in the Spirit

One reason so much of what is done in the name of the Holy Spirit today is not of the Spirit is because Jesus is never mentioned or glorified. That contradicts Jesus' teaching and should warn us as preachers that our sermons must be Christ centered and redemptive in their focus, or the Spirit's power will have nothing to do with them.

-- Greg Heisler, Spirit-Led Preaching, p.57

The Cost of Neglecting Illumination

Preachers who respond to the Spirit's insights into God's Word and who faithfully proclaim God's message can expect to receive more of the Spirit's light. Present obedience to illumination procures future illumination. The opposite is also true: If you do not respond to the Spirit's illumination because sin has darkened your heart, then less light is given. So do not neglect the light the Spirit gives you.

-- Greg Heisler, Spirit-Led Preaching, p.50

The Holy Spirit in Preaching

Ten Ways the Holy Spirit is at Work in Preaching

1. The Spirit's inspiration of the biblical text
2. The conversion of the preacher to faith in Jesus Christ
3. The call of the preacher to preach the Word
4. The character of the preacher to live the Word
5. The illumination of the preacher's heart and mind in study
6. The empowerment of the preacher in proclaiming the Word
7. The testimony of Jesus Christ as Lord and mediator
8. The opening of the hearts of those who hear and receive the Word
9. The application of the Word of God to the listeners' lives
10. The production of lasting fruit displayed in the lives of Spirit-filled believers
    

-- Greg Heisler, Spirit-Led Preaching, 4.

Deadened Churches

A.W. Tozer surmised that if God decided to take the Holy Spirit out of the church, the church after twenty-five years would still be doing the same thing and not even notice the difference!

-- Greg Heisler, Spirit-Led Preaching, p.xii.

In Need of the Spirit

If we are not instructed, how can we instruct? If we have not thought, how shall we lead others to think? It is . . . when we are alone with the Book before us, that we need the help of the Holy Spirit.

-- Charles Spurgeon, quoted by Walter Kaiser, Toward an Exegetical Theology, p.238