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I Can't Wait

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by swaimj, Jul 29, 2003.

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  1. swaimj

    swaimj <img src=/swaimj.gif>

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    Recently I joined a church in inner city Philadelphia. Tomorrow night (Wednesday) I am starting a series preaching through the book of James. Being able to preach through books is a long-time dream of mine & I'm thrilled with the opportunity!
     
    #1 swaimj, Jul 29, 2003
  2. MissAbbyIFBaptist

    MissAbbyIFBaptist <img src=/3374.jpg>

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    Well wonderful! Praise the Lord!
    ~Miss Abby
     
    #2 MissAbbyIFBaptist, Jul 29, 2003
  3. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Are you still in seminary out in Lansdale or is this the first post-school ministry?

    p.s. Will be praying. What an awesome step of faith!
     
    #3 Dr. Bob, Jul 30, 2003
  4. Iakobos

    Iakobos Member

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    James is a great book to preach through. I myself am in the middle of doing the same thing for my Sunday AM services.

    If you are looking for any resources, I would highly recommend James: Faith That Works by R. Kent Hughes.

    The second chapter is one of my favorite pieces of Scripture. Faith without deeds is a challenging topic to preach through, but it is well-received (at least it's been when I have preached it).

    Good luck, and I'll be praying for you! [​IMG]
     
    #4 Iakobos, Jul 30, 2003
  5. swaimj

    swaimj <img src=/swaimj.gif>

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    Thanks to all for the encouraging words!

    Dr. Bob, I did finish seminary in May and this is my first post-seminary ministry. Prospects look good for becoming an assistant pastor there down the road.

    Iakobos, now I can tell the congregation that I got a personal note from "James" today. :D I haven't seen Hughes commentary but I'll make a point to check it out.

    God bless as you go through James. I'm already puzzling over the "prayer of faith shall save the sick" verse. If you have some insight or know of a commentary which handles it well, I'd appreciate the tip.
     
    #5 swaimj, Jul 30, 2003
  6. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    Don’t know of a commentary off hand, but something a preacher said many years ago about that verse has stuck with me…

    The “prayer of faith” is not referring to the faith of the person who is sick, but the faith of those who are ministering to him and praying for him. Some “faith healers” like to stress that if someone doesn’t get healed when they pray for them to be healed, it is because the sick person doesn’t have enough faith. This verse in James would contradict that idea and place “the blame” (as if there is blame to be handed out if God decides not to heal :rolleyes: ) on the “faith healer”.

    Certainly, Jesus tied the faith of those who were sick and their healings together, but James helps to clarify the issue.
     
    #6 Baptist Believer, Jul 31, 2003
  7. HeDied4U

    HeDied4U Well-Known Member
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    The pastor of a church I attended awhile back preached through the book of James. He got "only" 8 sermons out of it, but like he said, "There is much gold to be mined from the book of James."

    Good luck and may God bless your teachings!!

    Adam [​IMG]
     
    #7 HeDied4U, Aug 11, 2003
  8. Sherrie

    Sherrie New Member

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    swaimj....how are things going with what you are doing? I am still lifting you up!

    God Bless
    Sherrie
     
    #8 Sherrie, Aug 11, 2003
  9. USN2Pulpit

    USN2Pulpit New Member

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    Here's an "oh-by-the-way." I'm also preaching through James, and will preaching the last half of Chapter 1 on Sunday! It is a great letter!
     
    #9 USN2Pulpit, Aug 12, 2003
  10. swaimj

    swaimj <img src=/swaimj.gif>

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    Thanks Sherrie for your prayers. A special word of thanks to "Deacon" who is a member of a church in another part of Philly and attended last week. It was a pleasure to meet him.

    USN2..., hey, I will be preaching on the second half of chapter 1 on Wednesday night, so we are right together. I have been studying and meditating on the passage & plan to sit down tonite and put my outline on paper.

    BTW, last Wed night I was delayed in leaving my job and getting to church. I sell cars and had a customer show up late. As a result, I arrived at church late and did not have time to stop at the local library and print my sermon outline. Consequently, I got a crash course in preaching without notes! The Lord brought everything to my memory, though I fear that I lack the faith to try preaching without notes on purpose! [​IMG]

    Thanks again to all for the encouraging words!
     
    #10 swaimj, Aug 12, 2003
  11. Pastor Larry

    Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
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    How in the world do you preach through James in 8 messages??? Or even preach a half a chapter at a time??? When I preached through James on Sunday mornings, I preached 30 or 32 messages. I can't remember exactly and I have already archived that folder off my HD. I like to take shorter texts and chew on them for a bit ... Right now I am on my 15th message in teh book of Titus and there will be probably 3 more. 1 Thessalonians and 1 John were both about 35 or 36 messages.
     
    #11 Pastor Larry, Aug 12, 2003
  12. Iakobos

    Iakobos Member

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    That reminds me of a situation I had a couple of months ago: I write all my sermon notes on my laptop, and we had some bad storms out this way that knocked out power for a few days over the weekend. Unfortunately, my laptop battery couldn't hold a charge so I couldn't power up the thing to use at the pulpit! I ended up preaching with no notes, no power, and no air conditioning! And it was Mother's Day!

    Good to hear you're enjoying your walk through James' letter. I just finished the 3rd chapter this past Sunday. [​IMG]
     
    #12 Iakobos, Aug 12, 2003
  13. swaimj

    swaimj <img src=/swaimj.gif>

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    I think I'll be through in 12 weeks. Why? The pastor said "Take a quarter and preach through James". I'm just doing what I was told! I could see going much more slowly, but sometimes I think people need a quicker trip through so that they catch the flow of the book. Preaching through larger blocks of the text keeps me to the flow of the text itself and helps keep me from chasing rabbits.
     
    #13 swaimj, Aug 12, 2003
  14. swaimj

    swaimj <img src=/swaimj.gif>

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    Well, too late to edit my last post, so let me add this. Chapter 1 of James really does contain three paragraphs. Verse 1 is an independent thought. Verses 2-12 are a complete unit of thought. Verse 13 through the end of the chapter is a complete unit of thought. I structured three sermons from this chapter on the three thought-units contained within. I think this method shows the audience the units of thought and helps them understand James' argument and apply it. To me, that's the definition of expository preaching.
     
    #14 swaimj, Aug 12, 2003
  15. Roy1

    Roy1 New Member

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    swaimj, have a great time doing it. I am sure if you have the opportunity to preach it over a longer period in the future you will wonder how on earth you did it so quickly before.

    I am currently preaching through Revelation. It has taken 4 years and nine months so far (many rabbit trails) :eek: and I just started chapter 21.

    Roy. [​IMG]
     
    #15 Roy1, Sep 22, 2003
  16. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    Unfortunately, my laptop battery couldn't hold a charge so I couldn't power up the thing to use at the pulpit!
    ________________________________________

    You take a computer into the pulpit????? Some people have fits when a preacher exposes his notes!!!

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
    #16 Jim1999, Sep 22, 2003
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