"I think sermons suffer greatly for lack of ambiguity." (Eugene Peterson)

He said this in passing during a conference and was referring to the pressure we as preachers feel to constantly tell people what to do. He didn't elaborate much other than to say "we want to tell people to much."

In context, he was talking about application not interpretation proper. His point, I think, is that we try to make our application so precise. We "spoon-feed" people a list of three points to implement in their life rather than leaving room for the Spirit to give them personal application and training them to wrestle with the Lord personally about how they need to respond.

I think suggesting applications for people is helpful, but Peterson's point is an interesting thought.

expedient diversity

Gabe Lyons, in his blog post To Cade and the Eight Percent, offers this stinging indictment on our public efforts at diversity:

"We embrace differences when they fall within our market-driven, politically correct framework but rarely when they disrupt our status quo."

It is no question that diversity/inclusivity is one of the core values of our emerging generation. However, in his post, Lyons is specifically questioning whether or not this "en vogue" diversity has room for inconvenient people, like children with Down Syndrome. It's a great, thought-provoking article and I encourage you to read it.

I don't want to hijack his article because his primary concern that "people with down syndrome have been targeted for extinction" is one that warrants serious consideration. But, his criticism struck me more broadly and made me think about my own commitment to diversity as well as that of the Church.

I am passionate about allowing the Spirit, through the gospel, to expose, evaluate, and exterminate the idolatrous allegiances we have to "our people" that seem to so often trump unity in Christ. I am passionate about seeing the Church embody the kind of diversity that characterized the first century church and in some ways legitimized their witness to the supernatural power of the gospel (See John 13:35; 17:20-21 in the context of what would on a global and in some cases local level become an incredibly diverse church of slaves, freeman, Jews, Gentiles, Samaritans, men, women, Italians, Africans, etc).

And yet, have I...have we...limited our categories of diversity to what in the end amounts to be "cool", convenient, and pretty superficial?

Ethnic diversity yet economic/educational homogeneity? Aggressively making room for different races yet indifferent toward, at best tolerant of, those with mental and physical limitations?

Don't have an answer. Just reflecting. None of the above is easy and every sincere effort in any above category is at least good start. But it's definitely making me think.

how to preach a one-time message

When invited somewhere as a guest preacher, Ed Stetzer says, "deciding what to preach or how to preach can be a challenge, especially if the pastor is young and doesn't have a handy sermon stashed away in his back pocket..."

Here is a helpful article he wrote to aid preachers in preparing one-time messages.