Regarding John Calvin's aim in preaching:
"He was a man who preached not himself, but the Word of God (2 Tim. 4:1-2). According to Parker, Calvin "had a horror of those who preached their own ideas in place of the gospel of the Bbile: 'When we enter the pulpit, it is not so that we may bring our own dreams and fancies with us.'" Calvin was not concerned with offering to his congregation the quaint meditations of his own heart. Although it has become popular in many churches for the pastor to strive to "pour out his heart" to his congregation, such was not Calvin's aim in his preaching, for he had offered his heart to God alone. As a result, Calvin did not think it was profitable to share the ever-changing passions of his own heart, but to proclaim the heart of God in His never-changing Word. Calvin was not concerned that his congregants behold him but that they behold the Lord...Such was Calvin's aim in his preaching and in all his life."
-Burk Parsons, John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology, pp. 7-8.
1 comment:
I wish that we can invite him to come and speak at Christ Baptist Church of Wilson. I know that he had gone home with the Lord! I would love to hear him. I know that I will have to read more about him and learn from him too.
You can be just like John Calvin and continue to put Christ and preaching His Word first.
Hungry to eat His Word,
'Guerite ~ BoldLion
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