Originally given as a Moore College Women’s Chapel preachers’ training seminar.

Outline

The easiest and the hardest biblical books to preach

• Why the easiest?
• Why the hardest?

Our modern audiences: encouraging and challenging

• The preacher
• The self-satisfied social conservatives
• The social revolutionaries
• Jesus needs to be central

Situation matters, but situation is not king

• 1 Timothy: against false teaching that emphasises words and spirituality rather than this-world present-day on-the-ground morality
• 2 Timothy: persecution and opposition
• Titus: how to establish ministry in a new and morally dubious situation
• But don’t let your view of situation override the text

Always remember Jesus Christ (avoid moralism)

• Jesus is everywhere
• The temptation towards moralism
• “How and why is Jesus Christ the reason here?”

Don’t be lazy in your application

• Mistake 1: Apply every word as if our situation is exactly the same as the original hearers
• Mistake 2: Make everything a matter of abstract “principle” so that none of the details apply to us
• Mistake 3: Neglect application to specific situations of the people in your audience

Apologetics is your servant, not your goal

• Apologetics is the wrong goal
• Apologetics is a good servant