Daniel Im

Pastor + Author

sermons

Top Quotes on Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today by John Stott

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Of all the books on preaching out there, this is my favourite one.

Published in 1982 by John Stott (1921-2011) who was a pastor to pastors, theologian, integral to the Lausanne Movement, and the author of more than 50 books, this book is an oldie, but definitely a goodie.

At Beulah, I bring all of our preacher’s together (current and aspiring) four times a year for our Preacher’s Learning Community. Between Two Worlds by John Stott is required reading as it’s comprehensive in the theology, art, craft, and calling of preaching.

In my opinion, here are the top quotes from this classic. Enjoy!

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The Fear of Not Having Enough

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In this last year, were you ever afraid that you wouldn’t have enough?

Or were you ever afraid of losing your job and not being able to provide? Or perhaps you did lose your job…and you’ve been struggling with the fear of failure.

When Jesus teaches us to pray “give us today our daily bread,” he’s not just talking about bread. He’s actually addressing fears that are deep within us, like the fear of not having enough.

Here’s a message I preached at my church on this very tension by digging deep into one line in the Lord’s Prayer. I pray that you’re encouraged and blessed by this.

https://youtu.be/lbk8erc2lK4?t=2521

How to Live When You’re in Transition

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If you feel like you’re living in the middle, you’re not alone.

Are you in transition? Are you living in between one thing and another? If so, then beware! Because when we’re living in the middle, we often forget the past, turn inward, and drift off course.

Here’s a message I preached at my church on living in the middle by examining how God’s people have historically navigated this tension.

https://youtu.be/qQqQ7EcpMWQ?t=2042

God Will Never Give You More Than You Can Handle?!

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Did God really say that he will never give us more than what we can handle?

Are trials punishment from God? What’s the role of endurance and the testing of our faith? Is it more about our ability to do things or God’s ability to do things through us?

Here’s a message I preached at my church debunking this very myth, “God will never give you more than you can handle.”

https://youtu.be/Gb736rpV4nM?t=1847

3 Ways to Normalize Bible Reading

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Growing up, my favorite sermons were the ones where the preacher would get into the Greek or Hebrew and explain to us common folk what the Scriptures really meant.

In the Greek, this word is translated, pistis, and it means…

In the Hebrew, this word is translated as hesed, and it means..

Those were the moments where I felt like I was being fed “meat,” rather than “milk.” Those were the moments when my ears perked up. Those were the moments that made the sermon worth it…since I couldn’t get that sort of insight on my own. Reading the Scriptures in the “simpleton language” of English just didn’t cut it. Unless I knew the Greek or the Hebrew, I could never attain the level of depth in my relationship with God that my pastor had.

How did that last paragraph make you feel? Did something feel off to you?

In my pastor’s pursuit to be exegetically sound, and to provide “meat,” depth, and insight into the Scriptures, he unintentionally made the Scriptures inaccessible to the congregation.

Without verbally saying it aloud, he was basically saying that the English language wasn’t adequate to understand the true intent of the Scriptures. In his desire to be helpful and shepherd us toward spiritual growth, he was actually going against the point of the Reformation—to make the Scriptures accessible to all.

The point the Reformation? To make the Scriptures accessible to all.

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Ouch.

Who else is guilty of this? As a pastor myself, I know I am…

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