Tag Archives: Fleming Rutledge

Eerdmans Kindle Sale

Publisher W.B. Eerdmans is currently offering the Kindle version of many of their bestsellers for between $2 and $4.  If you don’t mind reading a book on a screen, it could be a great time to build up your library and add some titles to your COVID reading list.  Here are some of the titles on sale that I would recommend (in no particular order): Continue reading Eerdmans Kindle Sale

Powerful Preaching: Fleming Rutledge’s Parchman Lectures

Fleming Rutledge recently delivered the Parchman Lectures at Truett Divinity School located at Baylor University on the theme “By the Word Worked: The Unique Power of Biblical Preaching.”  I recently had the opportunity to watch the first two lectures which are available for public viewing through the Parchman Lectures Media Library.

In the second half of the first lecture, Rutledge incisively identified four trends that weaken the power of contemporary preaching, before positing five counter-affirmations about the power of the preached word.  In what follows, I’ll attempt to summarize her important observations, in the hope of encouraging interested readers to watch the lecture itself. Continue reading Powerful Preaching: Fleming Rutledge’s Parchman Lectures

The Church Lives in Advent

“The church lives in Advent. That is to say, the church lives between two advents, Jesus Christ has come; Jesus Christ will come. We do not know the day or the hour. If you find this tension almost unbearable at times, then you understand the Christian life. We live at what the New Testament depicts as the turning of the ages.  In Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God is in head-on collision with the powers of darkness. The point of impact is the place where Christians take their stand. Continue reading The Church Lives in Advent

Christianity Is Not for Sissies

“The church can’t survive on sentiment and nostalgia.  If we try to do that, we will wake up at midnight and discover that our lamps are going out.  Sentiment, nostalgia, optimism: these are weak, thin fuels.  We need premium oil for our lamps if we are to keep the light of the church burning in the time of trial.  Christianity is not for sissies.  Continue reading Christianity Is Not for Sissies

Fleming Rutledge and Clint Eastwood on Contemporary Christian Music

When Fleming Rutledge and Clint Eastwood are in agreement about something then you have to stop and listen!  Of course, it’s not the real Clint Eastwood, but it was hard to resist quoting Fleming Rutledge in juxtaposition to the latest Lutheran Satire video which features Clint Eastwood reading the lyrics of contemporary praise songs. Continue reading Fleming Rutledge and Clint Eastwood on Contemporary Christian Music