Ministry – Page 11 – John Markum

Dead Right

Posted on July 16, 2011 by johnmarkum

Have you heard the expression of being “dead wrong?” Dead wrong is not just having your facts incorrect. Dead wrong is being so blind to the fact that you’re wrong that you get argumentative, defensive, even belligerent about something, only to find out later that you were not even right to begin with. You end up feeling kinda stupid and ashamed for getting so fired about about something you didn’t even have right. You weren’t just wrong. You were dead wrong.

If there’s anything worse than being dead wrong, it’s probably being dead right. A friend I was talking to this week introduced me to the term, and it was a powerful thought. Being dead right is very similar to being dead wrong. When you’re dead right you have the correct information. Your facts are accurate. But because you know you’re right, you end up being more confident.

And so in an argument the person with the right answers or perspective makes stands that are not worth taking. They end up winning a battle but losing the war. Has this ever happened to you? You were right. They were wrong. The fight got out of hand and the other person walked away. You know you were right, but you still feel like it’s your fault. It might be because you were dead right.

This happens in marriages all the time. One spouse gets upset at something the other did/didn’t do. And instead of calling them out on it in a loving way that still shows care for the other person, they use their “right” position as a weapon to attack the other person. The end result? They end up dead right. Correct about their information. Incorrect in their approach. What was probably a simple situation now has great hurt attached to it. They said they were going to do the dishes and they didn’t. Now that you’ve humiliated them by verbally beating them up over it, the dishes are still dirty, and your wife/husband doesn’t want to even look at you. The dishes would have taken 20 minutes to clean. Now it’ll take several hours or even days to recover peace and harmony in your home.

You know what being dead wrong has in common with being dead right? You’re still dead. I would rather be wrong than dead right. Wrong happens. Wrong is fixable. Dead right is personal. Dead right stings. Dead right is not love.

Purpose in your heart now that you will refuse to be dead right. When some else has done wrong by you, you will seek forgiveness and reconciliation, and not character assassination of the other person. Decide that you will use your right position as an opportunity to help the other person, not break them.

Knowledge is knowing the right stuff. Wisdom is understanding how to use it.

Blessings,

John

Preaching – part 2

Posted on July 5, 2011 by johnmarkum

Expository vs. Topical Preaching

This is one of the most frustrating debates to listen to. Frankly, I heard this argument so much in Bible college that I almost don’t want to blog about it for sheer annoyance sake. However it fits into this subject of preaching and deserves addressing. Allow me first to provide appropriate definitions:

Expository preaching: A format of preaching where one Scripture text is the primary context of the message. All points are derived from this text and, the message typically flows in the order of the passage.

Topical preaching: A format of preaching where the preacher selects a topic and builds his message around the subject with supporting Scripture on the subject. The points are derived from the topic as oppose to Scripture, but Scripture is typically used just as much.

Where I came from, expository preaching was treated as “Biblical preaching” as opposed to topical preaching which was only for “itching ears and people-pleasing.”

So which do I prefer now? Both. I am a preacher. Preachers are responsible for feeding their people what they need to be fed. Sometimes that is best done by breaking down a passage of Scripture verse by verse. At other times, people need to hear a biblical message on the topic of finances, relationships, dealing with adversity, trusting God, forgiving, or any number of thousands of other topics addressed in the Bible.

Jesus almost always preached topical messages. A topical message takes on average 3 times as long to prepare as an expository message. Both are tools that a well-equipped preacher draws from at the appropriate times.

And these are not the only tools to preaching. Some messages flow like a list of points and passages (Be-Attitudes). Others are narrative and tell a story (like Jesus did with parables). Others are interactive. Regardless, a good preacher knows that the word is the final source of authority and that each message should be designed to hit a specific audience. Topical preaching is not evil. Expository preaching is not the best or only way to to preach.

For me, I typically preach series that are topical in nature, but each message in that series is often an expository message. But I do preach expository series. And I also preach topical messages as well as other formats of delivering God’s word.

As preachers we need to be Biblical and yet creative in the way we communicate. We preach for impact. We preach for life change. Let’s use the right tools for the right job.

Blessings,

John

Safe Is NOT Safe

Posted on July 3, 2011 by johnmarkum

“Better safe than sorry!” That was a line I heard alot growing up. And it certainly is true in many of the circumstances we face.

“Was that paper due tomorrow or next Thursday?” Better safe than sorry…
“Do I have enough money in my account to buy that?” Better safe than sorry…
“Would my spouse be ok with me doing this?” DEFINITELY better safe than sorry!

There are times when it is wisdom that tells you to play it safe. But the wisdom of God is different from the wisdom of this world. And God consistently leads His people to make choices that are anything but playing it safe:

Get in the face of the most powerful human on earth and demand my people’s freedom.
Leave the safety and security of your hometown and go somewhere you’ve never been.
Go attack a 9′ 6″ tall warrior with a rock.
Break the law by preach in my name.

Jesus said throughout the gospels, “If anyone will save their life, they shall lose it. But if you lose your life for my sake, you shall find it.” Matthew 10:39

When God calls us to do something risky -share our faith, trust Him with our finances, relocate yourself and family, change jobs, end a relationship, follow Him into the unfamiliar- we cannot afford to play it safe. In an attempt to stay comfortable, many would-be Christ followers have tried to be safe rather than sorry, and only ended up “safe” and sorry.

I know that all conventional wisdom is telling you not to leave your safe place. That if you do, it could all go bad. And it could. That’s the adventure! We are trusting in the Unseen to lead us over circumstances that are bigger than ourselves. And the payoff of experiencing God’s provision and protection is nothing short of a game-changer.

I know people in my life and ministry who are going through some tough circumstances. Some of them feel like they are cornered in a place where all they have left is trusting God. In some ways, I wish everyone in my church could experience that… to have the anxiety of realizing you can’t do it on your own, only to be outmatched by the exhilaration of watching God work mightily on your behalf.

One missionary once told me, “It’s safer to be 4,000 miles from home and in the will of God, than at home but out of the will of God.” He was right. I would rather be “not safe” from the world’s perspective and “not sorry” from mine, than to be “safe” in the world’s perspective and “sorry” in my own.

Step out on faith. Trust God. Be dangerous. You’ll never go back to playing it safe again! And you won’t be sorry that you trusted Him either.

Blessings,

John