4 WELCOME
From your editor …
COUNCIL OF REFERENCE
David Bracewell – Zoe Ministry( zoeministry. co. uk); author; and previously Rector of Saint Saviour’ s Church, Guildford.
Kate Bruce – Director of the Centre for Communication and Preaching, Deputy Warden and Tutor in Homiletics, St John’ s College, Durham University.
Charlie Cleverly – Rector of St Aldate’ s, Oxford and author of several books, most recently Song of Songs.
Ian Coffey – Vice Principal( Strategy) and Director of Leadership Training, Moorlands College.
GOD USES OUR VULNERABILITY IN OUR PREACHING. HIS PRESENCE AND HIS POWER FLOW THROUGH THE CRACKS AND THE HOLES IN OUR LIVES IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY.
To live is to experience adversity; whether it be opposition to the gospel we preach, physical or mental suffering, material hardship or challenging relationships, preachers are guaranteed to find themselves faced with the task of putting together a sermon that speaks to a hurting world, and sometimes it is the preacher who hurts most of all.
The day after Malcolm Duncan submitted his article( page 36), he preached at his mother’ s funeral. As you will read, this was only the latest in a succession of sermons preached in inconceivably painful circumstances. He writes,‘ God uses our vulnerability in our preaching. His presence and his power flow through the cracks and the holes in our lives in a beautiful way. What we, as preachers, must be careful not to do is to allow our vulnerability to attract people to us. Instead, we should let it attract people to Christ in us.’
This issue of Preach is packed with powerful stories of endurance, courage and hope in the face of immense suffering. My prayer is that whatever adversity you may be facing in your church, your family or your city, you will find encouragement in these pages, and that you will continue to hold on to the God who holds on to you. As Heather Tomlinson writes,‘ the Bible was written in the midst of adversity: its central characters face trouble and pain throughout their lives. The Bible is written by and for people who are suffering, and when we are in that battle ourselves, the Word becomes ever more alive and real’( page 15).
Preach Summer 17 is all about prayer. If you’ ve not yet signed up for our new membership scheme, make sure you do so you won’ t miss out. I’ m confident it’ s going to be another great issue.
Jo Swinney
Editor
Malcolm Duncan – Chair of the Spring Harvest Planning Group; Senior Minister of Gold Hill Baptist Church; Founder and Director of Church and Community.
Ruth Gee – President of Methodist Conference 2013 / 14 and Methodist minister.
Richard Littledale – Baptist minister, author and broadcaster.
Mark Meynell – Associate Director, Langham Partnership International; author and cultural commentator.
Calvin Samuel – Principal of London School of Theology.
Preach resources, available in print and online, are provided by LWPT.
Editor Jo Swinney
Design Adept www. adeptdesign. co. uk
Printing & distribution cpo. org. uk
Editorial office The Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust PO Box 2352, Watford, Herts WD18 1PY
T 01923 231811 F 01923 296899 E lwptoffice @ lwpt. org. uk W preachweb. org
The Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust is an ecumenical Trust( Charity No. 1107967)
Copyright the Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust 2016. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for the reproduction of text from this publication for the Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust promotional use only. For all other uses, please contact us.