Nick Cady and Mike Neglia talk about early sermon experiences, plagiarism, mentorship, coffee beans, narrative arcs and the importance of our delivery as we teach God’s Word.Nick Cady is the lead pastor of White Fields Community Church <http://www.whitefieldschurch.com/> in Longmont, Colorado.Prior to moving to Longmont in 2012, Nick spent 10 years as a missionary, pastor and church planter in Hungary working with Calvary Chapel. He holds a degree in Theology from the University of Gloucestershire in England and is currently pursuing a Masters in Integrative Theology from London School of Theology.References:http://BlueLetterBible.orgThe Hero with a Thousand Faces : Joseph Campbell’s theory on the “monomyth”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hero_with_a_Thousand_FacesHomer Simpson on Jesus as the true hero of the Bible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OPJYbgD45QThe Expositors Collective is part of the GoodLion Podcast network - for more great podcasts and artices visit http://goodlion.io/

As expositors, we spend time and energy making sure that the content of our messages are accurate and truthful; but our delivery matters too! It is possible to have a doctrinally true sermon, but come off as crushingly boring. In this talk, recorded in Bradenton, Florida, Nick Cady speaks about the importance of structure, form, tension and the shape of our sermons. What we preach is significant - so HOW we say it matters.Nick Cady is the lead pastor of White Fields Community Church <http://www.whitefieldschurch.com/> in Longmont, Colorado.Prior to moving to Longmont in 2012, Nick spent 10 years as a missionary, pastor and church planter in Hungary working with Calvary Chapel. He holds a degree in Theology from the University of Gloucestershire in England and is currently pursuing a Masters in Integrative Theology from London School of Theology.You can keep up with Nick on Twitter at @nickcady <https://twitter.com/nickcady>, on Instagram at @cadynick <https://www.instagram.com/cadynick/>, or by subscribing to the White Fields Church podcast <https://itunes.apple.com/mt/podcast/white-fields-community-church/id521764563?mt=2>.

In this “late night” conversation Neil and Mike talk about the hard work ethic and determination that is necessary to lead well. They also speak about Inductive Bible Study, Psalm 23, and the danger of overcooking messages.Neil and his wife Cece live in Destin, Fl with their five children. Neil has been serving in pastoral ministry since 2003. He bi-vocationally planted Coastline CC Destin in 2010, and is currently transitioning from a Lead Pastor role in Destin to begin serving at Coastline CC in Gulf Breeze, FL which his father planted in 1983.You can connect with Neil on instagram/facebook @neil_s_spencer and access any teaching content by visiting http://coastlinelife.com“The God who has been my Shepherd all my life long to this day” (Genesis 48:15)

The Inductive Study Method is an investigative approach to the Bible using three basic components: Observation – What does the text say?Interpretation – What does the text mean?Application – How does the meaning of the text apply to life?Pastor Neil Spencer from the Coastline family of churches shares the how and the why of Inductive Bible Study in episode 42 of the Expositors Collective Podcast.This was recorded in November or 2018 at Bradenton Floridaadditional reading:https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/tips/the-inductive-method-of-bible-study-the-basics-11628183.htmlhttps://www.crossway.org/articles/10-tips-for-getting-started-with-inductive-bible-study/

Pilgrim Benham shares with us about the importance of giving our hearers an opportunity to respond to the invitation and challenges of the gospel message on the spot. He also talks with Mike about preaching with props, seeking out meaningful feedback and making the most of Mondays.http://pilgrimbenham.com/http://www.thisisshoreline.com/sermonarchive#_=_

The Bible makes sense in its deepest and richest capacity only when we read it through Jesus shaped goggles. When we see all of it through the lens of its Main Character - it should cause us to preach explicitly Christian sermons.Recorded November 31 in Bradenton FloridaChrist Centered Preaching Handout1. Two vital hermeneutics:1. First, we must have a good grasp on the original context of our particular passage and the original intent of the message. (who wrote this and why?)2. Second, we must always understand the context of our passage within the context of all of scripture, and also understand it in terms of the grand narrative of God’s redemption.2. Redemptive-Historical progression1. Redemptive-historical progression traces God’s history with the world from his good creation (Gen 1), to the human fall into sin and God’s plan of redemption through the seed of the woman (Gen 3:15), to a long history of God continuing the line of the seed of the woman (Gen 3 - Malachi), to Christ (the Gospels), the Church (Acts and the New Testament Letters), and finally to the new creation (Rev 22).2. In other words, in the Bible we can trace a continuous redemptive history which centers in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who then ascends to rule his church from heaven until he comes again. Creation to New Creation.3. Promise Fulfillment1.If the text contains a promise of the coming Messiah, then you can easily move to the New Testament to show the ultimate fulfillment of the promise in Jesus Christ.1. Example: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and the obedience of the peoples is his.” - Gen 49:102. Show the fulfillment in Matthew 1:1-17 Jesus Christ, the king of kings, born of the tribe of Judah and the House of David.4. Typology1. Old Testament events, persons, or institutions can function as types which foreshadow the great Antitype - the person and work of Jesus Christ.2. Examples: The fall of Adam and Eve. Adam is the human race’s representative, he prefigures Christ the second Adam, who also is a representative of a new human race.1. Noah’s Ark; The Ark of the Covenant; the tabernacle; the rock in the wilderness; Crossing the red sea; The Passover Lamb; Pentecost; Issac; Moses; Joshua; King David…etc5. Analogy1. Analogy exposes parallels between what God taught Israel and what Christ promises the Church; what God demanded of Israel (the Law) and what Christ demands of his Church.2. Example: Genesis 12:1-9 Israel must claim Canaan for the Glory of God; in the New Testament Jesus mandates his Church to claim all nations for God (Matt 28:18-20) Your message or theme then would be something like -God reclaiming the earth as his good kingdom through the work of Christ.6. Longitudinal Themes1. Although similar to redemptive-historical progression in some ways, it is distinct in focusing on the development of theological ideas rather than development in redemptive history. Longitudinal themes refers to themes that can be traced through the scriptures from the Old Testament to the New - Themes such as God’s coming kingdom, God’s covenant, home and exile, rest and sabbath, God’s redemption, righteousness and nakedness, God’s presence, God’s love, God’s faithfulness, God’s grace, God’s justice and judgment, God’s providence.1. Every major Old Testament theme leads to Christ7. New Testament Reference1. The New Testament reference makes a direct bridge to Christ.1.Example: God created his good creation by his powerful “word”; John in his gospel tells us that that “Word” is Jesus Christ (John 1:1,3)8. Contrast1. Because of the coming of Christ the text’s message for the contemporary Church may be quite different from the original message for Israel. So we preach by contrast.2. Example: circumcision was a commanded by God for every Jew; but for us we know that Christ is our circumcision and circumcision is a heart issue. Circumcision was the outward sign of the Old covenant, but in Christ baptism is the sign of the New Covenant- which is an outward expression that we have died with Christ and have been raised with him to new life.. So we contrast the the Old and the New.Examples 1-8 taken and adapted from Sydney Greidanus Preaching Christ from Genesis*9. The Imperative vs. Indicatives model1. An Imperative is an immediate action. Example of a Biblical imperative: “Do not be drunk with wine which is dissipation but be filled with the Spirit.”2. An Indicative serves as a sign or indication of something. Example: “You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.”3. The idea here is that God never commands us to do something apart from the grace he has already shown us through the work of Christ. The commands of God are never separate from who he is and what he has done for us in Christ4. Though obviously clear in the letters of Paul and most of the NT, we can see this model going back all the way to the giving of the Ten Commandments.1. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me…”1. Scripture is full of the Imperative vs. Indicative model showing us that whatever we do for God it is out of grateful love and adoration of what he has already done for us. This is a wonderful exercise for the mind and heart of any pastor and wonderful tool for us as ministers of the Gospel.10. Jesus as fulfillment to our hopes and longings.1. What is the scripture commanding or offering to us? What is it, and why we want and need it?2. How do we fail to live up to this command or standard? Or how and why we fail to obtain what is offered.3. How does Jesus and what he has done through the cross answer my dilemma?? How Jesus offers it to us freely. (Themes like Freedom, righteousness, faithfulness, bravery/courage, justice & mercy, forgiveness, love, etc)11. Connecting our story to a Biblical character or Biblical story1.Any passages where we are dealing with an Old Testament character who is showing incredible faith/trust in God we can ask the simple question - how much more reason do we have to trust God? We have God’s complete trust-worthiness displayed in the cross. Jesus, God incarnate, became vulnerable, weak, helpless, killable - for you and for me. You can trust him. We have much greater reason to trust God than any OT figure because of the cross.Recommended Resources for Further Study:Books:Jesus Storybook Bible - Sally Lloyd JonesPreaching - Tim KellerChrist Centered Preaching - Brian ChappellPreaching Christ in All of Scripture - Edmund ClowneyPreaching Christ in Genesis - Sidney GreidanusPreaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture - Graeme GoldsworthyThe Soul Winner - Charles SpurgeonStanding in Grace - David GuzikPreaching and Preachers - Martyn Lloyd-JonesThe Heart of the Gospel - Martyn Lloyd-JonesChrist in the Psalms - Patrick Henry ReardonThe Gospel - Ray Ortlund JrRhythms of Grace - Mike CosperRomans: Encountering God’s Power - John StottProdigal God - Tim KellerKnowing God - J.I. PackerBetween Two Worlds - John StottWhy Grace Changes Everything - Chuck SmithCommentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament = D.A. CarsonOnline Courses:Preaching Christ in a Postmodern World - Tim Keller & Edmund Clowney (iTunes U)Christ Centered Preaching - Brian Chappell (Covenant Seminary resources)The Bible ProjectMiscellaneous:What is Gospel-Centered Ministry? - Tim Keller (Gospel Coalition Conference Message 2007)They Testify About Me - Preaching Jesus and the Gospel from the Old Testament (TGC 2011)Preaching Christ from the Old Testament - Sinclair FergusonPreparing the Way for Christ - ESV Study Bible ArticleResources from http://CalvaryChapel.comWhat is Gospel Centered Preaching - Pete NelsonHow to Wreck a Sermon : 5 Simple Steps - Pete Nelson10 Minute Seminary - What is Gospel Centered Preaching? - Mike NegliaThe Key to Understanding and Obeying Scripture - Mike Neglia3 Benefits of Seeing Christ in the Old Testament - Andy DeaneExpositors Collective is part of the GoodLion podcast network, for more quality content visit their webpage http://www.GoodLion.io

In this episode, Pastor Justin Thomas shares about the importance of highlighting tension within biblical narratives, reading deeply taking really long baths.For more of Justin’s teachings visit https://calvarythehill.com/sermons

Dr Bryan Tan from Singapore sits down with his old pastor, Mike Neglia, and they talk about what goes into preparing and leading interactive Bible studies.Four Principals of Interactive Bible Studies:AccurateEngagingRelevantTransformativeTwo Questions to Ask Yourself:Am I being faithful to the Word of God?Is Jesus Christ being magnified in the hearts and minds of my listeners?7 Steps for Bible Study Preparation:Look UpLook DownLook BackLook ForwardLook AcrossLook InsideLook AroundFallen Condition Focus links:https://www.preaching.com/articles/the-fallen-condition-focus-and-the-purpose-of-the-sermon/https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2018/7/24/episode-5-an-interview-with-riley-taylor

https://www.nateholdridge.com/proverbs - Studio Series through Proverbshttps://www.nateholdridge.com/nehemiah - Studio Series through Nehemiahhttps://ia.net/writer : Nate’s preferred word processing software. “ iA Writer removes distractions, giving you a calm, focused writing space. ”https://www.nateholdridge.com/blog/20 - Longer post explaining step by step Nate’s process of “Read Full, Write Empty, Read Full, Write Empty” (with screenshots) - “this flows from prayerful, Spirit aided preparation. Jesus worked hard for his church, and the Spirit of Christ is now in us. With devotion, let us do the work required to declare God’s word with conviction.”https://www.nateholdridge.com/sermonprep - 8 articles written by Nate about his sermon preparation process and advice to preachers.Freedom app: https://freedom.to/Offtime app: https://offtime.es/Expositors Collective is part of the GoodLion podcast network, for more quality content visit their webpage goodlion.io

Mike talks with Dr Andrew Stopyra about the role of academic study as well as historical and grammatical specificity. They speak about common mistakes that preachers make concerning Greek and Hebrew words and how proper study and waiting upon the Lord can come together and result in transformative and accurate soul stirring sermons.Bibliography:Kuhrt, Amelie (1995) The Ancient Near East c. 3000-330 BC, 2 Vols. Routledge.*Probably the single best overview of the history of the Ancient Near East, including Egypt and the Levant. However, be aware that she can be rather condescending towards the Bible when she discusses Israel, and of course some of her earliest dates will not coincide with a young-earth perspective.Van De Mieroop, Marc (2015) A History of the Ancient Near East. Wiley-Blackwell.Van De Mieroop, Marc (2010) A History of Egypt. Wiley-Blackwell.Excellent, concise overviews of the history of each region. Not as comprehensive as Kuhrt but usually more affordable.Kitchen, K. A. (2006) On the Reliability of the Old Testament. Eerdmans.Massive study, more of a reference work than something you would read from cover to cover. Lots of excellent background information. However, an equally massive caveat would be his espousal of a low date for the Exodus (13th century BC vs. 15th century BC), which requires poor reinterpretations of many biblical passages.Kitchen, K. A. (1975) Ancient Orient and Old Testament. Intervarsity Press.This is a small reference work, not even close to his Reliability volume but nevertheless full of some excellent nuggets to help illuminate the Near Eastern background of the OT.Foster, Benjamin (2005) Before the Muses: An Anthology of Akkadian Literature. CDL Press.If you want to get some exposure to what the literature of Mesopotamia sounded like, this is the best volume on the market. An excellent collection of myths and various other texts that give you a feel for the literary milieu of the OT.Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL)etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.ukA collection of Sumerian texts in Sumerian and English. Another great resource forexploring some of the literature of ancient Mesopotamia... which also happens to be free!**Also, don’t forget that images of many of the important pieces in the great museum collections of Europe can be viewed online. The British Museum, the Louvre, the Vorderasiatisches Museum in Berlin (i.e. where the Ishtar Gate from Babylon is displayed), etc.