One of the most exciting things about our new venue for the EMA is that we have more space for the EMA Bookstore; partnering this year with tenofthose.com. Previously we've been off site in a couple of different venues. Now we're on site and have an ideal venue for a bookstore. This year we've been very careful about book selection – there will be over 1,000 titles, each individually chosen and fulfilling one of three criteria:

• we're stocking books for pastor-teachers as followers of Christ themselves – books that will help you walk closely with our Lord
• we're stocking books for pastor-teachers as preachers of the word of God – books that will enable your ministry
• we're stocking books for pastor-teachers as leaders of congregations – books that will be good for your people

This focused and varied approach means that our EMA Bookstore will be more (though not less) than a pastor's paradise. It will stimulate you to think about books in your congregation and devotional life. We're delighted that publishers will be on hand to help with expertise. There will be an ebook station and, for the first time, a recommended commentary list of 200 titles (with each one in stock).

It's worth coming to the EMA for. Why not book now whilst you're thinking about it. But there will also be a public access point to the EMA Bookstore and if you have congregation members who live or work in London they would be very welcome on 24, 25 or 26 June from early till late. Send them in!

Engaging the written word of God by JI Packer

How wise is it to write a book review before you've finished the book? Not particularly. Especially when you know that you have at least one significant point of difference with the writer. But, never one to shirk a challenge, here I go anyway. The writer in question is Jim Packer (and the issue is Evangelicals and Catholics together, but one that I do not expect to occur in this particular volume). Paternoster have pulled together a collection of essays, articles and interviews with Packer which means this book (300+pp but retailing at an extraordinary £10.99) is a real value added treasure. The collection is divided up into three – articles etc on inerrancy, a second section on interpretation including a cogent and traditional case for women's ministry as being different from that of men, then a third section on preaching.

This is where, to be honest, I have spent most of my time, tying in, as it did, with some seminars I was running at New Word Alive. Packer is again orthodox on preaching, but it is an orthodoxy which has been somewhat lost and needs to be reclaimed. These contributions, therefore, were refreshing and timely. 

"Preaching mediates not only God's authority, but also his presence and his power. Preaching effects an encounter not simply with the truth, but with God himself."

Well worth some of your English pounds or wait for the EMA for a very special price…

Been reading Paternoster's new collection of essays, articles and interviews by Jim Packer (more of this later in the week). But one very perceptive comment on the state of preaching and the church. Packer says that people used to say after preaching 'How did you get on?' meaning what did you learn, what did God teach you or reveal to you? Now, however, he argues, people are much more likely to say 'How did the preacher get on?' Do you see the subtle shift as people have begun to sit in judgement on the preaching rather than sit under its authority? As I said, a very perceptive comment which shows how much things have changed. 

We're taking an official break next week (1-5 April). Christopher and I are both speaking at New Word Alive, so you may get some live blogging, but there's nothing prepared! It's good to take a break from blogging (both writing and reading). Enjoy. We will too.

So, what is preaching?

• Explaining the text
• Applying the Bible
• Proclaiming Christ
• Rebuking, correcting and encouraging?
• Logic on fire

All true and more besides. But none of them actually get to the root of what is going on when we preach.

"Communication from God is communion with God when met with a response of trust from us."

That's from Words of Life, written by our newest member of staff, Tim Ward. It's a truly excellent read and very strong on the theology of God's words and preaching. You could also check out Peter Adam's Speaking God's Words and Christopher Ash's The priority of preaching and Hearing the Spirit. I also found Carl Trueman's second talk on the Trinity and preaching at our Ministers Conference a few years back helpful (audio here, video here). 

It's worth getting right, don't you think?

Here are some statements. 

The preaching of the word of God is the word of God

Heinrich Bullinger, that one. What we call the Second Helvetic Confession, but he called his Last Will and Testament. True story.

If preachers preach what is founded on the Scriptures, their word as far as it is agreeable to the mind of God, is to be considered as God's

Mr Simeon from Cambridge, no less. Or how about this:

Preaching is the most excellent part of the pastor's work.

That's Richard Baxter, that is, which considering how much time he spent door to door is a remarkable statement.

Are they right? If so, why? Many preachers feel that they are onto something, but couldn't prove it biblically, nor are they so comfortable, in this relativist age, with such bald statements. 

The answer is wrapped up in how God makes himself known and how his actions and presence relate to his words. That is not just about a robust theology of the Bible, but a robust Christology (he is, after all, the Word of God) and a robust ecclesiology – three areas where we're often woefully weak.

Let's assume you believe that God's actions and his words are biblically tied together. Jot down, in just a few steps, how you get from there to a robust theology of preaching.

What's your theology of preaching? You're a preacher, right – so you must have a theology of preaching. Or else, why are you doing what you're doing?

I don't think this is such a bonkers question as it seems. Take the test:

1. How confident about your theology of preaching would you say you are? Can you articulate your views biblically and succinctly?
2. Do your church leaders share your theology of preaching? When did you last talk to them about it? What do they understand is going on when someone preaches?
3. Does your church congregation share your theology of preaching? It's easy to find out. Listen in at the church prayer meeting.

Hmm. A slightly convicting list. For me, anyway. I've been thinking about this because I'm preparing a sermon for NWA on preaching. More on that tomorrow. For now, I reckon there's enough for you (and I) to be getting on with.

Here's my thesis – we (preachers) and our people probably have too low a view of preaching. 

Here's George Eliot from her essay on evangelical preaching:

Given, a man with moderate intellect, a moral standard not higher than the average, some rhetorical affluence and great glibness of speech, what is the career in which, without the aid of birth or money, he may most easily attain power and reputation in English society? Where is that Goshen of mediocrity in which a smattering of science and learning will pass for profound instruction, where platitudes will be accepted as wisdom, bigoted narrowness as holy zeal, unctuous egoism as God-given piety? Let such a man become an evangelical preacher; he will then find it possible to reconcile small ability with great ambition, superficial knowledge with the prestige of erudition, a middling morale with a high reputation for sanctity. 

And here are Anthony Trollope's well worn verses from Barchester Towers or The Warden or one of that series (I forget which)…

There is, perhaps, no greater hardship at present inflicted on mankind in civilized and free countries than the necessity of listening to sermons. No one but a preaching clergyman has, in these realms, the power of compelling an audience to sit silent and be tormented. No one but a preaching clergyman can revel in platitudes, truisms, and untruisms, and yet receive, as his undisputed privilege, the same respectful demeanour as though words of impassioned eloquence, or persuasive logic, fell from his lips. 

Both represent a pretty low view of preaching, I think you would agree. But what about you, Mr Preacher? I'm just preparing some seminars for New Word Alive, and my working thesis is 'faithful preaching is an encounter with the living God' or to put it more pithily into Swiss: "The preaching of the word of God is the word of God" (Heinrich Bullinger's Second Helvetic Confession).

Uncle Henry had it right. And that probably means our view of preaching is too low, or at least there is a gap between the reality and the truth. How's that great truth going to affect your preparation this week….?

• There are some preachers who love to working through Bible books in their preaching at a very slow rate. This is the only way, so the argument goes, that preachers will be able to pick up detail and get into some of the richness of the text, drawing out specific and text-driven application. I agree. Dick does too as he said to me just recently, "why don't people just preach on one verse any more? It's a good discipline"
• There are some preachers who love to move apace. Moving swiftly through a book means that our people will understand the thrust of it and see where it is going and why: the wood will certainly not be lost for the trees. I agree. 

Did you see what I did there? I agree with both. It is most certainly a case of both/and not either/or. The truth is one of these will be our more comfortable position. And very often we will look down upon those who share the contrary view. If you heard Lloyd-Jones preaching through Romans (or read the books), you will be scandalized that anyone should dare to preach Romans 5 in just two chunks (as we're doing at present). However, if you grew up with a faster pace you will be aghast at the thought of taking just one rich verse in Romans and preaching it. Where to even start?

Both can be done in an expository way. As Mr Lucas often says, expository preaching is not so much a method as a mindset. This came home to me as I study Romans for myself. I'm primarily using Schreiner, by the way, having used Moo previously. I'm enjoying it so far, though the test for me is always how these commentators handle 9-11. Just the last two mornings. I've been in Romans 5 going very slowly indeed. There's such richness here. And this morning just two verses (Romans 5:15-16). There are, of course, theological issues to wrestle with here, but notwithstanding these, there is also divine richness which  – moving slowly – has taken my breath away. "Adam and Christ are analogous in that the status of all humanity depends on the work of Adam or the work of Christ" (Schreiner).

So, Mr Preacher, planning your preaching ahead. Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow.

There are times when preachers need to say sorry.

• Sometimes, that's because they've simply got things wrong. We work hard at texts, doing our best to rightly divide the word of truth. But there is not infallability; we don't (thank goodness) speak ex cathedra. And when we get things wrong, we need to say that we have.
• Sometimes, that's because we say things the wrong way. This is easily done. We use a certain turn of phrase or expression that offends or upsets or simply doesn't convey what we're trying to convey.
• Sometimes, that's because things are taken the wrong way. We may have got things right, but we've not taken account of the weaker brother and we've sometimes preached as though Romans 14-15 didn't even exist. I'm not saying we should be so weak to give in on anything, but we can flog a hobby horse to death just to make a point, even when it doesn't have anything to do with the text.

In other words, there are times when it is right and meet to say sorry to a congregation. I'm not suggesting that this is a regular occurrence (at least, I hope not). But sometimes it's a necessary thing to do.

When those times come, how do you say sorry? I was thinking about this because of the story of Apple's being forced to apologise twice by a UK judge. The first time around (this was as a result of a court action with Samsung), they buried the apology so it could only be seen by scrolling down the page and they managed to turn the apology around into a defensive statement which ended up saying how cool Apple was. If you read the apology you'll see it's no apology at all.

The point is this: even when we do mess up (which we will from time to time), there's a way of saying sorry to our congregations which is no sorry at all. And if our people don't, from time to time, see appopriate, timely humble confession from us – how can we expect them to do likewise?