The number of free books you get given at US conferences is Stupid (spelt with a capital letter deliberately). This despite the fact that one of them was UK Celebrity Pastor Christopher Ash's Listen Up (good move Good Book!). I came away with over 30 – 18 from the main sessions and then loads more from a breakout I attended on blogging. I guess in marketing terms I can see the catch – here are mainly pastors and if you can get a pastor to endorse your book in a large congregation you may get on sales. But over 30! It did seem a litle ridiculous. I'll write a review of one or two in the coming days. But for now, I'm interested to reflect on the value of free.

There's plenty of charity research (so I'm told) that says that people give more when they're buying something. That's why charities often give away pins or small gifts. Similarly some churches find that charging a nominal amount for an event (say £1) is more effective than saying it is free. We're suspicious of free. That is certainly true of the books. I'm happy to take them, but I'm under no illusion why I've been given them.

I wonder if there is something here in the way that free grace is so hard for us, in our human nature, to accept. It's very difficult to accept that something comes with no strings attached or that we have not had to work for it. Does that explain, to some extent anyway, self righteousness and the way that generation after generation keeps adding to the gospel some form of works?

My favourite interchange of T4G at dinner one day when I sat down with a bunch of strangers from West Virginia:

West Virginia Pastor: Hey, where are you from?
Me: England
WVP: Wow, I don't suppose you've heard of Dick Lucas? He's one of my heroes.
Me: Sure I have
WVP: Have you actually, you know, met him ever, man?
Me: Yes, he often wanders into my office
WVP: [Stunned silence]

I hadn't meant to elicit this reponse in him. He then asked me for a card! Can't wait to tell Dick the story……

For the remainder of this week I'm going to offer a (very) few observations arising out of T4G. I had the privilege of going (along with a few other Brits). For a more detailed report you'll have to wait for next month's EN, but for now, here are my immediate thoughts – starting with the most contentious of issues – celebrity pastors.

It was brave of the organisers to tackle this subject with a panel discussion including Carl Trueman, the anti-celebrity celebrity. You can read Carl's surprising observations here. The video/audio is not up online yet (not sure if it will be) but for what it's worth Carl articulated two problems with the celebrity culture: 

1. it sets up false aspirational models for young men entering ministry which are deadly to their own ministries and often mean they leave ministry early and disappointed.
2. it creates a disjoint between preaching and the local church. In the panel itself this issue was never really answered – and it is a particular issue of the internet age which does need tackling.

It's true that the US effusiveness on show here made this Brit, at least, cringe. During some of the introductions I was searching in vain for the vomit bag whilst all those around me were a-whoopin' and a-hollerin' (come on, this is Kentucky). But hold on a moment. Before we cast the stones let's remember we live in glass houses too. What are these guys doing on stage when they big one another up as they do?

First, as another Brit here helpfully pointed out to me, they are crossing tribal boundaries. There are people here from loads of different evangelical tribes. These long and effusive introductions serve a purpose. They give confidence to one tribe (e.g. Sovereign Grace) that a speaker from another is to be trusted and listened to. 

But perhaps more importantly for us, they are also evidence of leaders being honoured (Phil 2.29 and 1 Tim 5.17). True, it's being done in a particular way that makes me feel uncomfortable. But surely our sin is of the other extreme? How rarely we honour those who deserve it! We have done this in the past. It is of the greatest irony that we Brits spent decades eulogising two men of national influence whom we spoke about in hushed terms (Llloyd-Jones and Stott). Our sadness now is that we have few national leaders to replace them. And could this be because we have not honoured where honour is due?

So, keep your stones in your pocket, I say.

I have just read Carrie Sandom's recently released book Different by Design: God's blueprint for men and women (Christian Focus, 2012) and want to recommend it very warmly. This is a terrific book, written clearly and engagingly and peppered with relevant and often moving anecdotes from Carrie's pastoral experience. It addresses courageously and sensitively the sadly controversial issues of women and men in God's purposes, with deft and careful handling of the critical bible passages. It is balanced throughout, taking great care not to make exaggerated claims and admitting where there is legitimate place for difference, while maintaining a clear line where the bible is clear. Three of the most helpful chapters are entitled, "The implications of God's design for marriage", "The implications of God's design for the church", and "The implications of God's design for the workplace". The book ends with a moving chapter on "The perfection of God's design" in the New Creation. This is a book that church leaders can give to their fellow-elders or church councils and to their pastoral teams, with confidence. There are questions for discussion at the end of each chapter. It could be used for a study course with profit.

Preachers need to always remind themselves of Paul's own view of preaching. Here are five important principles taken from his first letter to Timothy:

5. Preaching requires a devotion to the truth

Alongside the previous point we see that, as the climax of the personal instructions to Timothy, he is told to watch his life and doctrine as through this means he will be the agent of salvation (1 Tim 4:16).  It should be noted that this comes at the end of a section where Paul has used verbs of great intensity to underline what is required of Timothy.  He is to be devoted to this public ministry of reading scripture, preaching and teaching. He is to be diligent, giving himself completely to the task and he is to persevere (1 Tim 4:13-16).  This commitment to the truth is undergirded at the very end with the stirring call for Timothy to guard the deposit (6:20), such is its value.  The preacher must be devoted above all to the word of God.

Editor's note: this week's posts are taken from our forthcoming book Teaching 1 Timothy written by Angus MacLeay – it will be available in the summer. We wanted to encourage preachers with a biblical view of preaching as it is found in this important letter. 

Preachers need to always remind themselves of Paul's own view of preaching. Here are five important principles taken from his first letter to Timothy:

4. Preaching must be based on a platform of godly living

One of the distinctive contributions of 1 Timothy is the amount of material devoted to the need for godly living for the church leader and preacher.  Not only is it an essential qualification that the church needs to consider in appointing the preacher (1 Tim 3:1-7), but in the ongoing work training in godliness is vital, as witnessed in the teaching to Timothy himself at 1 Tim 4:6-8.  The way we live does affect the way we preach and how we are heard.

Editor's note: this week's posts are taken from our forthcoming book Teaching 1 Timothy written by Angus MacLeay – it will be available in the summer. We wanted to encourage preachers with a biblical view of preaching as it is found in this important letter. 

Preachers need to always remind themselves of Paul's own view of preaching. Here are five important principles taken from his first letter to Timothy:

3. Preaching requires appropriate gifts but also hard work

The distinctive qualification of the overseer is that he is able to teach (1 Timothy 3:2).  Though deacons are required to be capable of holding on to the deep truths of the faith, there is a recognition that without the distinctive gifting of being able to teach they are not able to fulfil the main leadership and preaching role.  However, though the overseer/elder needs this gifting, the chief mark which Paul highlights as deserving of respect is that they direct the affairs of the church wisely and work hard, indeed labour, at preaching and teaching (1 Tim 5:17). This is underlined by the quotation from the Old Testament in which the preacher is compared to the ox laboriously treading out the grain (1 Tim 5:18).  It may not be a flattering picture for the gifted preacher to be viewed as an ox but the point is that preaching is hard work and deserves all our strength and mental application.

Editor's note: this week's posts are taken from our forthcoming book Teaching 1 Timothy written by Angus MacLeay – it will be available in the summer. We wanted to encourage preachers with a biblical view of preaching as it is found in this important letter. 

Preachers need to always remind themselves of Paul's own view of preaching. Here are five important principles taken from his first letter to Timothy:

2. Preaching is based on a clear message about Christ

At 1 Timothy 2:3-7 Paul gives a concise explanation of the way preaching the gospel to the nations/Gentiles flows from a clear doctrinal conviction about the nature of God, the person of Christ and substitutionary atonement.  Preaching which does not proceed from these doctrines will always lack conviction and substance.

Editor's note: this week's posts are taken from our forthcoming book Teaching 1 Timothy written by Angus MacLeay – it will be available in the summer. We wanted to encourage preachers with a biblical view of preaching as it is found in this important letter. 

Preachers need to always remind themselves of Paul's own view of preaching. Here are five important principles taken from his first letter to Timothy:

1. Preaching flows out of a passion for Christ and the gospel

At various points we see Paul gripped by the message of grace and the wonder of knowing God (1 Timothy 1:15-17; 6:14-16).  His praise of God is not strictly speaking required in his argument but the words about God tumble out indicating his passion.  Genuine preaching that warms the congregation and causes hearts to burn (Luke 24:32) must come from hearts already on fire for Christ and the gospel.  The preacher, like Paul, may need to remind himself of the glory of the gospel of grace as Paul does at 1 Timothy 1:12-15 in order to burn with passion for Christ in the pulpit.

Editor's note: this week's posts are taken from our forthcoming book Teaching 1 Timothy written by Angus MacLeay – it will be available in the summer. We wanted to encourage preachers with a biblical view of preaching as it is found in this important letter. 

The office is closed today and Easter Monday for the UK bank holiday weekend. But what a weekend! Every Sunday is a time to remember the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. But having a weekend set apart to do that, in particular, is a great joy. For,

He was delivered over to death for our sins and raised to life for our justification (Romans 4.25)