Episode 114: Conversation with Matt Vanden Heuvel & David Swinney (Part 2)
https://youtu.be/0eMsp-sANQY
"What we're doing from the pulpit from week to week is giving our people a foundation in scripture and theology that equips them to go out and do the work of the ministry…and face whatever challenges they're gonna be facing based on this solid foundation of God's word." - Matt Vanden Heuvel
Summary of This Episode
David Swinney discusses the challenge of sharing theological and biblical understanding with people who don't have the same level of knowledge. He speaks about his experience visiting people in hospitals and care homes, noting that even those with dementia can remember their faith and recite passages from the catechism. He talks about reinstituting catechism services at his congregation, which he believes is important to give younger generations a strong theological foundation.
Jason Ruis also reflects on two stories from his own life - one about a man in his congregation whose daughter was murdered, and another about his own experience in a coma - both of which demonstrate how having a knowledge of Scripture can provide comfort in difficult times. He emphasizes the importance of preaching good, reformed biblical theology so believers are equipped to draw on these foundations during times of crisis. Ultimately, his job as a pastor is to equip people to suffer and face difficult circumstances with faith.
Matt and David talk about equipping people for battle through expository preaching. This type of preaching teaches people how to read the Bible, emphasizing that God is the point of it all, not ourselves. Expository preaching will help equip people with principles so they will have these principles at the ready when they need them in their life. It also gives people a place to stand in times of crisis. David gives an example of how this could be applied in a care home setting by talking about the phrase “the Lord reigns” which is repeated throughout several Psalms. The point is that if we have this biblical foundation, we can turn to it when facing difficult situations and take comfort knowing that Jesus Christ is Lord and King over all things.
Matt and David also discuss the importance of proclaiming God’s word faithfully and how it can provide hope to those in need. They shared a story of an older woman in their church who has been unable to attend services due to COVID-19. Despite her melancholy, she was able to find hope through scripture. The two stressed the importance of having a strong foundation in scripture and theology in order to gain hope.
They also offer encouragement to listeners who may not be able to find this type of preaching during their weekly services. They suggest people look for online services from pastors all over the world. Additionally, they suggested people try to use their influence within the church if they feel the sermons are not up to par. If that fails, they encouraged listeners to leave their church and find a place where true preaching can be heard.
Matt and David also talk about what makes a good sermon. They agree that content should be the main focus of any sermon rather than style. They then discuss how to best approach preaching in a sermon, suggesting the goal should be to explain, prove and apply the text. They offer advice for pastors on how to go about creating powerful sermons, including working with others or listening to others preach. For those in the pews, they suggest evaluating sermons based on their content rather than style, and that even if the preacher isn’t great but is using scripture it’s still possible to learn something from the sermon. They also suggest having patience with preachers who are still learning how to preach in an engaging way, and that even if a sermon isn’t great God can still use it for good. David and Matt emphasize the importance of being honest to the text and not straying away from what it is actually saying. Additionally, they recognize that while preachers must be faithful and obedient in their work, the effect of the Word is ultimately in the hands of God.
Finally, they mention how working together can help keep each other honest to the scriptures. By doing so, preachers can ensure that their words are faithful to scripture and will be effective in helping people understand God's word and apply it in their lives. They discuss the benefits of doing a sermon series with another pastor, such as creating a pulpit break and relieving some of the burden of preparing new sermons. Matt encourages listeners to take up this challenge. David concludes with Paul's words from his letter, encouraging pastors to preach the word and be ready in season and out of season.