26 thoughts on “Exactly”

  2. I watched quite a few of his videos and he has alot of good things to say and alot of good insights but he and Driscoll are both somewhat drama queens.Theres still alot of self in their messages although less with Chandler.The other downside is their calvinism its nauseating to hear them defend that view……..

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  3. ive always been motivated and challenged by chandler. in one of my darkest times i heard him speak on the weight of pastoring and the knowledge of christ. it was inspiring.

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  4. The guy is definitely speaking to pastors about preaching, and criticizing the craft of others is fair game in this context, so long as you’re willing to take some criticism from your fellow craftsmen. He’s not actually preaching, though his little riff at the end is a brief example.

    I appreciate his point and am reminded of Robert Farrar Capon’s observation about topical sermons: “Topical sermons are like topical anesthetics: they don’t go deep.”

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  6. yes..it’s less bothersome. If he’s giving tips to other pastor’s, I get it.

    I originally thought it was just some guy being self-indulgent with his own congregation, scoring a few laughs off of those other preachers.

    Like I said, it’s a pet peeve…not necessarily logical.

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  11. Is this a preacher’s conference or something?

    If not…i have a pet peeve towards pastors that waste their congregation’s time talking about how terrible other preachers/churches are.

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  12. Will Willimon
    Steve Brown
    N.T. Wright (Doesn’t have a podcast, but lots of audio at his page.)
    D.A. Carson
    White Horse Inn
    Todd Wilken/Issues. etc.

    And that God Whisperers guy is pretty good, if you go in for that Lutheran stuff 🙂

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  14. I am having one of those rare times when I find myslef travelling on the Lord’s Day and not able to attend church. But this four minute clip is meatier than most Sunday Sermons so I feel as if I’ve done the whole church thing already. Thanks for introducing me to this great preacher!

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  16. Hadn’t heard of Chandler before, but he certainly hit the nail on the head. I’ll be googling his name and church and looking for more.

    So often the gospel and the way of Jesus gets lost in the struggle to be pragmatic and relevant or hip or whatever. The irony of this is overwhelming and heartbreaking: we have literally the greatest story and truth ever told and we’re not using it.

    I taught adult SS for a few years and am as guilty as anyone of using pre-packaged “relevant” materials, but I always made sure I used and put them in the context of scripture and the larger story that scripture tells. Whatever the flaws of some seminary training, mine certainly helped me do this, and I’m thankful for it. Still, I often felt like I was swimming against the tide (but maybe that’s how we’re supposed to feel) 🙂

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  17. I’ve paired my podcasts from a bunch down to Chandler and Francis Chan.

    It is amazing how well he tackles tough scriptures on a regular basis. That’s saying something, as I’ve seen time and time again, even supposed “line by line, verse by verse” guys deftly work around them.

    It’s a good thing there are guys like him help shape future leaders.

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  18. Wow– even as I was listening to the fictional “Debt is Dumb” sermon outline, I was thinking, “There is no Christ, no Gospel here– and that is just how so many sermons are!”

    I am very grateful to be blessed with a church community in which the sermons are consistently built around, and relate back to, God’s holiness, Christ, the cross, and grace. I have Christian friends who go to “Debt is Dumb”-like churches, and I see the lack of careful, Biblical, cross-centered thinking in their lives. I say that with sadness and a heavy heart, not with a sense that I am “better than them” for going to a church with God-centered preaching and teaching. Pragmatism has done so much damage in evangelical churches that the degree of that damage can hardly be overstated.

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  19. For those who don’t know the lyrics to the song, Here they are! 🙂

    Debt is dumb

    Verse 1:
    Don’t you know that Debt is dumb
    Feels kinda like sucking your thumb.
    May get you some temporary action,
    But has no real satisfaction.

    Chorus: (sing with feeling – don’t forget the actions)

    Rip up those credit cards.
    Tear them up in tiny shards.
    Money sense doesn’t have to be hard.
    When you’re tempted to spend just put up your guard.
    ‘Cause Debt is Dumb.

    Verse 2:
    In just six months you’ll be debt free,
    If like iMonk, you worship David Ramsey,
    Debt in your marriage will take a heavy toll.
    Trust in David for your debt, and Jesus for your soul.

    Repeat Chorus 2X

    Debt is Dumb
    Debt is Dumb
    Debt is Dumb

    By Michael Bell – CCLI # 1768942 (c) 2009

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  24. “I have no problem with topical preaching, as long as it’s done exegetically.” The crowd laughed, but he’s absolutely right. You can do topical, exegetical sermons: You research every proof-text you use to make sure you’re quoting it in context, and if you find you’re quoting it wrongly, you alter your conclusion on the basis of your new knowledge. Sure it’s time-consuming, but it’s the only responsible way to quote a bible.

    I wish pastors did that. Too often they just stretch the scripture’s meaning and move on. Misquoting any other book would get them critique from teachers, the press, other scholars, pundits… why on earth do they get a free pass just ’cause it’s the scriptures? Because everyone else is just as sloppy? Because it’s a magic book? Because many intellectuals are pagans, so it’s okay if I’m a moron, ’cause that’ll show ’em? But I’ll stop there.

    However: I don’t know that I’d use the term “myth” to describe all the empty preaching that’s going on out there. I’d definitely use “myth” to describe the popular Christian teachings that have nothing at all to do with what the scriptures actually teach. (Fr’instance, what’s commonly taught about tithing.)

    That aside, Chandler was spot on.

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  25. That’s a beautifully simple and on target way of saying what topical preaching needs to be, and nails the silliness he’s describing that is going on everywhere in evangelicalism.

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  26. This is fabulous. I haven’t heard this guy before. And I love the statement, “I’m not against topical preaching as long as it’s done exegetically.” Thanks for sharing iMonk.

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