Kindled Fire

  • Home
  • About
  • Counseling
  • Sermons
    • Old Testament
    • New Testament
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Home
  • About
  • Counseling
  • Sermons
    • Old Testament
    • New Testament
  • Contact
  • Blog

"Woe to me if I preach not the gospel."

Preaching Jesus and His Polity Unabashedly

1/16/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
My anonymous institutional church antagonist decried the fact that I would dare promote the Biblical form of church government known as Presbyterianism rather than just preach Jesus, like the great ministers of old did.  

May we let the record show that he is wrong in his condemnation:  Samuel Miller was, like Johnathan Edwards and George Whitfield, a powerful preacher.  He was used by God during the Second Great Awakening to stir many souls to faith and repentance.   Yet his preaching was not limited to evangelistic messages.  He diligently advocated for a proper church government too, as can be seen in his thorough work An Essay, on the Warrant, Nature and Duties of the Office of the Ruling Elder, in the Presbyterian Church.

It ought to be noted that this work was not just a continuation of his Scripture expositions, it was an extension of his work of "preaching Jesus."  Miller understood that if Christ was going to be honored with godliness there must be proper modes of discipline exercised.  To put it another way, "Effective discipline was a spiritual function of shepherding that must be carried out only through a plurality of elders who alone were authorized to perform it." (Samuel Miller:  Discipline on the Frontier).



It may be also noted that the Great Trumpeter of God, John Knox, was one who wrote the Book of Discipline.  This work was nothing other than the first Presbyterian church order.  After having broken away from the Catholic Church and being wholly devoted to the teaching of Scripture, developed this book as a way to assist the church's reformation and maintenance.

Time does not permit me to speak of the Princeton Seminary men, Thornwell (whose preaching you can sample by clicking the icon on the right entitled, "Judgments, A Call to Repentance"), Dabney and others.   Only let it be noted that all of these were not only dedicated to "preaching Jesus", but also dedicated to upholding the polity He instituted in His Word for the better maintenance of the godliness.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Kindled Fire is dedicated 
    to the preaching and teaching ministry of 
    Matt Timmons.  
       Matt is blessed to be a husband, father, and pastor in Ashland, Ohio.

    Hopewell
    Church

    Picture
    Come learn more about Hopewell Church

    Picture
    Check out A-town's new place for news!

    Social Media
    Join the conversation!

    Check Out 
    Matt's Original Hymns
    Hymns

    This is Matt's book.  You should buy it.
    Picture
    A Handbook for Leading Divine Worship
     

    Categories

    All
    10 Commandments
    Adoption
    Apologetics
    Art
    Ashland
    Baptism
    Bible & Theology
    Catechism
    Church
    Civil Magistrate
    Classes
    Confession Of Sin
    Conversion Stories
    Covenant
    Creative Writing
    Creeds & Confessions
    Culture
    Devotion
    Doctrine On Fire
    Education
    Evangelism
    Family
    Fun W/ Mormons
    Homeschool
    Hopewell Church
    Hymns
    Instruction
    Land Of Ash
    Local News
    Lord's Supper
    Mansfield
    Marriage
    Matt's Life
    Money
    Newsletters
    New Study
    Outreach
    Prayer & Service
    Preaching
    Presbyterian
    Presbytery
    Prison
    Pro Life
    Providence Church
    Public Speaking
    Quotes
    Reviews
    Sex
    Slavery
    Suicide
    Tracts
    What They Say About Matt
    Wife
    Worldview
    Worship

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011

 Woe to me if I preach not the gospel.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Twix, HelloImNik, Jair Alcon Photography, treehouse1977, Noel.Goodwin, S. Reachers, fontplaydotcom, DGriebeling, Chris Yarzab, karen horton, /\ \/\/ /\, Dawn Huczek, sekfeps, sundeepartist, ShelahD, ePublicist, RebeccaPollard, Andrew Morrell Photography, Nieve44/Luz, Sam Hearn, Audio-TechnicaUK, jenny downing, Swami Stream, carulmare, anikki*, Steve Snodgrass, globochem3x1minus1, motiqua, Vampire Bear, Lauren Tucker Photography, Рафаэль, jumpinjimmyjava, GlasgowAmateur, Alun Salt, mindfreeze86, Ding Yuin Shan, javcon117, thezartorialist.com, chatirygirl, Wm Jas, Son of Groucho, MSVG, Eric Kilby, eflon, superfem, James Alby, DeeAshley, Atheist Bus Canada, andrewrennie, Zachi Evenor, Dougtone, Technomancy, Unquabain, AndrásTuri, Nina Matthews Photography, 401(K) 2013, WikiThreads, Steve A Johnson, photosam88, Roger Saunders, blah blah photos...blah blah blah, Crysco Photography, mathias shoots analogue, wit, Veronique Debord, florianplag, gemsling, woodleywonderworks, huskyte77, maartmeester, Dylan Luder, Arnett Gill, Martin Cathrae, PeacockArmageddon, trix0r, stevendepolo, CarbonNYC [in SF!], DaGoaty, quinn.anya, HelloImNik, tausend und eins, fotografie, kenteegardin, supercoqui23, Son of Groucho, Aman Deshmukh, surrelmar, mockstar, Rusty Darbonne, masochismtango, Zaprittsky, effektvoll.photography, louporg, hectorir, Sh4rp_i, Egan Snow, Tim Sheerman-Chase, Andrew Kalat, david_shankbone, SteveR-, Gemma Maree, GabboT, emma.buckley, NYCgal, billaday, openDemocracy, AtomDocs, Fahmishah, bradleygee, Five Furlongs, jason.odonnell, Ben Fredericson (xjrlokix), B. Vasiliy, edenpictures, Josh Meek, Hunky Punk, Satoru Kikuchi, Alan Cleaver, phil wood photo, NCinDC