A Faith Worth Believing Living and Commending

The materials presented here are reflections on a variety of topics: a belief in Gods suffering and the pastoral implications of this; Luthers theology of preaching; practical approaches to evangelistic preaching; pastoral advice on death and dying; apologetic preaching in a post-Christian culture on the model of Paul; effective living in the power of the Holy Spirit striking a balance between enthusiastic service and fervent love; the image of Gods love in the Old Testament; and personal exhortations. Although this book was written on the balcony of my own study where reflection and meditation are carried out it is cognizant of ministry contexts where peoples needs and struggles are most evident. With anecdotes and analyses the readers will be enabled to discern the signs of divine transcendence in their lives and to apprehend or rather to be apprehended by the beauty of Gods grace--the abiding basis of our being and well-being. What has been written in this book reveals the heartbeat of a mentor who earnestly hungers for divine beauty and holiness a mentor whose hunger God eagerly fulfills just as he promises and a mentor who wishes this same fulfillment to happen for readers. The basic assumption in this book is this: a faith that is worth believing is a faith that is worth living and thus worth commending. The book is also an exercise of faith seeking understanding--understanding only God could supply. It is written with the hope that it will lead readers from knowing God to loving him to enjoying him and finally to proclaiming him so that others will be brought into the orbit of Gods inestimable grace. Not until our hearts which Gods heart touches touch the heart of others is our ministry complete and our life found pleasing to God.