May 23, 2023
by Eric Stillman
I first heard the name Tim Keller in the spring of my senior year at UConn, 29 years ago. My friend Christie shared with me that her father had been attending a men’s Bible study where they were listening to sermons by Tim Keller, the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. She knew that I was working as the youth pastor of NewLife, and thought I would enjoy his sermons. She gave me two tapes which contained four sermons on the final week of Jesus’ life. I was blown away...Keep Reading
Posted in: Preaching Tags: Gospel, Preaching, Tim Keller
August 23, 2022
by Eric Stillman
In Paul’s second letter to his protégé Timothy, he warns him that the time will come when people will seek out teachers who “say what their itching ears want to hear.” I imagine there have always been teachers like this throughout the history of the church, but this warning is undoubtedly prophetic today. But rather than point the fingers at others, we would be prudent to consider where it is that we are most tempted as American Christians to have our itching ears scratched....Keep Reading
Posted in: Discipleship Tags: Preaching, Discipleship
August 31, 2021
by Eric Stillman
I have a fear of public speaking. But it’s not what you think.
It has been well-established that public speaking is the number one fear of most Americans – surpassing even their fear of death. That incredible fact led to the great Jerry Seinfeld joke, “This means that to the average person, if you had to be at a funeral, you would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy.” I would imagine that most people are afraid to speak in public because they are afraid that their mind will go blank, or that they will say something foolish, and experience the disapproving judgment or ridicule of the crowd.
But that is not why I have a fear of public speaking....Keep Reading
Posted in: Preaching Tags: Preaching, Fear, Public Speaking
March 27, 2021
by Eric Stillman
“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-- with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:2-4)
In Paul’s second letter to his protégé Timothy, he warns him that the time will come when people will seek out teachers who “say what their itching ears want to hear.” I imagine there have always been teachers like this throughout the history of the church, but this warning is undoubtedly prophetic today. But rather than point the fingers at others, we would be prudent to consider where it is that we are most tempted as Americans to have our itching ears scratched.
1) I want a God who affirms my lifestyle and does not expect me to change. Don’t preach to me about holiness and sanctification. Don’t remind me that my sinful nature is deceitful and hostile to God. Don’t tell me that being a new creation means that I should walk according to the Spirit. And please don’t teach me the Bible and challenge me to obey God. Just tell me that God loves me just as I am and that I’m already going to heaven, so I can live however I please.
2) I want a God who wants me to gain all I can in this world. Don’t tell me about the cross, about denying myself and following Jesus. Don’t teach me that a servant isn’t above his master, that if Jesus suffered than I will too. Don’t refocus my heart on eternity. Just tell me that if I truly believe in God, that I will be rich, that I will get that promotion, and that I will have everything my heart desires.
3) I want a God who would never let bad things happen to me. Don’t tell me about suffering as the path to glory. Don’t teach me about the suffering of Jesus or the suffering of the apostles. Just tell me that if I have enough faith, that I will never get sick, that God will overcome every obstacle in my life, and that this life will be amazing.
4) I want a God who exists to serve me. Don’t remind me that I am not the center of the universe. Don’t tell me that are billions of people out there in need of Jesus. And don’t tell me that the Bible ...Keep Reading
Tags: Preaching, Discipleship
October 6, 2020
by Eric Stillman
A few Sundays ago, I began my sermon by sharing a little about what you might call my philosophy of preaching: how I preach, and why. Allow me to expand upon that a bit in this space:
1) Preach primarily the Bible, not my thoughts...Keep Reading
Tags: Preaching, Bible
November 20, 2019
by Eric Stillman
I was in a conversation with someone recently who asked me what the hardest part of preaching is. There are many things that are challenging about it ...Keep Reading
Tags: Preaching, Marriage
March 19, 2019
by Eric Stillman
I have a fear of public speaking. But it’s not what you think.
It has been well-established that public speaking is the number one fear of most Americans ...Keep Reading
Tags: Preaching, Fear
October 2, 2018
by Eric Stillman
A recent unique posting on churchstaffing.com (since deleted) was making the rounds in articles on Christian websites this past week. Apparently, a newer church in Colorado was looking for a pastor willing to memorize the sermons of certain megachurch pastors and preach them to their congregation every Sunday. The reasoning went like this: if worship teams learn and play Chris Tomlin or David Crowder songs for worship, adding in their own personal contributions, why not do the same with preaching? Why settle for listening to Joe Pastor when you can listen to Joe Pastor preaching a Steven Furtick or Andy Stanley sermon?...Keep Reading
Tags: Church, Preaching
March 14, 2017
by Eric Stillman
In Paul’s second letter to his protégé Timothy, he warns him that the time will come when people will seek out teachers who “say what their itching ears want to hear.” I imagine there have always been teachers like this throughout the history of the church, but this warning is undoubtedly prophetic today. But rather than point the fingers at others, we would be prudent to consider where it is that we are most tempted as Americans to have our itching ears scratched....Keep Reading
Posted in: Discipleship Tags: Preaching, Discipleship
January 15, 2013
by Eric Stillman
“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word.” (2 Timothy 4:1-2)...Keep Reading
Tags: Preaching
November 2, 2010
by Eric Stillman
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11)....Keep Reading
Tags: Preaching, Bible
April 13, 2010
by Eric Stillman
For this week‘s post, I wanted to turn things around on you and ask your opinion on something:
What do you think of topical sermons?...Keep Reading
Tags: NewLife, Preaching
