by Bret Capranica | Apr 26, 2011 | Featured Articles, Ordinary Pastor, Preaching, Technology
I began using my iPad to preach in October of 2010. Actually, I have used my iPad since I bought it for some teaching, preaching, and other messages. I used it to speak and sing at several funerals. I”™ve used it at a wedding. But in my regular preaching, I”™ve used the iPad every week since late October 2010. No regrets thus far. No debilitating challenges. While there are some potential drawbacks, none have been significant enough to outweigh some of the benefits. Benefits No More Paper & Printers. I typically bought a specially cut and weighted paper on which I printed my sermons. The paper was perfectly suited for the laser printer I used, and was the perfect weight and thickness for my preferences in using paper notes in preaching. I didn”™t have to fold an 8 ½ by 11 sheet in two, creating more bulk. No cutting required. With my 6 x 9 sheet, I could use a larger font (14) and suitably indent sentences without creating too many pages or having to use larger sized paper. But no more. No more laser ink cartridges. No more screaming in agony when half-way through printing a sermon the cartridge begin to quit. No more purchasing the paper; nothing more to file afterwards. I greatly prefer the electronic means to the paper pushing. Less Mess & Bulk. Early in my ministry I carried my notes loose in my Bible. No problem as long as you keep the pages numbered in case they get out of order. Loose leaf notes may be fine assuming you have a tall enough pulpit...
by Bret Capranica | Apr 19, 2011 | Featured Articles, Pastoral Ministry, Personal, Technology
Last January, when Apple announced the introduction, I published a post about how I thought ordinary pastors might make use of this new category of computer. A follow-up post is long over due. In fact, when looking over which articles tend to be most perused, I find that previous article continually referenced. I purchased my iPad (the original version) just days after it was released. I immediately began to put it to use in my regular life and pastoral ministry. Before I chronicle how I currently use my iPad in ministry, let me give a few follow-up comments to the six reasons I proposed that ordinary pastors might benefit from the iPad. 1. Magazines/Newspapers can now survive. Newspapers have embraced the iPad in mass from what I can see. I have The Wall Street Journal, ABC News, USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico, CNN, and The Daily, all on my iPad. So far, most of these e-papers do not charge for their content. Some e-magazines do charge; those who do, have not received any of my cash. Even though most of the e-papers are free I rarely open up any of their stand-alone apps. Not that I don”™t consume massive amounts of news articles, I do. As of today, Time, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Politico, CNN, The Washington Post, and many more are making their content free through Twitter. Subscribing to their Twitter feeds and using the Flipboard app I can bring all of the e-papers and magazines I want into one place for me to read, takes notes from, and...
by Bret Capranica | Apr 15, 2011 | Ecclesiology, Featured Articles, Preaching
Carefully Think Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10. Paul writes to “the church of the Thessalonians.” In the passage what are the characteristics of those who are in this church? Read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 10. How does Paul describe the people of this church? Read the following: Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4; 5:13, 14; 11:21; 14:21-23. Who were members of the church? Prayerfully Meditate Biblically speaking, who should be members of a church? Who should not be members? If non-Christians are not members, then what role does the church play in their life? What should their relationship to the church be? How would issues like the Lord”™s supper, baptism, church discipline, and church government all be affected by who is and who is not actually a member of a church? Why does it matter who is or is not a member of a local church? Why is this or is this not an important issue? Actively Respond Do you see the evidence of conversion in your life ““ the kind described in 1 Thessalonians 1? How so? Why not? Pray for those who will be leading the church in our corporate gathering on Sunday. Pray that they will have a focused attention in leading the entire church in a biblical manner. Pray for all who will be involved in the service (instrumentalists, sound technicians, ushers, etc.). Pray that we will help to enhance people”™s affections for God this week in how we serve the body. Meditate on the lyrics of the songs we will sing Sunday (found below). Listen to samples of the music we plan to sing (found below), or download...
by Bret Capranica | Apr 7, 2011 | Featured Articles, Preaching, Worship
Carefully Think Read through the following passages and think about what they about the importance of listening: Matthew 11:5; 13:9, 15, 16, 43; 15:10; 17:5; Mark 7:14; Luke 9:44; 16:29; Acts 2:22; 7:57; 13:16; 15:13; 22:1; Romans 11:8; James 2:5 Read the parable of the soils in Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23. Circle every reference to hearing. What does a person”™s hearing indicate about their soul? Read James 1:19-25 and note what is important about our listening to God”™s word. Prayerfully Meditate What are the biggest barriers to how effectively you listen to a sermon? What do you do to prepare yourself to listen to a sermon on Sunday? Why? What do you do with the material you have heard in a sermon ? How could you spend your time on Saturday evening and Sunday morning to best prepare yourself to listen well on Sunday? Actively Respond Read again through Psalm 119:33-40 and think about the importance of hearing God’s Word and the role it actually plays in your own life. Pray for those who will gather on Sunday to be effective listeners. Pray for those who will be leading the church in our corporate gathering on Sunday. Pray that they will have a focused attention in leading the entire church in a biblical manner. Pray for all who will be involved in the service (instrumentalists, sound technicians, ushers, etc.). Pray that we will help to enhance people”™s affections for God this week in how we serve the body. Meditate on the lyrics of the songs we will sin Sunday. Download the songs for this Sunday and listen to them so...
by Bret Capranica | Apr 2, 2011 | Featured Articles, Ordinary Pastor, Pastoral Ministry, Presidential History, Time/Life Management
What should an ordinary pastor glean from how the President”™s office was organized and functioned? The pastorate is not a political machine like the White House, so many issues are simply inappropriate and unnecessary. But I can find a number of helpful points to consider when thinking through how a pastor should think about how to make the best use of his time. A pastor can”™t run ministry on his own, but needs key and capable people to rely upon. The biblical principle of eldership indicates that no one man should be directing the affairs of the church. Qualified and capable men who can collectively oversee the church”™s ministry are needed. Ephesians 4:11-16 is a great picture of every part of the body doing its share, with pastors assuming one key role ““ that of equipping others to carry out the ministry. We need some regular (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual) time to think, write, plan, pray, and rest. Otherwise, a pastor”™s time will be reactive rather than proactive; he will lose focus on what is most important for the whole of the church because he is caught up in putting out immediate fires, and he will mentally and emotionally wear himself out from trying to keep up with every conceivable issue beyond his control. Trust and focus are key commodities in how we work with staff around us. Written plans culled and vetted by key staff as opposed to spur-of-the-moment conversations with innumerable personalities provides a more proactive, and thoughtful approach to advancing ministry objectives. Ministry needs to be thought through. What are the biblical parameters and implications...
