H.B. Charles

Here's one of the apostle Paul's best words to preachers—"Cut it straight, preachers." Technically, he said this: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). As H.B Charles notes, "The term 'rightly dividing' basically means to 'cut it straight.' It was used of a doctor making an incision on a patient for surgery, an architect designing a house, or a construction worker making a straight path or road. Paul would have used it as a tentmaker. But he uses it in 2 Timothy to counsel his ministerial protégé to proclaim the word faithfully and clearly." As preachers, we're on a quest to cut it (the Bible, that is) straight and then to reveal that life-giving truth to our people. That requires the posture of a humble and lifelong learner, the spirit of one who says to the Lord, "Teach me," and the one who is willing to tell others, "Show me how to make progress in learning the preaching craft."

Romell Williams

To that end, at PreachingToday.com we love to help promote some of the finest preaching conferences in the country. Take, for instance, the Cutting It Straight Conference from September 20-22 in Jacksonville, Florida. You'll have a chance to hear from great preachers like H.B. Charles (featured in our new sermon "Living in the Protective Custody of God," a beautiful exposition of Psalm 91 and Romell Williams' new preaching skills article "From Location to Inspiration: The role of historical and literary context in preaching.") I will have the privilege of giving two workshops at this year's conference—"Life by Preaching: 5 Spiritual Practices that Re-energize the Preacher's Soul" and "Preachers Who Connect with Lost People."

But whether you can make it to Jacksonville or not, I hope you'll find some time this ministry year to sharpen your approach to the beautiful, mysterious, God-chosen, humanly impossible but God possible craft of preaching the Word of God.

Also, check out these new resources:

• Featured Illustration: The First North American Missionary—a Freed Slave
• Featured Video: Pursuit - A modern-day parable of God's relentless pursuit of us, His children.
• Featured Sermon: "Living in the Protective Custody of God" by H.B. Charles
• Featured Skills Article: "From Location to Inspiration" by Romell Williams

Matt Woodley
Editor, PreachingToday.com
mwoodley@christianitytoday.com

Matt Woodley is the pastor of compassion ministries at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois.