Author Archives: JoeCassada

Spurgeon on Spiritualizing

Have you ever been subjected to a sermon that was vulgar, perverted, or just plain unbiblical? Chances are, it was an example of bad spiritualizing. Today’s episode is about the chapter titled “On Spiritualizing” in Spurgeon’s book Lectures to My Students.  What is spiritualizing? It is applying a spiritual meaning to something – specifically for preachers, itContinue reading “Spurgeon on Spiritualizing”

The Minister as God’s Sword

Every craftsman must sharpen his tool so his labors will be effective, and every swordsman must whet his blade. This “sharpening” is the topic of the chapter titled “The Minister’s Self-Watch in Spurgeon’s book Lectures to My Students. Spurgeon said, “We are in a certain sense, our own tools, and therefore must keep ourselves in order.Continue reading “The Minister as God’s Sword”

On the Choice of a Text

There are over 31,000 verses in the Bible. How do you pick one for your sermon? Where do you start? For Spurgeon, the selection of the passage for the next sermon was a major part of sermon preparation. Indeed, it can be a herculean task – perhaps even more difficult than the actual writing ofContinue reading “On the Choice of a Text”

“What Should I Preach About?” – Spurgeon’s Answer

Today, I’ll discuss Spurgeon’s chapter titled “Sermons – Their Matter” by sharing the five lessons I learned that helped me become a better preacher. If you’ve ever done any preaching, you’ve probably had to wrestle with the basic question “What should I preach about?” By asking that I don’t mean, “What should my sermon topicContinue reading ““What Should I Preach About?” – Spurgeon’s Answer”

The Preacher’s Private Prayer

So begins Charles Spurgeon’s very convicting chapter titled “The Preacher’s Private Prayer” in his famous book Lectures to My Students. In this chapter, Spurgeon answers the question “how should a preacher pray in his own private prayer time?” His answer is simple: we should pray as ministers. Here’s what that means (four observations): First, It meansContinue reading “The Preacher’s Private Prayer”

Charles Spurgeon on the Preacher’s Public Prayer

Last year I read Richard Ellsworth Day’s biography about Charles Spurgeon titled The Shadow of the Broad Brim. Day wrote the book in the early 20th century and therefore was able to interview people who had been church members of the Metropolitan Tabernacle under the pulpit ministry of Charles Spurgeon. Day records that those thatContinue reading “Charles Spurgeon on the Preacher’s Public Prayer”

Regarding The Past Several Months of Violence and Unrest in Our Land

The history of man is a history of bloodshed. From the opening pages of Genesis to the closing passages of Revelation, man’s blood flows like crimson tributaries springing from the Serpent’s lie. Kingdom’s rise and fall with this tide of gore, and Pride is the only tyrant who manages to keep his throne throughout man’sContinue reading “Regarding The Past Several Months of Violence and Unrest in Our Land”