Cowper on Paul on Preaching (3)
And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2.1, 2
William Cowper is best known among believers today for certain treasured hymns, especially, “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood” and “God Moves in a Mysterious Way”. In his day, he was honored both for his many hymns as well as his poetry. The Task is a remarkable, long, essay on the joys of divine grace as seen during a walk through the English countryside. But it also contains a lengthy section of diatribe against the preaching of his day. Cowper pointed to Paul as a model preacher; among other things, Cowper appreciated Paul for the clarity, simplicity, and plainness of His preaching:
I would express him simple, grave, sincere;
In doctrine uncorrupt; in language plain,
And plain in manner… (The Task)
Cowper admired Paul’s commitment to preaching that was in line with sound doctrine, “doctrine uncorrupt.” Only the Word of God is alive and powerful to give eternal life and sanctification to the followers of Jesus Christ (Heb. 4.12; Jn. 6.63; Jn. 17.17). Paul would not sway from the message of God’s Word; his work was to bring the whole counsel of God concerning the Kingdom of God to bear on the lives and times of the people entrusted to his charge (Acts 20.25, 26). To that end, Paul’s ministry of the Word was just that, a ministry rooted in and expository of whatever God had revealed for His people in the Scriptures. No gimmicks, no jokes, no high-fallutin’ academic prose. Just Jesus.
Paul was, as Cowper put is, a “messenger of grace to guilty men.” While sound doctrine provided the power for Paul’s ministry of the Word, grace provided the healing balm to renew the souls of guilty sheep. Jesus Christ was at all times the focus of Paul’s preaching, as he reminded the Corinthians (1 Cor. 2..1, 2), for in Jesus all truth and grace come together as one, bringing abundant life to all who believe.
Resources for being and making disciples
True disciples work to make the Gospel known to others. As we continue our reprise of our conversations with Dr. Mike McQueen, we’re focusing on “propagate” as one of the key elements of discipleship and disciple-making. Listen in by clicking the link at the top of this page.
Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision column we consider Paul’s view of the hope for the church, especially churches that are struggling. Our Read Moore podcast is working through the book, The Kingdom Turn. In our Crosfigell teaching letter, we are looking into the state of pastors and churches during the period of the Celtic Revival, using contemporary witnesses. And in our daily Scriptorium column we are working through the gospel of Matthew. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
The Ailbe Bookstore: For a fuller development of William Cowper’s view of Paul on preaching, order a free copy of our book, An Essay on Preaching, by clicking here. And, while you’re at The Ailbe Bookstore, download a free copy of our book, Pray for Your Church.
Resources for Shepherds: How do the life and work of your church compare with what we see in the New Testament and the Early Church? Watch this brief video, then download the ReThinking Church Appraisal Tool.
From the Celtic Revival
State of the Churches in the Time of the Celtic Revival: Gaul
Then, since according to the Lord’s warnings the blood of so many will be sought for at the hands of their shepherds, careful watch must be kept, that is, the Word of the Lord must be often preached, and preached by the shepherds, by the Church’s bishops and teachers, that none may perish through ignorance; for he perishes through lack of heed, his blood will be on his own head.
– Columbanus, Letter to Pope Boniface
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
– 2 Timothy 4.2
The Irish missionaries who were with Columbanus were raised in an environment where the Word was “often preached by the shepherds”. This was their heritage, passed all the way down to them through Palladius, Ailbe, Erc, Patrick, Coemgen, Colum Cille, and more.
We need to remember that, in those days, no one would have had his own Bible, and most of the people would have been illiterate. Any feeding of the Word they might have received would have come from those appointed as shepherds over them. It was careless, Columbanus insisted, that these men were not preaching the Word of God to their people.
Read the entire article by clicking here.
Resources from the Celtic Revival (ca. 430-800 AD)
It’s March, and tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day. Get ready for it now by going to The Ailbe Bookstore to check out these free resources on the great 5th-century missionary to Ireland:
Patrick: A Devotional History
Let the saint speak to you in his own words for 30 days and discover what made him tick. This is a free download that you can freely share with all your friends.
The Legacy of Patrick
See how the impact of Patrick’s ministry can inspire and direct us today.
T. M. Moore
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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
