THE NEW OFFICE SCHEDULE: RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH. MARCH 2010
I must say, I am having to get adjusted to my new schedule. I have brought all my pastoral/ teaching and books and binders from the house over to the pastor's study and office. It is hard to believe that all the books, binders, and tapes, etc. that were in my house are not in the office. I had to buy four bookcases that have five shelves to put the binders on this week. That is in addition to the ones I already had set up. Now its wall to wall bookcases.
I remember in Fort Worth, Texas back in 1966 I had one bookcase. Then in 1971 at Madison Baptist Church in Minford, Ohio I had maybe four book cases. Then in 1980 at First Baptist Church in Altoona, Kansas, I had a room filled with binders, and books. I had come where around two thousands plus. Then in 1983 after going to the Shepherd's Conference, and again in 1990 I took a different approach to learning the Word and preaching/teaching.
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. book "Toward An Exegetical Theology" Biblical Exegesis for Preaching and Teaching. I attended the Shepherd's Conference in October 1983 and my teaching took an 180 degree change. I had never heard or read a book on how to preach and teach the word of God, well in the form of this book.
Haddon W. Robinson's book "Biblical Preaching" The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages. Now these two books, was really different than what I had learned. I thought the best sermon material was from Oliver B. Greene, John R. Rice, and Charles H. Spurgeon. Now they were good, but as to how the were able to know all that stuff about Ephesians was amazing to me. The Holy Spirit didn't seem to give me that information, no matter how hard I prayed.
So I had to build a total different kind of Biblical library. If I remember I bought Fritz Rienecker / Cleon Rogers book: "Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament." I couldn't even say "LINGUISTIC", I practiced that word for days with Charity.
Of course I had never heard of such a book. To have a deeper understanding of God's Word was always a desire of mind. I have always loved the Word, and loved studying. But now I wanted to learn for myself these truths.
I learned that the Holy Spirit is the only true teaching of the Word of God. Nevertheless, the petition for the Holy Spirit does not exclude earnest and energetic study.
Over the next few years, our church, First Baptist Church was gracious to allow me to buy the needed books I needed for the teaching of the Word of God. And Kurt Nunnenkamp was gracious to build me wall to wall beautiful book shelves. I had a wonderful pastor's study office.
While I used John MacArthur, Jr. as the key to my study, I wanted to know how he did it.
So now since 1983 I have been learning this wonderful Word of God, in a new and wonderful way. Of course I have always loved to study since 1963, and read some great books but never had I known the joy of learning the Word of God in this new and wonderful way.
I didn't know what a CD or a DVD was, I didn't know about the Internet. Only books. It was not until 2003 did I get the Internet and another whole world open up for me.
Now I have generally technical books about teaching and preaching, and when I am in a book, like Philippians, I buy those books on the subject. And now of course there are so many great websites that have put the books on the Internet.
I don't believe the Holy Spirit is offended if we study a lot of other material to help us understanding the Word of God.
