GRACOL PROFILE The Truett Truett Pulpit The Contributing Preachers: Dr. Joel C. Gregory, Professor of Preaching at George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dr. Todd Still, William M. Hinson Professor of Scriptures at George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dr. Robert Creech, Professor of Christian Ministry and Director of Pastoral Ministries at George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dr. Terry York, Associate Professor of Christian Ministry and Church Music at George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dr. Angela Reed, Assistant Professor of Practical Theology and Director of Spiritual Formation at George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dr. Andrew Arterbury, Associate Professor of Christian Scriptures at George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dr. Joel Weaver, Senior Lecturer in Biblical Languages at George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dr. Stephen Reid, Professor of Christian Scriptures at George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dr. David Garland, Charles J and Eleanor Delancy Chair of the Dean and Professor of Christian Scriptures at George W. Truett Theological Seminary Dr. Doug Weaver, Professor of Religion and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Religion at Baylor University Rev. Mike Fritscher, Senior Pastor, Cottonwood Baptist Church, Dublin, Texas Rev. Dorisanne Cooper, Senior Pastor, Lakeshore Baptist Church, Waco, Texas Rev. Jimmy Hunter, Senior Pastor, Toliver Baptist Church, Waco, Texas Ray Higgins, Coordinator of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Arkansas 2011-2012 V, Volume Sermons Preached During Worship in the Paul Powell Chapel at George W. Truett Theological Seminary 2011-2012 Back Cover Front Cover 40888 4c Cvr Baylor.indd 1 10/3/12 9:21 AM The Truett Pulpit Volume V Sermons Preached During the Community Gathering of Worship at George W. Truett Theological Seminary 2011–2012 The sermons in this volume of The Truett Pulpit were preached in the seminary’s Paul Powell Chapel during the 2011- 2012 academic year. The sermons by Truett faculty members were all chosen from the Gospel According to Mark. Each pro- fessor offers his or her own unique insight into this rich gospel on selected passages. The Kyle Lake Center for Effective Preaching at George W. Truett Theological Seminary Baylor University Waco, TX W. Hulitt Gloer, Director Edited by Kessa Payne The Truett Pulpit Volume V Table of Contents Dedication .............................................................................. 7 A Note On the Sermons ......................................................... 29 Joel Gregory, “It’s Good To Get Out Alive” ............................. 33 Todd Still, “On A Tear” .......................................................... 51 Robert Creech, “Feed My Dogs” ............................................. 59 Terry York, “Close the Door” ................................................ 73 Angela Reed, “View From the Mountain” ............................... 83 Andy Arterbury, “Furious Squalls and Sleepy Nights” ............. 91 Joel Weaver, “Even Messiahs Get the Blues” ......................... 103 Steven Reid, “You Can’t Stay Here” ...................................... 113 David Garland, “Living Life under the Sun or Under God” ..... 121 Doug Weaver, “Freedom to Speak What We Have Seen and Heard” ......................................................... 129 Mike Fritscher, “The Essentials of Our Call” ........................ 143 Dorisanne Cooper, “Not What I Had Planned” ...................... 163 Jimmy Hunter, “Living Within the Parentheses of God” ........ 173 Ray Higgins, “Multi-Generational Leadership” ...................... 183 Dr. Joel Gregory Professor of Preaching George W. Truett Seminary Dedication It is an honor and privilege to dedicate this volume of The Truett Pulpit to my beloved colleague, mentor, and friend Dr. Joel Gregory. Few, if any, living preachers have had a greater and more wide-spread impact as a preacher and a teacher of preachers than Dr. Gregory. He is known around the world as a preacher extraordinaire, an acclamation shared by all who have heard him. So much could be said about this pulpit giant and his accomplishments that it’s hard to know where to begin. What I’m saying here barely touches the hem of the garment. Still I hope you can get a feel for his prominence and influence from these brief comments. Dr. Gregory has spoken in 46 states as well as in Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific Rim, and Middle and South Amer- ica. He has addressed the Baptist World Alliance meetings in Seoul, Korea and Kuala Lumpur. He has served as Professor of Preaching at the George W. Truett Theological Seminary since 2006 and has taught preaching or preached in venues so diverse as Princeton Seminary, Spurgeon’s College, London, Westminster Chapel, London and the International Seminary 7 8 / The Truett Pulpit of Buenos Aires, among hundreds of other engagements. Dr. Gregory was invited to speak at the historic New Baptist Cov- enant in Atlanta January 2008. In May 2008, he preached three times at The Hampton Institute. Dr. Gregory has served as pastor of seven churches, including the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas and the Travis Avenue and the Gambrell Street Baptist Churches in Fort Worth, Texas. He served two terms as President of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He served for years as the speaker on the International Baptist hour, heard on more than 500 stations. For the past seven summers he has taught Proclaimer’s Place at Regent’s Park College, Oxford Univer- sity. He is founder and president of Joel Gregory Ministries. Dr. Gregory is the author of nine books and a multitude of articles. In addition to these writings, more than 600 of his sermons and addresses are available in CD and/or DVD for- mat. In the pages to follow, you will find a complete list of all of these. He is a graduate of Baylor University with a B.A. Summa cum Laude and Ph.D. He also graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with the M.Div., where he taught preaching in the 80s. He is married to Joanne Michele, a registered nurse, flutist and accomplished signer for the hear- ing impaired. They are parents of Grant, Garrett, Jimmy and Linda. For countless numbers of folk around the world whose lives have been blessed by your ministry and for thousands of preachers you have befriended and mentored through the Dedication / 9 years, we dedicate this volume as but a tiny token of our grati- tude to you. W. Hulitt Gloer Dr. David E. Garland Professor of Preaching & Christian Scriptures and the Director of the Kyle Lake Center for Effective Preaching September 2012 Dr. Gregory was the featured speaker at this year’s Fall Preaching Conference and Workshop. His is the first sermon in this volume. 10 / The Truett Pulpit Published Works and Sermons of Joel Gregory PUBLICATIONS Books 1. What Two White Ministers Learned from Black Ministers. Co-authored with Bill Crouch. This manuscript has been ac- cepted by Judson Press. (Please see attached letter from the publisher.) The book is written dialogically between Crouch and Gregory in twelve chapters, each reflecting an aspect of the black church experience. A different prominent African- American pastor comments on the dialogue at the end of each chapter. The foreword was written by Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr., former president of the American Baptist Seminary of the West, president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention and pastor of the Allen Temple Baptist Church. 2. The Preaching Pastor. Co-authored with Frank Pollard. Waco: Truett Seminary, 2003. 2a. Spanish language translation: El Pastor Predicador.Waco: Truett Seminary, 2003. 3. Too Great a Temptation. Fort Worth: Summit Group, 1994. This best-selling historical account became the basis of one of the most performed plays in America, God’s Man in Texas, which premiered at the 23rd Annual Humana Festival of Plays in 1999. The book was serialized in The Dallas Morning News and received a full article review in U.S. News & World Report. The book has been required or suggested reading in many lead- ership courses for pastors. Dedication / 11 4. Gregory’s Sermon Synopses: 200 Expanded Summaries. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992. 4a. Second edition, Fort Worth: Hupomone Press, 2001. 4b. Spanish language translation: 200 Sermons Biblicos Con­ den sados. El Paso: Casa Bautista, 2005. 5. Southern Baptist Preaching Yesterday. Co-authored with R. Earl Allen. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991. 6. Homesick for God. Waco: Word Publishing, 1990. 6a. Second edition, Fort Worth: Hupomone Press, 2001. 7. Southern Baptist Preaching Today. Co-authored with R. Earl Allen. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1987. 8. Growing Pains of the Soul.Waco: Word Publishing, 1987. 8a. Reprinted as Come Home to God. Fort Worth: Hupomone Press, 2008. 9. James: Faith Works. Nashville: Convention Press, 1986. 9a. Reprinted as Christianity in Real Shoe Leather, Fort Worth: Hupomone Press, 2008. This book served Baptists for their win- ter Bible study of the year and sold more than 200,000 copies. Contributor to Books 1. Gregory, Joel C. “Measuring Creativity with a Different Ruler,” in Our Sufficiency Is of God: Essays in Honor of Gardner C. Taylor. Edited by Timothy George, et. al. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2009. 2. —.“An Essay and Sermon” in Gardner Calvin Taylor: Submissions to the Dean. Edited by Ivan Hicks. Calumet City, Ill: Urban Ministries, 2009. 3. —.“You Can Burn to the End,” in Oxford Sermons, Vol. II. Edited and Compiled by Joel C. Gregory. Fort Worth: Hupo mone Press, 2008. 12 / The Truett Pulpit 4. —.“Expository,”