Malcolm Cox

Introduction
Here is your 2-minute tip wrapping up the 30-part series based on the book, “Plain speaking: How to preach and teach effectively" by David Bercot.
I’m not going to attempt a comprehensive summary, but instead offer a charge.

Preach Christ

John the Baptist heralded the Kingdom, Jesus preached the arrival of the Kingdom, and he sent his followers to do the same. The good news is that the kingdom is here, and all can enter to receive the life of Christ.

Make that the core of what you preach.

In other words, teach doctrine, but preach Christ. Explain the text and its meaning, but do not make the text the point - instead elevate Jesus. Convey your convictions, but do not let your personal agenda obscure Jesus.

Contemplate these statements of the Apostle Paul:

1 Corinthians 1.23 - “but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,”

2 Corinthians 4.5 - “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”

Galatians 1.16 - “to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.”

When preaching, ask yourself how Jesus will be glorified by your lesson.
What are your thoughts on the today’s tip?

Conclusion
Next week I have some tips for when you are asked to speak outdoors.

Has today’s tip been worth two minutes of your time? I hope so.

Remember to keep calm and carry on teaching.

Consider joining AIM UK&Ireland to develop your understanding of Scripture: https://aimukandireland.com/. Our next module is Spiritual Life.
Contact us here with enquiries: [email protected]  
The website can be found here: https://aimukandireland.com  
Please add your comments on this week's topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, or practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here's the email: [email protected]. 
If you'd like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, "How God grows His people", sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org. 
Please pass the link on, subscribe, and leave a review. 

God bless, Malcolm

Send questions and comments here ➡️ [email protected]
Watch This Next: https://youtu.be/p3u9POMAsSw

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Get a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

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Question - What helps you to focus on preaching Christ?

I am a qualified solutions focused coach. You can book a session with me either via the email above, or at the website: https://malcolmcoxcoaching.com/

God bless, Malcolm

You can find the show notes as a pdf here: 

Quiet Time Coaching Episode 528 | New Creation Series — Part 20 | “New Creation - New Direction” Part 3 | Malcolm Cox

Introduction

A new creation! I'm Malcolm Cox. Welcome to this series on ‘A new creation’. 

The premise of this series is that God is loving us into spiritual character growth. Jesus is the inspiration for that spiritual character. We are being transformed into his likeness.

2 Corinthians 3.18
“And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.”How does this happen? A key aspect is following Jesus and living as a disciple. Following Jesus changes us, and those changes help us follow him. Today, some thoughts on learning to follow Jesus.

Learn his story

Learning Jesus' teachings is helpful and vital. As far as we can tell, he spent more time teaching than anything else.

Mark 4.2
“He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:”

He expected people to put what he taught into practice.

Matthew 7.24
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

However, it is important to step back from the detail to survey the big picture. What is his story? How do we do this? One method is to read the Gospels often and a lot. For example:

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: After reading the gospel, what do you feel drawn to pray about? How has Jesus become more 'alive' to you?

Conclusion

We limit our faith and growth if we study the gospels for facts about Jesus. Instead, take some time to look for what he was like. How does it feel to know he is still like that today?

Next time, we will continue to explore following Jesus as an inspiration to spiritual growth.

Your brother, Malcolm

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, or practical? Could you send me your questions or suggestions? Here’s the email: [email protected].

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God Grows His People”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

Please pass the link on, subscribe, and leave a review.

"Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License 

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Introduction

Here is your 2-minute tip based on the book, “Plain speaking: How to preach and teach effectively" by David Bercot. 

"Good speakers aren't born. They're made. And a congregation can play an enormous role in growing up a perpetual crop of good speakers." 144

"The first preachers of the gospel were men without any advanced education. However, they had received training from Jesus or his apostles. And they were a mighty army indeed!" 148

What are your thoughts on the ideas Bercot raises? 

Conclusion

Next time, we will wrap up the series

Has today’s tip been worth two minutes of your time? I hope so.

Remember to keep calm and carry on teaching.

Consider joining AIM UK&Ireland to develop your understanding of Scripture: https://aimukandireland.com/. Our next module is Spiritual Life.

Contact us here with enquiries: [email protected]  

The website can be found here: https://aimukandireland.com  
Please add your comments on this week's topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, or practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here's the email: [email protected]. 

If you'd like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, "How God grows His people", sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org. 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, and leave a review. 

Remember to keep calm, and carry on teaching.

God bless, Malcolm

Introduction 

A new creation! I'm Malcolm Cox. Welcome to this series on ‘A new creation’. 

The whole premise of this series is that God is loving us into spiritual character growth. The inspiration for that spiritual character is Jesus. We are being transformed into his likeness. 

2 Corinthians 3.18
“And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.” 

How does this happen? A key aspect is following Jesus, living as a disciple. Following Jesus changes us, and those changes help us follow him. Today, some thoughts on the cost of not following Jesus. 

The Cost of Not Following 

For some disciples the cost of not following Jesus was too high. Consider what happened when Jesus made this outrageous statement:
John 6.56 - “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.”
The consequences were dramatic; however, a few had a different perspective:
John 6.66-69 - “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”” 

QUESTION: What motivated Peter and the others to stick around when the majority left? 

Conclusion 

As far as Peter was concerned, he acknowledged it was hard following Jesus, but now he knew him, and who he truly was, and what he offered, there was no one else worth following.
Why not take some time today to thank Father God for sending to earth the one person worthy of our total loyalty and devotion? 

As Dallas Willard wrote in “The Spirit of the Disciplines”, 

”The correct perspective is to see following Christ not only as the necessity it is but as the fulfilment of the highest human possibilities and as life on the highest plane.”Next time, we will look at learning how to follow Jesus.

Your brother, Malcolm
 
 
Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.
 
Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, or practical? Could you send me your questions or suggestions? Here’s the email: [email protected].
 
If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God Grows His People”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.
 
Please pass the link on, subscribe, and leave a review.
 
"Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
 
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
 

Teaching Tip 370 | “Plain Speaking - listeners' pet peeves” | Malcolm Cox 

Introduction

Here is your 2-minute tip based on the book, “Plain speaking: How to preach and teach effectively" by David Bercot. 

"Whether you're someone who preaches regularly or only occasionally, here's some feedback that your listeners would like to tell you but probably never will." 139

What are your thoughts on the points Bercot raises? 

Conclusion

Next time, we will explore growing good speakers.

Has today’s tip been worth two minutes of your time? I hope so.

Remember to keep calm and carry on teaching.

Consider joining AIM UK&Ireland to develop your understanding of Scripture: https://aimukandireland.com/. Our next module is Spiritual Life.

Contact us here with enquiries: [email protected]  

The website can be found here: https://aimukandireland.com  
Please add your comments on this week's topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, or practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here's the email: [email protected]. 

If you'd like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, "How God grows His people", sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org. 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, and leave a review. 

Remember to keep calm, and carry on teaching.

God bless, Malcolm

Introduction 

A new creation! I'm Malcolm Cox. Welcome to this series on ‘A new creation’. 

The whole premise of this series is that God is loving us into spiritual character growth. The inspiration for that spiritual character is Jesus. We are being transformed into his likeness. 

2 Corinthians 3.18
“And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.” 

How does this happen? A key aspect is following Jesus, living as a disciple. Following Jesus changes us, and those changes help us follow him. Today, some thoughts on the cost of not following Jesus.  

Costs and Benefits 

Jesus invited people to follow him. Some of those invitations sounded attractive. Can you think of some? 

QUESTIONS: What attracted you to following Jesus? What was the highest cost of following him? Have you ever felt like leaving him because the cost was too high?

Next time, we will look at learning how to follow Jesus.

Your brother, Malcolm


Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, or practical? Could you send me your questions or suggestions? Here’s the email: [email protected].

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God Grows His People”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

Please pass the link on, subscribe, and leave a review.

"Carpe Diem" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
 

You can find the sermon notes here: https://www.malcolmcox.org/?p=33620

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Teaching Tip 369 | “Plain Speaking - preaching with power: prophetic preaching” | Malcolm Cox 

Introduction

Here is your 2-minute tip based on the book, “Plain speaking: How to preach and teach effectively" by David Bercot. 

Bercot emphasises the conversational nature of speaking, but there is a place for the prophetic, by which he means those speakers who convey a sense of dramatic urgency. "Typically, their goal is to convict their hearers of sin and for the need of repentance. They don't want to make their listeners comfortable; they want to make them uncomfortable. They often seek to bring their listeners to a life-changing decision right there and then." 135

Bercot offers the following thoughts.

What are your thoughts on the points Bercot raises? 

Conclusion

Next time, we will explore listeners' pet peeves.

Has today’s tip been worth two minutes of your time? I hope so.

Remember to keep calm and carry on teaching.

Consider joining AIM UK&Ireland to develop your understanding of Scripture: https://aimukandireland.com/. Our next module is Spiritual Life.

Contact us here with enquiries: [email protected]  

The website can be found here: https://aimukandireland.com  
Please add your comments on this week's topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, or practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here's the email: [email protected]. 

If you'd like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, "How God grows His people", sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org. 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, and leave a review. 

Remember to keep calm, and carry on teaching.

God bless, Malcolm