The Art of Preaching and the Principle of God versus the World (Thesis Sample)

The Art of Preaching and the Principle of God versus the World
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TABLE OF CONTENTS TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u ABSTRACT PAGEREF _Toc481390442 \h 61INTRODUCTION PAGEREF _Toc481390443 \h 71.1Democracy as the Greatest concept of Government in the World Today PAGEREF _Toc481390444 \h 71.2The World; the environment, religions, and governments PAGEREF _Toc481390445 \h 81.3Reconciling the concept of God vs. The World PAGEREF _Toc481390446 \h 92THE CONCEPT OF GOD PAGEREF _Toc481390447 \h 122.1The creation story PAGEREF _Toc481390448 \h 122.2God and the Israelites through the Bible PAGEREF _Toc481390449 \h 152.3Jesus on earth PAGEREF _Toc481390450 \h 172.4The Holy Trinity PAGEREF _Toc481390451 \h 203GOD’S LEADERSHIP PAGEREF _Toc481390452 \h 253.1The interaction of Adam with God at Eden- equal basis PAGEREF _Toc481390453 \h 253.2The Law, limitations, and supremacy of God PAGEREF _Toc481390454 \h 273.3God’s Covenants with Man PAGEREF _Toc481390455 \h 283.4The Leadership of God PAGEREF _Toc481390456 \h 333.5The request for a king PAGEREF _Toc481390457 \h 344DEMOCRACY PAGEREF _Toc481390458 \h 374.1Evolution of governments, from God and gods, to kings, and modern day electoral governments PAGEREF _Toc481390459 \h 374.2Deviation from the Bible to Constitutions PAGEREF _Toc481390460 \h 414.3The Monarchical form of government PAGEREF _Toc481390461 \h 424.4Democracy PAGEREF _Toc481390462 \h 444.5The err of democracy PAGEREF _Toc481390463 \h 455THE WORLD PAGEREF _Toc481390464 \h 475.1Alternative explanations for the world formation PAGEREF _Toc481390465 \h 475.2Growth of ancient civilizations PAGEREF _Toc481390466 \h 485.3The need of all People to believe in the supreme PAGEREF _Toc481390467 \h 505.4Religion as a cause for war PAGEREF _Toc481390468 \h 505.4.1The crusades PAGEREF _Toc481390469 \h 515.4.2The mujahedeen PAGEREF _Toc481390470 \h 525.4.3Terrorism PAGEREF _Toc481390471 \h 525.5God, beliefs, and religions PAGEREF _Toc481390472 \h 535.6The environment PAGEREF _Toc481390473 \h 546PREACHING ON GOD PAGEREF _Toc481390474 \h 566.1The charge to “Go out and preach the good news” PAGEREF _Toc481390475 \h 566.2The concept of God the Son- foreign to non-Jews PAGEREF _Toc481390476 \h 586.3God unifies the world under The Son PAGEREF _Toc481390477 \h 616.4Missionary work- recognize differences, seek to understand PAGEREF _Toc481390478 \h 627RELIGIOUS STUDY PAGEREF _Toc481390479 \h 647.1The multi-religious world PAGEREF _Toc481390480 \h 647.2Unified concepts of God in different religions: Traditional African Religion, Buddha, and Islam PAGEREF _Toc481390481 \h 667.2.1Islam and Christianity PAGEREF _Toc481390482 \h 677.2.2Christianity and Buddha PAGEREF _Toc481390483 \h 677.2.3Traditional African Religions PAGEREF _Toc481390484 \h 687.3Philosophy- the soul, the spirit, and God in us PAGEREF _Toc481390485 \h 697.4The clash of gods- my God is better than yours PAGEREF _Toc481390486 \h 708GOD VS DEMOCRACY PAGEREF _Toc481390487 \h 728.1Kingship in Israel PAGEREF _Toc481390488 \h 728.2Anointment and Inheritance PAGEREF _Toc481390489 \h 738.3Elections replace inheritance PAGEREF _Toc481390490 \h 758.4Distance between God and Man widened by democracy PAGEREF _Toc481390491 \h 768.5Campaigns and God’s choice leadership PAGEREF _Toc481390492 \h 778.6Constitutions and secular law PAGEREF _Toc481390493 \h 789GOD VS THE WORLD PAGEREF _Toc481390494 \h 799.1Theories on Creation PAGEREF _Toc481390495 \h 799.2The evolution theory- the world exists PAGEREF _Toc481390496 \h 809.3The responsibility of man- take care of the environment PAGEREF _Toc481390497 \h 809.4The flood- God hates a sinful world PAGEREF _Toc481390498 \h 829.5Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah- sexual sin PAGEREF _Toc481390499 \h 839.6Sending the Saviour- John 3:16, reconciles humanity to God PAGEREF _Toc481390500 \h 839.7The end of times, judgement, and inheriting the world PAGEREF _Toc481390501 \h 8510THE ART OF PREACHING PAGEREF _Toc481390502 \h 8610.1Understanding the responsibility of preaching PAGEREF _Toc481390503 \h 8610.2The concepts of preaching PAGEREF _Toc481390504 \h 9010.2.1Preparations to Preach PAGEREF _Toc481390505 \h 9210.2.2Processing and Conceptualizing the Texts PAGEREF _Toc481390506 \h 9310.2.3Developing the Message PAGEREF _Toc481390507 \h 9310.2.4The Preaching PAGEREF _Toc481390508 \h 9410.3History of the church PAGEREF _Toc481390509 \h 9410.4Dealing with ‘conquered’ religions- reconciling their old concepts of worship with God PAGEREF _Toc481390510 \h 9610.5Shepherding, not blocking entry into the kingdom PAGEREF _Toc481390511 \h 9611RECONCILLING THE WORLD TO GOD THROUGH PREACHING PAGEREF _Toc481390512 \h 9811.1Summary of God vs. Democracy PAGEREF _Toc481390513 \h 9811.2Summary of God vs. The World PAGEREF _Toc481390514 \h 9911.3Summary of preaching on God and the art of preaching PAGEREF _Toc481390515 \h 10011.4Tying it all up in preaching- great understanding and anointment required PAGEREF _Toc481390516 \h 10112SUMMARY PAGEREF _Toc481390517 \h 10312.1The concept of God PAGEREF _Toc481390518 \h 10312.2God’s Leadership PAGEREF _Toc481390519 \h 10312.3Evolution of democracy PAGEREF _Toc481390520 \h 10412.4Preaching about God PAGEREF _Toc481390521 \h 10512.5The world, religion, and civilizations PAGEREF _Toc481390522 \h 10512.6Religion and religious studies PAGEREF _Toc481390523 \h 10612.7God vs. democracy PAGEREF _Toc481390524 \h 10612.8God vs. the world PAGEREF _Toc481390525 \h 10612.9The art of preaching PAGEREF _Toc481390526 \h 10712.10Reconciling the world to God in preaching PAGEREF _Toc481390527 \h 107BIBLIOGRAPHY PAGEREF _Toc481390528 \h 108
ABSTRACT
In the Bible, God is referred to by many titles, including King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Sovereign Ruler, among others. The concept of God as the greatest power on earth is recognized by Christians and non-Christians alike, and refuted only by the atheists. In the Old Testament, God led the Israelites himself, appointing men like Moses, Joshua, and the judges after them, to lead His people. After the revolt in which the Israelites asked for a physical king, appointment of leaders became through anointment by God’s prophets, before hereditary kingship took over. As civilizations have continued to grow, the concept of the people themselves appointing their own leaders in the electoral process has continually taken leadership away from God. Similarly, geographical differences make a significant difference in the view of God. While the Israelites worshiped the omniscient, omnipresent God whose presence is there, yet not seen, others worshiped graven images, while yet others worshipped gods with similar characteristics. In the new dispensation of Jesus Christ, where the Old was made New, the Holy Trinity was established, and grace was given to man in place of sacrifice, concepts of God have , in the greater part, been reconciled. The instructions of Jesus to his disciples to go and spread the word to all parts of the world introduced the new concept of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (The Holy Trinity) in every corner of the world. In preaching about God, Jesus Christ and the Good News of the Gospel, preachers ought to consider concepts of God in the societies where they preach, as well as the concepts of the world believed by the people, in order to avoid undue conflict of God versus the world. To cover sufficiently the topic of God, Democracy, the World, and their combined impact on how preachers ought to teach the word of God, a breakdown of the topics will be studied in this paper, thoroughly evaluating the concepts in play on the issue, and how they affect effective preaching.
INTRODUCTION
Democracy as the Greatest concept of Government in the World Today
From the beginning of the end of the World War I, democracy has become the greatest form of government in the world, replacing monarchical governments in most of Europe where they were most popular and driven by the spreading influence of America in the global sphere, (Hoppe, 2000). The premise of democracy is to give the power to the people, creating a system of fairness and equality among men and creating freedoms and rights for all people, enshrined in constitutions and enforced by governments that are also mandated by the people.
As the oldest democracy in the world currently, the United States occupies a supervisorial role at the world scene, interfering financially, culturally, and militarily in zones of conflict for the sake of promoting peaceful co-existence. Liberalism of values and principles of government is one of the greatest concepts of democracy, with barriers of discrimination and social stratification being taken down to create equality, oneness, and ever-increasing freedoms of action.
In government, the electoral process is central to democracy, encouraging people to elect their leaders in free and fair elections, with enforcement being done by world powers such as the United States, organizations such as the United Nations, and civil societies that are established on the ground for closer monitoring and whistle-blowing. Democracy is based upon the constitution, with democracy-promotional activities basing the creation of foreign ones on that of the US. Thus, democracy being promoted worldwide consists of several pillar factors on which it is founded, including the freedom of worship and sexual freedom. Sexual freedom is also a critical tenet of democracy, giving all people equal rights and protection from discrimination on account of their sexual orientation, which is contrary to the Bible teachings, and to most people’s views of right and wrong.
The World; the environment, religions, and governments
The world was created by the Lord, with everything in it, on earth and in the heavens. And while God created everythi...