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Pastoral Book Reviews - Lectures to My Students

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Today, many Christians are turning back to the puritans to, “walk in the old paths,” of God’s word, and to continue to proclaim old truth that glorifies Jesus Christ. There is no new theology. In our electronic age, more and more people are looking to add electronic books (ePubs, mobi and PDF formats) to their library – books from the Reformers and Puritans – in order to become a “digital puritan” themselves. Take a moment to visit Puritan Publications (click the banner below) to find the biggest selection of rare puritan works updated in modern English in both print form and in multiple electronic forms. There are new books published every month. All proceeds go to support A Puritan’s Mind.

Charles Spurgeon at his best. This is probably my favorite Spurgeon book. It is packed with helpful insights into many areas of pastoral theology that pastors never even think about.

Pastoral Book Reviews – Lectures to My Students
Reviewed by Dr. C. Matthew McMahon

Lectures to My Students
by Charles Spurgeon
Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI: 1996.
443 Pages, Paperback

What does the prince of preachers have to say to young ministers today? In the 5 star book he has much to offer the Pastor.

One contemporary scholar and authority on Spurgeon says of this work: “Next to Mr. Spurgeon’s great literary work, The Treasury of David, we consider [these] Lectures to My Students his greatest single contribution to the Christian world. There is more practical wisdom, common sense and sage advice packed within these pages than with any other book of similar size or content.” This complete and unabridged edition of Spurgeon’s great work will I make it possible for today’s generation to appreciate Spurgeon’s combination of discerning wit and refreshingly practical advice. Included in the 28 chapters of this classic volume on homiletics are such lectures as: The Call to the Ministry, The Preacher’s Private Prayer On the Choice of a Text, On the Voice, The Holy Spirit in Connection with Our Ministry, Posture, Action, Gesture, etc., The Blind Eye and the Deaf Ear, and On Conversion as Our Aim Illustrations in Preaching. As were all of Spurgeon’s messages to his people, each of these lectures is Scripture saturated and Christ honoring. They move swiftly and are fascinating in their content and sage counsel. Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) was converted at the age of 16. He preached his first sermon, from 1 Peter 2:7, in 1851 at 16 and became pastor of the Church in Waterbeach in 1852. Later he became pastor of the Baptist Church of New Park Street, Southwark, London, and managed the Pastor’s College and the Stockwell Orphanage. Called the “Prince of Preachers” and “A Master Pulpiteer,” he published more than 1,900 different sermons during his lifetime.

What can be added to this volume? Your eyes, mind and heart. In covering the above topics and more, this 28 chapter book was written as a compilation of Spurgeon’s Lectures to his Ministerial Students. It is notable that these lecture are to “his student” not colleagues and fellow pastors. Students need this book. But in the church today, the students are those who are preaching from the pulpit. In working through this book, the student will gain more insight and more depth than all the contemporary preaching books like this combined.

Some Quotes:

“He who presides over a system which aims at nothing higher than formalism, is far more a servant of the devil than a minister of God.”

“Recollect as ministers, that your whole life, your whole pastoral life, especially, will be affected by the vigor of your piety.”

“…master the books you have. Read them thoroughly.”

“There is such a thing as being to much a minister and too little a man.”

“Nothing can succeed with the masses except naturalness and simplicity.”

“Be in love with prayer.”

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