Toby Sumpter - 2015 Augustine Presbytery Retreat (Four Aspects of Ministry)

Toby Sumpter spoke at the 2015 Augustine Presbytery (CREC) Retreat on Four Aspects of Ministry: Liturgics, Evangelism, Mercy Ministry, and Preaching:

White is for Warriors: A Brief Theology of Liturgy & Vestments
Whether or not you preach in a white robe, the book of Revelation shows us Jesus carrying out His warfare clothed in white surrounded in armies dressed in white robes. This talk focuses on the ministerial calling of leading God's people to war with sin, unbelief, the flesh, worldliness, and the devil.

Praying for Riots: Public Evangelism & the Pauline Pattern
A friend tells me that Paul instigated fourteen riots in the book of Acts. This talk discusses the biblical pattern of public proclamations of the gospel that stir up large groups of people with the end result of the gospel going forth with power.

The Lure & Necessity of Mercy Ministry: Restoring the Image of God
While everyone knows the famous line about "true religion," Christians frequently miss the numerous warnings about the various pitfalls of ministry to orphans and widows. This is part of the Church's war with the mangling effects of sin, but our methods must reinforce the inherent dignity and value of every human being.

Parabolic Preaching: Stirring Up Hearts
Mark's gospel tells us that wherever Jesus went, He preached in parables in order to confuse and measure the hearts of His hearers. And only those who followed Him and tracked Him down later were given answers to questions. How does this square with the homiletical rule of clarity? How do parables "measure" our hearts?