Home Podcast Leonard Sweet: Church Leaders, God Has Given You This Moment—Don’t Miss It

Leonard Sweet: Church Leaders, God Has Given You This Moment—Don’t Miss It

Leonard Sweet
Photo courtesy of Leonard Sweet

Dr. Leonard Sweet is a preacher, teacher, theologian and scholar. He is the author of more than 70 books and 1,500 published sermons, and his recent publications include groundbreaking textbooks on preaching, evangelism, ecclesiology and discipleship. His book, “Rings of Fire: Walking in Faith Through a Volcanic Future,” looks at what the 21st century holds for us and how the church should respond.

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Key Questions for Leonard Sweet

-What predictions have you seen fulfilled in the three years since you published “Rings of Fire”?

-How can church leaders engage biblical teaching on explosive issues like race and gender?

-How should church leaders and pastors see the human impulse towards franchise?

-What have you seen over the last few decades that you think is a part of building a hopeful future?

Key Quotes From Leonard Sweet

“There are volcanoes that are erupting in the culture that the church has got to contend with.”

“The lava that is produced by a volcano is some of the richest soil out there…So if you can handle the volcano, deal with the volcano, prepare for the volcano. What’s going to follow in the aftermath of that volcano can be some of the richest ground for church planting and doing new ministry.”

“Part of the challenge here is preparing. I don’t believe in planning. I’m not a planner, but I am a preparer. You can’t plan for the world of total serendipity.”

“I really believe that the way through all of these thorny thickets is not around the Scriptures, but through the Scriptures. And so part of the challenge is how do we locate ourselves biblically in the midst of all these volcanoes? And how do we have a biblical witness that can help us through it?”

“Our identity is not found in our gender. Our identity is not found in our race. Our identity is not found in our nationalism or nationality or our identity is not found in our education. Our identity is found in Christ.”

“Whoever is the author of your story is your authority—’author’ and ‘authority,’ that’s basically the same words. So part of the challenge then to the church is, first of all, know where your true identity is.”