PREACHING THINK TANKS

Charles Simeon (1759-1836) was a leading evangelical preacher in England and curate of Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge for 53 years. Every Friday evening for many years, he led what some have called “conversation circles” for pastors and students in his apartment on the campus of King’s College. These “tea parties” were practical discussions of various theological and pastoral topics of interest to men preparing for or in ministry. Simeon once said about these private conversation circles, “with congenial minds, and when the circle is five or six, we can be deeply solemn, and enter as it were, within the veil; but not so with all, nor with a circle of many persons” (H.C.G. Moule, Charles Simeon, 227).
 
We have adapted Simeon’s conversation circles into Preaching Think Tanks. Think Tanks are gatherings of up to twelve preachers for spiritual refreshment and personal growth. The number is limited to encourage deeper and more insightful conversations among the preachers in a collegial atmosphere. Each Think Tank aims to refill the wells, rekindle the passions, and replenish the spirits of the pastors who participate.
 
Preaching Think Tanks are approximately six hours in length, including a fellowship lunch and led by a Rephidim Project facilitator. Some aspect of expository preaching, announced in advance, will be the focus of each Think Tank. The facilitator initiates the conversation by explaining the day’s topic and giving some instruction about that topic. The conversations revolve around the preaching topic as the participants share insights and observations designed to help each other become better expositors of God’s Word. A brief message from God’s Word and time of prayer for each other conclude the day.
 
If you are interested in joining a Preaching Think Tank or would like more information, email info@rephidimproject.org.
 

THE EPI-CENTER

Serve God with such education as you have and thank Him for blowing through you if you are a ram’s horn, but if there be the possibility of your becoming a silver trumpet, choose it rather.
(C.H. Spurgeon, “The Necessity of Ministerial Progress,” Lectures to My Students, London: Marshall, Morgan and Scott, 1973, p.209).
 

The church in the United States is in desperate need of revitalization and revival. Nothing in all of church history has brought people closer to the Lord Jesus than the faithful preaching of God’s Word, line upon line, precept upon precept. Pastors need to return to the priority of expository preaching in the pulpits of our churches. We believe that a movement back to the exposition of Scripture is more effective than an event and are committed to investing in such a movement for the glory of Christ.

EPI-Center is a collaborative effort to bring expository preaching resources and training to pastors, church leaders, and those who have a call to preach in the Northeastern United States. We train expository preachers by providing tools, resources, and teaching. We coordinate intensive preaching institutes, workshops, and cohorts for pastors in the northeast.

EPI-CENTER INSTITUTES

The Cecil B. Day Foundation began the EPI-Center in 2015 to train preachers in New England. Since that day, over 450 pastors have received training through ministries like Cross Talk Global with Kent Edwards and the Stephen Olford Center. The EPI-Center merged with the Rephidim Project in September 2018 to continue the mission of training preachers in the Northeastern United States.

Institutes are 2-day intensive conferences. We partner with established preaching organizations to provide excellent instruction in homiletics by experienced practitioners from around the country. We are currently working with The Charles Simeon Trust to bring their excellent training in expository preaching to southern Maine. We encourage pastors in other parts of the Northeastern United States to attend one of their training sessions in other locations.

EPI-CENTER WORKSHOPS

Workshops are shorter intensive seminars usually lasting from 2-6 hours covering various preaching topics. These workshops can be either a good jump start on preaching for those with limited training or a refresher for those who have studied homiletics in the classroom previously. If you would like to host a workshop at your church, please email The Rephidim Project at info@rephidimproject.org, and we will work to implement and promote the workshop. Here is a sample list of workshop topics we can provide.

  • Hermeneutics: The Foundation for Homiletics (One day)
  • Preaching through the Upper Room Discourse (One day)
  • Sharpening our Skills in Expository Preaching (One day)
  • Greek Tools for Sermon Preparation (One day)
  • Hebrew Tools for Sermon Preparation (One day)
  • The Persuasive Preacher: Healthy Influence in a Marketing World (One day)
  • Preaching Through 2 Corinthians 2-7 (One day)
  • The Bones of a Sermon: Structural Analysis of the Biblical Text (2 hours)
  • Preaching with Purpose (2 hours)
  • Framing the Message: Sticky Notes for Daily Life (2 hours)
  • Sermon Delivery: Tips and Topics (2 hours)
  • Preaching from Narrative (2 hours)
  • Preaching from Poetry (2 hours)