Timothy L. Brown

Two voices, bracketing the Bible’s witness like audible bookends, shore up the theological convictions of this article. On one side of the biblical witness is the voice of the Creator thundering into creation’s inky darkness, “Let there be light. . . .” And on the other side is the voice of the prophet gasping for breath to choke out a benediction in the apocalypse of St. John, “Blessed is everyone who reads aloud the words of the prophecy of this book. . . .”

"If Christ has not been raised from the dead your faith is futile and you are still in your sins (and) those also who have died in Christ have perished."

Say that again please. . . .

"If Christ has not been raised from the dead your faith is futile and you are still in your sins (and) those also who have died in Christ have perished."

I am no longer a little boy...but the longing to return home—especially at Christmas— has never left me. As the Scriptures for this year's season of Advent and Christmas attest, this desire to come home is lodged deep in the human heart. We all long to go to our Father's house.

Thanks to comedian David Letterman, everyone seems to have a "top ten" list for something. With a touch of embarrassment for joining in the chorus and a genuine longing to be helpful to pastors who find themselves preaching in Advent "yet again," I humbly offer my own contribution: Top Ten Ways to Keep Advent Preaching Fresh.

10 Plan ahead and plan communally.

To guide your worship during this Advent season I comend to you the prologue to the gospel John. I even have a suggestion for a series title: "A Believer's Guide to Virtual Reality".