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142 Baptist Preaching Conclusion Is there need for the church today to have a new understanding of evangelism ? Yes, there is. The ministry of evangelism in the mission of Jesus Christ today must mature in approaches that emphasize that life in the Spirit is about good: redefining the good where good is so loosely viewed and resurrecting the good where it is absent or difficult to see due to the prevailing conditions of our society and our world. Confess the sins of the church that have prevented the church from being the repository of good that she ought to be. Confess the arrogance that we have displayed in our approach to others—as wise to the foolish, strong to the weak, righteous to the unrighteous, superior to the inferior. Sometimes Christians can be condescending, patronizing, or pitying in the way we speak. Just like anyone else, we are just as dependent on Jesus’ compassion , forgiveness, and liberating power, and are certainly not above the guilty, needy world, but we stand with it to share its sin, guilt, and need for forgiveness and renewed humanity. I pray that a new understanding of evangelism will guide the efforts of the church—our efforts—and that all of Christ will be evident in our mission as evangelistic witnesses. Amen. 18 Developing an excellent Spirit (Daniel 5:12; 6:3) Anselm Warrick St. John’s Baptist Church Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago BIOGRAPHY Anslem Warrick has been an ordained minister of the gospel for over twentyfive years. He is a trustee of Caribbean Christian Publications, a member body of Caribbean Baptist Fellowship. He is the general secretary of the Baptist Union of Trinidad and Tobago and the pastor of St. John’s Baptist Church, Port of Spain. Warrick completed his tertiary education at University of the West Indies–Mona, Jamaica, and his theological training at United Theological College of the West Indies, Jamaica. He specializes in the area of management and leadership, sits as a member of the Baptist Union School Board, and functions in the body of Christ as a pastor/teacher. He is a visionary and under God continues to lead persons into the kingdom Part III—Caribbean 143 of God. His ministry extends into the gang areas of Port of Spain, reaching out to the young people. Warrick is the husband of Karlene Warrick and the father of three children. SERMON COMMENTARY In this biographical message from the larger life of Daniel, Warrick deals with the theme of “excellence.” He deals with the largely known biblical indication that Daniel himself had a spirit of excellence. Although the message is in one sense anthropocentric and biographical, it is in another sense theocentric and transcendent. He roots the spirit of excellence on the part of the believer in the Spirit of God. Yet at the same time Warrick insists that excellence is not a special spiritual gift but may be developed by any child of God. To clarify the term “excellence” in its biblical sense he begins with a series of word studies. Then, in a chiastic comparison, Warrick identifies the difference between a superior spirit and a spirit of superiority. Daniel demonstrated the former rather than the latter. This seems to be a fine and necessary distinction between excellence and egotism. This is important for the development of the sermon. What distinguishes excellence in a believer from the hubris of secular excellence seems to be a significant aspect of this message. At the same time, even within the believer, excellence can and should be developed. It is not an a priori gift that comes fully formed. Warrick roots excellence in the very nature of the triune God. Although some may have more obvious outward and exterior signs of excellence—the handsome appearance of Daniel—one must not wait for comfortable circumstances to develop excellence. Indeed, excellence is best developed against a background of challenge and lack rather than ease and abundance. The ability to adapt to a new environment facilitates excellence. The exiled Hebrews had to excel in finding ways to thrive in the new Babylonian environment. A rather unexpected lived experience cited by the media mogul Oprah Winfrey develops this thought. Her own struggle against racial and gender prejudice reveals the strength of pursuing excellence to overcome barriers. While emphasizing adaptation to a new environment, Warrick also proclaims the significance of “standing your ground.” Excellence walks on the razor’s edge between appropriate adaptation on the one hand and a...

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