You don’t have to yell when you preach, but you can increase intensity… What? Increase intensity but not yelling? What are you talking about? OK, sit down for a moment and let’s…
Category: Homiletic Theory
Practicing Preaching and Christian Living – Lessons from the Trumpet
Well I spent a significant amount of time practicing the fundamentals of music. I played many scales and arpeggios (chords). I turned them into patterns and exercises. I played major and minor scales. I played them from memory as well as sight read the scales and patterns. I would play many different patterns and piece them together in different ways. I played them high, play them low, play them staccato, play them legato, play them whole notes, half notes, quarter, etc.
My God, My God, Why….?
On the cross Jesus uttered a fascinating sentence. We find it in Matthew 27:45-46, Jesus said “My God, My God, Why has thou forsaken me?” If you have been in the church…
On the Reuse of Sermons
Teresa Fry Brown hits on another important topic as she presents Charles Adams’ 9 suggestions to preachers found on page 164 and 165 of her book Weary Throats and New Songs. This one has to do with re-using sermons.
Don’t Commentate….Preach!
A while ago, Peter Mead ran a series on his helpful website on the subject of “Preaching Epistles.” People ask me to bring different perspectives, so here is one that I read…
Preaching To Those Who Hear
On the Biblical Preaching blog, the author is currently in a series about the different listeners in our sermons. Who is listening? There is the community of faith, not yet believers, angels,…
The Role Of Humanity In Preaching
Some believe that preaching is where the preacher goes off to talk to God with Bible in hand. Then God gives a message to the preacher. Then the preacher comes to the…
The Homiletic Process in A Minute
Someone sent this in on our Facebook Page and I thought the answer might be applicable to many readers. Hey I have a few questions if you don’t mind helping me, I…
Practical Preaching Or Kingdom Preaching?
Many call for practical sermons. I have made the same call on occasion. However, the term “practical sermons” means different things to different people. For example, some preachers use the term to…
Improving Your Craft….How Pious Ideas Can Kill Preaching Improvement
We get emails and comments all the time from readers. I love to receive them and try to answer them if I can. Many are happy with the “down to earth” and…
Looking at the “Insignificant” Parts of the Text
Preachers are expected to “tell the story” in the African American tradition. Often this is a call to preach the familiar stories that we all have heard multiple times. Preaching familiar stories helps both the preacher and the people. The people know the story that you are seeking to interpret and the preacher does not have to go looking in obscure sections of the Bible for something to preach.
Can You Write a Sermon Down?
OK, let’s get into some sermon philosophy. The question for today, “Can you write a sermon down?” You may think so, but I am not talking about whether to use a manuscript…
When Do You Tell People The Point In The Sermon?
An interesting question came in this week. When do you tell people the point of the sermon? Is it in the introduction or some other point of the sermon? In The Beginning…
Preaching As Calling Forth An Alternate Consciousness
Walter Brueggemann wrote: It is clear that the old “liberal habit” of a “social action agenda” has, of itself, little transformative power in the present church. It is equally clear that the…