Celebrate The Progress In Preaching
Like everyone else, I can easily fall into the trap of seeing what I have not done right. This can be problematic over the long haul. If you never look …
Celebrate The Progress In Preaching Read MoreHomiletic Theory
Brute Force Relevance in Preaching
Just because something is true does not mean that it is of utmost importance. An idea must be both “true” and “relevant to the present time” to be worthy of …
Brute Force Relevance in Preaching Read MoreSermons as Medicine
Paul Scott Wilson, on page 22 of the first edition of the book The Practice of Preaching quotes Phillip Brooks at length in writing:
Sermons as Medicine Read More
Sword of Gideon and the Lord – Who is in the Pulpit?
There is an interesting discussion in our new forum about whether it is right to attempt to emulate another preacher when learning how to preach. You can join the conversation and read what was written here: http://shermancox.wpengine.com/emulatepreachers.
One writer stated the following common thing:
Sword of Gideon and the Lord – Who is in the Pulpit? Read MoreYou do the work, God will bring the inspiration it is not you who should be in the pulpit but THE PREACHER Jesus by way of the Holy Spirit, you need to get out of the way and let God have God’s way.
How Long to Preach
This is a very good Question. It is too bad that there is not a universal answer. It is highly dependent on where you preach. For example, there are some contexts where preaching longer than 20 minutes may cause people to start fidgeting. There are other contexts where the people would feel cheated if you only preached for 20 minutes. While there is no universal answer to the question, there are some principles to keep in mind.
How Long to Preach Read MoreUnderstanding The Struggle
Some preachers preach a message that demonstrate that they are disconnected from the pressures and pains of the lives of their congregants. No doubt being a pastor has unique challenges, but some preachers are not able to translate their own struggles into something that can be useful to the congregation.
Preaching an Old West Theology
William Willimon in The Intrusive Word writes that “We ought to preach as if we were opening a package that could be packed with dynamite.” By that he means that we should expect dislocation, surprises, and jolts. Too often we package our sermons in a neatly finished package where we know all the answers and God always acts the way we expect. We create a world in the sermon that is much unlike our own world.
Good Always Wins?
Preaching an Old West Theology Read More
Our Great Temptation
One of the greatest temptations preachers face is not to teach hell fire and obedience. Neither is it necessarily to preach a grace that does not lead to and is devoid of obedience. Some might argue that it is to preach an individualistic gospel without any repurcutions for our corporate living. Others might say that it is to totally ignore individual piety as an important category for theological reflection.
Preaching What People Want to Hear
Our Great Temptation Read More
The Forward Progress of a Successful Sermon
How should a sermon progress? We all have heard sermons that just seemed to progress at the perfect rate. Then we have heard others that climaxed too soon or not at all. We have spoken on the progress of the sermon by making use of the Whooping Curve which graphs sermonic intensity.
The Forward Progress of a Successful Sermon Read MoreStealing Sermons
The pastor was unusually eloquent. He preached with power and the people sensed a special move of God. While the Pastor usually preaches well, this time he really brought it home. Imagine my surprise when I was reading a book of Sermons from the divinity library and found that that Pastor had stolen a sermon word for word. After that I paid more attention and on another occasion saw another of that Pastor’s sermons on the internet.
Stealing Sermons Read More
Nommo – Creative Power of the Word
In Homiletic Theory, Dr. McClure has given each of the students a few terms that we are to define. By the luck of the draw (or lack thereof) I was among the first students that had to define a word in homiletics. Interestingly enough the word that I was given is one that I knew nothing about originally. the word is Nommo which is an Afrocentric term that refers to the creative power of the word. If anyone wishes to read the full document you can get it below.
Nommo – Creative Power of the Word Read MoreThe Stages of Exegesis – Updated
I just realized that I do not have any posts that give an outline of my method for exegesis. Here is the basic process.
- Prayer – You should not open the Bible without praying for the guidance of the Spirit in understanding the principles found in the text.
The Stages of Exegesis – Updated Read More
Should You Imitate Other Preachers?
Teresa Fry Brown continues onto another point 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 imitating other preachers.
Avoiding a Dull Sermon
Dr. Charles Adams presented a class entitled “Preaching, Black and White.” During one of the lectures he gave some “do’s and don’ts.” Teresa Fry Brown wrote up notes from that lecture on page 164 and 165 of her book Weary Throats and New Songs.
Avoiding a Dull Sermon Read More