What The Blues Teaches Us About Preaching
I was listening to a preacher who tried to use a “whoop” to hide his lack of preparation. In this audio I give a few principles for whooping with integrity. If a preacher follows these principles he or she will be on the way to not just whoop, but whoop with integrity.
Preachers in the Black church tradition preach many messages. However there are a few that jump out at you. In this series we first looked at the idea that God Will Hook You Up. That message is definitely in the tradition and we cannot forget it. However, in these days, many are ONLY preaching this message. In addition, some are preaching a distorted caricature of this message. But, God skillfully used this message to help Black folks through some dark days in America.
Sermons of the Black Church – God Will Fix Me Read MoreCan we learn anything about preaching from musicians? Is there any correspondence between playing notes and saying words? In this audio we seek to answer this important question by encouraging preaching to play words like notes.
How can we preach today? What do the ancestors and our current pastor/preachers have to tell us? In this audio we look at the importance of “remembering” three types of preachers from our past.
If we are to preach in these days we must remember our preaching mothers and fathers.
Audio 21 – Remembering and Black Preaching Read More
Otis Moss III, pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, contributed to the chapter “At the Table: The Next Generation” in the book Blow the Trumpet in Zion. Moss’s contribution is entitled “Discerning among Theologies in the Black Church.
The Sermons of the Black Church – God Will Hook You Up Read MoreIn 2007, the African American community finds itself in a treacherous situation. It is a time when middle class African Americans have more opportunities than many generations before now. African Americans are CEOs, entertainment personalities, and political leaders in both political parties. But during this time of seemingly relative prosperity the masses of the poor among us are still in terrible conditions.
Remembering the Future: An African American Approach to Preaching Read MoreIn the Winter 2003 edition of the African American Pulpit there is the sermon The Worms Got Him by Dr. Caesar Clark who is one of the great African American preachers.
We will look at this sermon at another time in that there is much in it to learn about the genius of the Black pulpit. What I want to look at here is the interesting device that Clark uses in his first move of the sermon. Here Clark summarizes a lot of information and background data for the hearers.
One of the most important tools for preachers is the hymnal. Sometimes when I tell new preachers that they look at me as if I am asking them to sing a solo before their sermon. However, even if you do not plan to sing a note, the hymnal contains tools to help you preach.
A discussion of Teresa Fry Brown’s book. What can we learn from our preaching sistas?
In addition, how can the ministry of music as a metaphor help our preaching? These questions guide the book Weary Throats and New Songs.
Should Black Preachers whoop? Does whooping degrade our sermons? Is it an unnecessary detraction? This audio looks at these and other questions in reference to whooping.
How do you increase the intensity of your sermons? Preachers often do this by increasing volume, but that can cause difficulties. Find other ways to bring power to your preaching in this audio.
I would encourage you to listen to this discussion of Jeremiah Wright’s comments. The discussion includes those who are attacking Rev. Wright and those who are defending him from various standpoints.
Around minute 13 one of my own homiletics professors, Dr. Brad Braxton, provides a brief but important historical description of the African American church and African American preaching.
Listen to the audio at this link
Audio Discussion of the Jeremiah Wright Comments Read MoreCharles G. Adams provides a discussion of his sermon preparation method in Cleophus LaRue’s book Power in the Pulpit. It is detailed and comprehensive.
Pastor Adams first emphasizes that prayer is at the beginning of the sermon. In addition, the preacher must have a text from the Bible and a subject from the preacher.
The last general principle Cleophus LaRue writes about in his book before walking through the methods of the great preachers is Preaching Out of the Overflow