What The Blues Teaches Us About Preaching
I was listening to Wynton Marsalis recently—one of the great jazz trumpeters of our time—and he broke jazz down into three essential elements. This is my summary of what he …
The I, The Us, and the Hope In Preaching Read More
There’s something strange and beautiful about the blues. It’s a music soaked in pain—lost love, long nights, empty pockets, broken promises, unanswered prayers. The blues doesn’t pretend everything is alright. …
The Blues, The Dance, and Preaching Read More
Real preaching doesn’t promise you the new car. It doesn’t guarantee a bigger house, a better job, or a fairy tale ending. Because the Bible doesn’t either. You can name …
Three Things the Blues Will Do To Your Preaching Read More
You ever notice it? That preacher starts to rise near the end of the sermon — voice bending, throat tightening, rhythm building. And suddenly, they’re not just talking. They’re singing …
The Moan and the Whoop: Where Blues Meets Preaching Read More
Let’s go ahead and say it: some of these sermons out here sound like lectures. Long on information, short on inspiration. Packed with notes, but no oil. Now look — …
Sermon is Art Not Lecture Read More
If you’ve ever spent real time in the Psalms or the Prophets, you know they don’t sound like the neat, polished songs we often sing in church. They’re raw. They’re …
Why The Psalms and the Prophets Sound Like Blues Read More
Yes… I’m still thinking about the blues, y’all. And the more I sit with it, the more I realize the blues has made me a better preacher. When we talk …
How The Blues Helped My Preaching Read More
Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On opens soft, like a prayer hanging in the air: “Mother, mother, there’s too many of you crying. Brother, brother, brother, there’s far too many of …
Preaching Truth Through the Blues Read More
I’ve been thinking about celebration lately—what it really is, and what I actually do in my own sermons. And I’m going to get back to you soon with more on …
What The Blues Teaches Us About Celebration Read More
“I“I don’t yell or whoop, how can I bring that energy to my sermon?” Good question. Very good question. Some preachers are so monotone and lifeless that they appear to …
Stop Sleeping In The Pulpit Read More
I sometimes feel like a broken record….But one of my pastors used to always say, “Repetition deepens the impression.”. Anyway, this is something that preachers often ignore so I want …
Thou Shalt Have Good News Read More
OK… So I have been learning music over the last few years. Somebody said, “All the answers are in the records.” What they were saying is that if you have …
The Answer Is In The Records Read More
Just Keep Put The Ball In Play I wasn’t a basketball or football guy. Back in High School, I played baseball. I grew up watching the Kansas City Royals. I …
Just Keep the Ball In Play Read More
You ever heard a sermon like this? “You ain’t doing this!” “You ain’t doing that!” “You better straighten up!” And then the preacher concludes the sermon… OK…the Closing song is…. …
The Importance of Good News Read More