I was talking to one of our readers during my office hours and the subject came to the preachers who get all the invitations. In some cases they are the ones who…
While Waiting For Your Turn To Preach
You have been called to preach, but it seems that your opportunities to preach are slim to none. You see your other associate colleagues who have more invitations than they can even…
When Are You Finished Preparing Your Sermon?
This is another one of the most popular questions. Whenever I have a seminar or receive questions through the mail, someone asks, “How do I know my sermon is ready for preaching.”…
Is Black Preaching Just For Black People?
One of the most persistent misunderstandings that people have with SoulPreaching.Com is the idea that Soul Preaching is teaching Black people to only preach to Black people. One white preacher asked me…
Preaching Without Notes through Improvisation
A few years ago, I attended a workshop entitled: “Authentic Patience: Improvisation and Preaching.” The presentation was by Rev Mark T. Davis who is the senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church in…
Should We Preach Prosperity?
Well, there is a new book that helps us understand what the question even means. Many of the most popular preacher in the African American community could be considered “prosperity preachers.” These…
Are You Feeding The Sheep or Bleeding On The Sheep?
One of our readers, C. Johnson, wrote a perceptive comment which reads in part:
To a large degree, what is said, heard and done (in the pulpit) is all prepackaged. Even the words that are used, are for the most part scripted long before a text is exegeted and expounded.
and further
Too many who populate pulpits reduce the Bible to the script of the people we serve and as a result, lead them into both mediocrity and blindness.
Using the Pulpit to Beat our Enemies
Telling the Story and Making Your Points while Preaching
In the African American Preaching Tradition the ability to “tell the story” is highly prized. It is also helpful when preaching to any ethnic group. There is something about stories that captures the imagination of the hearer in ways that no other method can. Stories grab the people and place them in the Bible story as they recognize parts of the story playing out in their own lives. Stories are powerful especially Bible stories.
Preaching As Providing 3-D Glasses
Someone asked me, “Why do preachers often see something theological in every event?” This is an intriguing question. As I thought about the answer, I was reminded of going to a 3D…
Is The Preacher A Prophet or Priest
A few years ago, the Biblical Preaching blog asked the question, “Are you a Prophet or Priest?
Style In Preaching, Illegitimate?
It is always difficult to provide a critique of just about any practice. I could legitimately provide a critique of preachers who bore their people to sleep by not spending any time…
Evaluating The Preacher
I was reading H.B.Charles’ article on black preachers and their caricature that may YouTube feeds into. I would encourage you to check out his website. I think that the plethora of “whooping”…
Denzel to Preachers – Just “Let It Rip”
The Talking the Walk Blog has an interesting post that seeks to derive help for preachers from an interview with Denzel Washington.
Denzel answers why he did a particular hand movement in a movie by saying:
Everyone Doesn’t Respond the Same Way
Always remember that we are seeking to help the congregation digest the information presented in the sermon. There are times when this discomfort is due due to the powerful truth presented. We…