God grant us serenity
Spirituality Lisa Cressman Spirituality Lisa Cressman

God grant us serenity

The Serenity Prayer brings us into the present; reframes our worries, angst, and stress; right-sizes our power; and returns us to the grace of God that can help us in this moment. 

I offer it this Election Day in the United States as a spiritual practice for preachers this week—and to spark inspiration for preaching this Sunday. 

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Ditch Fear. Seed hope.

Ditch Fear. Seed hope.

Due to the sheer repetition of circling our gaze between nails, soldiers, and oppressor, our fear mushrooms until we believe that death is stronger than God. Jesus himself is always there to remind us of the truth, but there is another figure we can look to as a guide in restoring our faith in God alone: Mary Magdalene.

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Do You Believe the Sermons You Preach?
Spirituality Lisa Cressman Spirituality Lisa Cressman

Do You Believe the Sermons You Preach?

We’re not writing sermons to get a job done. Nor are we looking for a topic the same way we do for a term paper. Instead, having engaged the text prayerfully—vulnerable and open to the Holy Spirit—we have been changed. We encountered the living God, and that encounter transforms us. A sermon, then, serves as a public declaration of faith: yours.

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Be Fed That You May Feed
Spirituality Lisa Cressman Spirituality Lisa Cressman

Be Fed That You May Feed

Consider how we feed people with the Word week in and week out:

  • Sermons
  • Bible studies
  • Prayers

When we're only using the Word as a necessary tool for ministry, yes, we get fed on the side. But we don't eat the main course. When we don't sit at the banquet table and feast daily ourselves, we slowly starve ourselves

We know we're starving when:

  • Preaching becomes a test of strength, willpower, and adrenaline.
  • Preaching doesn't give us life, it drains it. 
  • Preaching hangs over our heads all week.
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How Jesus Confronts Scapegoating
Spirituality The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Garcia Bashaw Spirituality The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Garcia Bashaw

How Jesus Confronts Scapegoating

One of the most foundational truths about scapegoating is that the people with power—those in the center of society—single out people on the periphery in order to lay unsubstantiated blame on them. It is a hidden, even unconscious ritual that focuses the violence of a society onto a singular victim. When a community accuses that victim, turns against him, and eventually kills or expels him, it brings peace. More often than not, scapegoats are innocent of the crimes they are accused of but the community does not realize it. They believe the guilt of the scapegoat because to accept the victim’s innocence would make them face the evil and violence in their own hearts, at the heart even of human society. So what can we do when recognize scapegoating in our midst? Jesus offers an effective example.

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A Rule of Life for Preachers: The Preacher's Trust
Spirituality Lisa Cressman Spirituality Lisa Cressman

A Rule of Life for Preachers: The Preacher's Trust

At Backstory Preaching, we encourage preachers to develop and practice a type of rule of life specific to our vocation: The Preacher’s Trust. The Trust is a grace-filled structure upon which to grow as a child of God who happens to be called to preach, transforming our lives to reflect the Good News we preach. Discover the beauty of this spiritual practice for preachers.

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Preaching Advice Roundup: 16 Backstory Preaching mentors share strategies to make preaching easier, more effective, and more fun!
Craft, Process, Spirituality Lisa Cressman Craft, Process, Spirituality Lisa Cressman

Preaching Advice Roundup: 16 Backstory Preaching mentors share strategies to make preaching easier, more effective, and more fun!

Sometimes, one small tip is powerful enough to unlock a new competency or significantly improve a skill or process. That’s why today's blog is all tips, tips, and nothing but preaching tips. As the 2023-2024 Mentorship class wraps up their program and celebrates graduation, I asked current Backstory Preaching mentors to offer some of their favorite preaching strategies to help you craft more effective sermons in less time—while loving the process!

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