Four Ways to Preserve Your Humanity When Stressed
When we’re under stress, our body releases hormones that interfere with our executive functioning—our ability to make thoughtful, strategic decisions. As a result, we know we have a ton of work to do, but we don’t know what to do right now to move forward, leaving us stuck in overwhelm. Or worse, we turn on those around us. Read on for suggestions to pause the surge of fight-or-flight hormones, regulate your emotions, re-enter a thinking state, and do the good work.
Going small for Sermon Inspiration
God's glory is revealed in the small as well as the big: in the sparrow and the heavens, the mustard seed and the mountains, the little children and the disciples. And our preaching grows stronger when we learn to attune ourselves to the way God appears in the smallest details of the Bible's stories and text.
Lenten Preaching: Why Change is So Hard
We preachers often wonder whether our words have any effect. The people we preach to and the world around us pretty much look the same week after week. It doesn’t often look like the Good News has caught fire in people’s hearts. It doesn’t look like the reign of God is being built. For all our efforts to preach the Good News, how come it looks like nothing much is changing?
Your free, at-home Lenten retreat: Exhale
We work hard to create an environment so that those we serve enter into a holy and sacred season of fasting, reflection, and prayer. And what about you?
We have created an environment for you with this free, at-home Lenten retreat. It includes quotations, poetry, Lectio Divina, and questions for reflection—with suggestions for three schedules to suit your schedule of ninety minutes, three hours, or six. By the end, you will have exhaled your concerns about what is to come, and be held in the present, liminal moment between breaths: our place of rest within the Holy.
How to Make the Unbelievable Believable
How do we make God's invitation to the Promised Land—to freedom, to abundantly shared mercy, to love and justice—worth the pain of change? Especially when we're in the process of moving toward God as much as our parishioners are?
A 3-Step Review to Preach More Compellingly and Joyfully This Year (& All Year)!
Complete this 3-step review to preach more compellingly and joyfully this year (& all year)!
Cultivating Patience (A Free, At-Home Retreat)
However much we wish the the thorn in our sides would just go away, wishing will not bring the desired effect. Moreover, acting out our impatience is only adding thorns to others' sides, increasing their suffering. We could all use more patience—right now. From whence is it to come?
This free, at-home retreat is intended to help
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.
The sermon 52 Framework
Just one hour and $27 to learn BsP’s practice to craft authentic, effective sermons—52 weeks a year.
Get the weekly newsletter
Get practical tips and resources (like this blog!) delivered to your inbox—and rediscover the joy of preaching.
Join our community on Mighty Networks
Find resources and connection in this free, private community for preachers.
Live Lectio for Sermon Prep (Free!)
Get an early start on your sermon prep by joining us live on Facebook (Mondays at noon Central) as we prayerfully discuss the coming week's gospel passage (RCL & NL).
I participated in the Lectio study today with a complicated and double-speak Gospel (John 17:6-19) and WOW! I received so much great insight and am headed in a direction I feel really good about. Thank you to all my colleagues! If you are wondering if this is worth it, wonder no more. It is.
—Donna G.
Current Offerings
The Collective/+
Your go-to community for preaching support and long-term growth. Weekly sermon prep resources, monthly master classes with leaders in the field, seasonal planning sessions, and community for the day-to-day work of preaching—all online so you can participate from anywhere.
Craft an Effective Sermon by Friday
This downloadable eCourse teaches you effective techniques you can apply immediately to craft soul-filled sermons that connect with your audience.
Get the latest book by BsP’s founder!
The Gospel People Don't Want to Hear: Preaching Challenging Messages was written to aid preacher’s in understanding what’s at stake for their listeners so they can craft sermons their audience can receive, even if they challenge cherished beliefs.
I just have to say WOW. I'm so grateful that I made the investment and joined The Collective. These Thursday [workshops] are a game-changer for me.
—Andrea M.