For the Love of Preaching: Sermon Prep Pandemic-Style (3rd in a 4-Week Series)
While we’re building the kingdom of God, however, most of us in the West “drink the kool-aid” of the productivity-equals-success/respect/love poison our society ladles out for us during our construction breaks. Even though the drink tastes bitter, and we say the Church is in the world and not of it, and we say we hate the stuff, we preachers keep going back and holding out our cups for refills.
While we drink, we look with dismay at that partially constructed kingdom and see all the work left to be done. So we double our efforts, squeezing more tasks into the cracks of time, adding a patch here, pouring cement there, but seemingly to no avail. Because the work is never done and the task lists only seem to grow larger. And that’s in a non-pandemic year.
Resources for Preachers at the Time of a National Election
Preaching God’s kingdom in the midst of a national election is fraught. Backstory Preaching has put together a collection of Scripture, quotations, church prayers, and additional resources to buoy your faith, help you remember that you do not carry this burden alone, and provide guidance for your preaching and leadership over the next few intense weeks.
Preaching God's Economy When People are Afraid
People are being laid off and are un- or under-employed. Government assistance is capricious. Food insecurity, especially with the need to feed school-aged children who won’t receive school meals, is getting desperate. And for preachers, stewardship season is around the corner. How do we dare talk about money and finances this fall?
How to Preach into the Crisis of George Floyd’s Death
Many preachers find themselves preaching into mostly white contexts. This leaves those churches without the witness, lived experience, wisdom, and leadership of people of color as they navigate tragedies like the murder of George Floyd and the national crisis at hand. My hope is to share some thoughts and perspectives for those preaching in primarily white contexts, graciously informed by my conversation with Rev. Rogers, so white churches can step into this moment with humility and courage and repentance.
Panel Discussion: "Preaching in a Time of Pandemic" with Cressman, Gunn, Jefferson, and Wells
Wondering how to keep preaching into this strange new world? Hosted by Bexley-Seabury Seminary, The Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes, and the Anglican Theological Review, and moderated by Micah Jackson, a panel of theologian-preachers discuss what it means to preach into a pandemic. Panelists include Scott Gunn, Mark Jefferson, Sam Wells, and Lisa Cressman.
Suggestions for Online Memorial Services Based on First-Hand Experience
Unimaginable just a few months ago, many preachers now find themselves in the position of holding online memorial services. As we wade into this unfamiliar territory, Sr. Miriam Elizabeth Bledsoe and Rev. Jim Said share their experience and suggestions based on the online service they held for Sr. Bledsoe’s mother, who passed in mid-March.
How to Craft an Easter Sermon that Speaks to the Truth of Our Current Circumstances
This short video demonstrates in real time a brainstorming process—utilizing story structure—to craft an Easter sermon that will resonate with our present reality. Blessings as you preach this holiest of weeks, Dear Preachers.
How to Preach into Grief
I never could have known this treatise on grief would be released in the midst of a pandemic. I could not have foreseen just how dramatically the ways of life we’ve always taken for granted would shift almost overnight. The lessons are keenly relevant to our new reality, and I want to share a few as you grapple with how to support not only your congregations but also your own spirit in the weeks and months to come.
Preaching Themes During COVID-19
Like you, I have a lot more questions than answers about life and faith as we figure out how to respond to this defining global moment. We will often need to preach out of our own questions and the ones our parishioners ask. Click to find a few possible preaching themes as we navigate this global crisis.
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