The Opposite of Love, According to Bishop Curry. This Will Preach.
The opposite of love is less violent than hate, more consequential than indifference, and shapes our culture individually and at large. What is it? And why does it matter?
Pick 1: Try Shifting Something Small for Big Change (a Roundup of Our Most Useful Posts)
This holiday week, we've rounded up some of our most popular and useful blog posts to help you find the encouragement and strategies you may need to try something new. Pick one thing to shift this week and see what happens.
Eight Tips to Preach Across the Divide
If your experience is like mine, you’ve never preached in a political and cultural climate as volatile and unpredictable as the one we face in the U.S. right now. How do we preach the unifying love of Christ when many are divided? How do we preach peace in the face of vitriol? How do we preach dignity when displays of disrespect are paraded as badges of honor?
Is Your Preaching a "Performance"? 3 Guiding Questions
It put the holy fear of God in my heart to realize I had the ability to perform the role of a preacher and be believed and trusted when I shouldn't be. I had skills at the ready to inflate my knowledge of scripture, embellish its presentation to appeal to certain people, or protect myself with silence. So what would guide me to ensure I wouldn't perform as a preacher, but enter the pulpit as a preacher of integrity regardless of the stakes?
"The Preacher's Panel of Shame" (and What I Learned from Sitting on It!)
I haven't laughed so hard in ages as I disclosed my own worst foibles and heard from my colleagues about theirs! Rather than reveal our "worst" sermon (which for all of us had been blessedly erased from our memories; God is merciful!) we on the panel revealed three of our biggest mistakes and what we learned from them. Here are my "Top Three."
I Do Not Think "Amen" Means What You Think it Means: 5 Ways to Better End Your Sermon
Ending a sermon with “Amen” is both redundant and ill-fitting with the purpose of a sermon. In truth, though, most preachers aren’t worried about these technicalities when they finish with “Amen.” They simply don’t know how else to conclude. Consider these five types of conclusions for a more effective close instead.
"Reclaiming Jesus: A Confession of Faith in a Time of Crisis"
“What we believe leads us to what we must reject. Our “Yes” is the foundation for our “No.” What we confess as our faith leads to what we confront. Therefore, we offer the following six affirmations of what we believe, and the resulting rejections of practices and policies by political leaders which dangerously corrode the soul of the nation and deeply threaten the public integrity of our faith. We pray that we, as followers of Jesus, will find the depth of faith to match the danger of our political crisis.” From Reclaiming Jesus
Want to Write a Good Sermon? Listen First, Write Later
How can you really know what your listeners need from a sermon? It may be as simple as asking. John McClure, the Charles G. Finney Professor of Preaching and Worship at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, suggests collaborative preaching for sermons that meet listeners in their questions and need. Check out four ways to tap into the power of collaborative preaching for your own sermons.
Making Sense of the Trinity: Should Preachers Even Bother?
What does the trinity mean in our current contexts? How should we as preachers approach the concept? Or should we at all?
9 Ways Looking Ahead Saves Sermon Prep Time
For busy preachers, looking ahead at the preaching season may seem to be a luxury you can’t afford. But taking the long view can actually save you time. Learn why this practice can better your preaching and discover how to set up your own seasonal sermon prep.
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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.
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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.
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