In Preaching

This issue of Preaching will be published just prior to the 19th annual edition of the National Conference on Preaching, which will be held April 7-9 in suburban Washington, DC. (In fact, conference participants will be receiving a copy of this issue when they register.) The theme of this year's conference is "Preaching and the Public Square: Where Do Pulpit and Culture Meet?"

The Annual Preaching Survey of the Year’s Best Books

Are we witnessing the end of the book? That is the question being asked by educators, publishers, and booksellers as a recent report indicated American adolescents currently enrolled in high school and college programs are reading less. While educators debated the causes for this deficit in reading, some noted the competition now represented by digital technologies.

Preaching in a Multicultural World

Do you approach preaching as a missionary approaches interaction with people from another culture? Like a missionary, are you sensitive to the cultural context? Do you intentionally attempt to connect with people who are different than yourself in your preaching? Even if our congregation members look similar, there are varieties of culture residing in the church. People visit our churches with marked visible differences and foreign accents. We also see the reality of our multicultural world as we keep current with the news and when we travel across an international border. From the example of missionaries, we learn how to understand people among whom we minister, be culturally self-reflective, and to preach in the cultural context.

Biblical Preaching in a Pluralistic Culture

I recently read a story of an ecumenical conference where the discussion related to how respective denominations would respond to demon possession. It was suggested that: Methodists would sing them out; Pentecostals would shout them out; Catholics and Greek Orthodox would incense them out; Baptists would drown them out; and Presbyterians would freeze them out![1]

Having a Special Day

Every day is special, but some are more special than others. At least that seems to be the case, judging by the plethora of "holidays" that are wedging their way into the calendar. I'm not talking about Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Groundhog Day - those actual celebratory days that unite friends and families for joy and feasting. (Doesn't your family enjoy their annual Groundhog Day party?)

Kindle Goes to Church

In this new phase of my ministry and life, I am able to spend a bit more time listening to someone else preach sermons on Sunday. On those special occasions when I am in town, my wife and I sit in the pew and listen to the message of our pastor, Mike Glenn, at Brentwood Baptist Church. When Mike began to read the biblical text for his sermon recently, I did not turn the page to the scriptural passage. Well, I didn't turn the page in a paper Bible. But I did push a button and the electronic version appeared magically on the screen in my hands.

Americans Embrace Alternatives to Conventional Church

2008 promises to be a year of significant change for Americans. The presidential election already has introduced significant transitions into the political process and conversation. The sagging economy is altering many people's financial behavior and lifestyles. New technology is transforming perceptions of the world and how we connect with people. And a new study from The Barna Group suggests that a major shift in people's spirituality is now well under way.

Developing a Preaching Strategy

Preaching: How do you plan your strategy in terms of what you are going to do in preaching? Warren: I have a preaching team I meet with. When you start a church you literally do everything. I set it up; I took it down; I stored all the stuff in my garage. From the beginning of the church it has been my goal to work myself out of a job. As the church grew, I began to give the ministry away to more and more people - to lay people and to staff and on and on. About 10 years ago I realized I finally had given up everything I was doing except two things, the feeding and the leading. I was still doing that myself, so I began to start building a staff of other leaders and feeders. I now have a preaching team of six pastors who share the pastoral teaching and preaching.