Craft of Preaching

Isaiah 11 (December 8) imagines several qualities of wise leadership: wisdom and understanding, council (or strategic thinking) and strength, knowledge …

Thanks for preaching the Word, in season and out of season—steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord. Your preaching of God’s Word …

One of the things I practiced as a parent, and hoped to instill as a habit, was to have my sons write thank-you notes for the various gifts they received. …

I know it is the custom in this column to focus on the Gospel text, but this week I’m going to focus primarily on the Old Testament reading from Habakkuk. …

This week I’ve found myself struggling to switch my voice from a local congregation in Flint, Michigan, to you who preach in various locations around …

Once, when I was an M.Div. student, my teacher Beverly Roberts Gaventa told the class, “You’ll write a better exegetical paper if you choose …

Dear Working Preachers, it is good to be back. After five years, 1000 words a week, I sensed a need for a break, in part to work on some writing projects …

This summer I taught a week-long continuing education course for pastors on scripture and ecology. We examined Scripture’s many references to humans …

This is one of those weeks when, after reading the Gospel lesson, you might feel like putting a question mark after the usual liturgical formula: “This …

Ed. note: Don’t miss last week's article by the same author entitled, “Read Before Preaching: Forming Communities of Resistance” …

Here’s a headline that captured my attention:

Stop working on your personal brand—you’re wasting your time.¹

The article promising a …

Ed. note: This is the second of three articles on “Forming Communities of Resistance.” Last week’s article, “A Thriving Community …

Luke closely associates Jesus’ public ministry with both the sabbath and the synagogue, beginning already in Luke 4:16-30. In fact, this week’s …

“Liberation is not a catch phrase—but is at the heart of your desire for all people.”
- Pastor Marcus McFaul, Olin T. Binkley Memorial …

If consensus exists around anything today in American society, it is that we are afflicted by “division.” This general sense of heightened divisiveness …