"See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel." (Public domain image; licensed under CC0)
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The Craft of Preaching is designed for pastors, leaders, and preaching lay leaders alike. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the sermon process from Amy Butler, Marvin McMickle, and Frank A. Thomas.
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Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Mark 6:14-29 Commentary
by Cláudio Carvalhaes
[Editor’s note: The author has read this text from the perspective of an immigrant, pairing the events of the gospel reading with the events of our time, imagining the gospel taking into account our ...
Commentary | Bible Text
Amos 7:7-15 Commentary
by Elaine James
Prophets are unpopular, and Amos is no exception.
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 Commentary
by Samuel Giere
Since the pulp-patron saint of archaeologists, Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr., appeared on the cinematic scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1984), the ark of God has played a role in popular imagination ...
Psalm 85:8-13 Commentary
by Beth L. Tanner
Reflecting on Psalm 85:8-13 without the first 13 verses is akin to a liturgy that omits the call and prayer of confession, moving instead straight to the assurance of pardon.1
Ephesians 1:3-14 Commentary
by Scott Shauf
Ephesians 1:3-14 begins with the pronouncement of a blessing upon God in response to the abundant ways in which God has blessed us (verse 3).
Beheading the Gospel
by Karoline Lewis
July 15, 2018
Here’s the thing, Dear Working Preachers. We all know that Mark’s Gospel is the Reader’s Digest Condensed Version of the Jesus’ story. It’s the shortest. ...
SB614 - Eighth Sunday after Pentecost (Ord. 15)
Discussion on texts for Eighth Sunday after Pentecost (July 15, 2018): (Gospel) Mark 6:14-29; (First Reading) Amos 7:7-15; (Semi-continuous First Reading) 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19; Psalm 85:8-13; (Second Reading) Ephesians 1:3-14. Recorded at Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, Minn., for WorkingPreacher.org.