Craft of Preaching

Happy Easter, Dear Working Preachers!

As I write this, I am wondering which resurrection narrative you are preaching on and why. Luke or John? Back in …

Dear Working Preachers, I suspect that your Holy Week plans and preaching are well in place by now. The palms are ready. The supper is prepared. The passion …

I wonder if in this moment, when Jesus is being loved with a grace upon grace kind of love, an abundance of love, a love that you could even smell, with …

Easter preaching has to be imaginative preaching. It has to knock us away from predictability and restraint. Wonder, surprise, and new possibilities are …

A familiar parable such as the Prodigal Son should invite a wealth of perspectives. We might think we know the meaning of the story. Perhaps this time around, …

The emotions of Lent: what feelings are evoked from putting ashes on our foreheads or talking about Jesus’ journey to the cross? What kinds of emotions …

"Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?”

If Jesus didn’t ask this …

“When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.”

This is the verse behind the Gospel passage for this …

I was recently gifted a copy of the sarcastic, crude, delightfully funny little book Hyperbole and a Half. Half comic book, half stream-of-consciousness, …

The problem with Jesus’ testing in Matthew, Mark, and Luke is how quickly we switch the focus from Jesus’ trials to our own temptations -- as …

The Transfiguration is always a tricky story, isn’t it? Were it not for the fact that it’s the designated text bridging the seasons of Epiphany …

This coming April 22, 2019, is the fiftieth year of celebrating Earth Day, which began on April 22, 1970. As such it’s the Jubilee Year of Earth Day. …

There are many ways to describe and define the Bible. From assertions that are mostly faith-based, such as “Scripture” or “Word of God”; …

“When an alien lives with you in your land, do no mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as …

At first blush, we could easily assess Luke’s version of the Beatitudes as simply different than Matthew’s. After all, each is demonstrative …