Resurrecting Excellence aims to rekindle and encourage among Christian leaders an unselfish ambition for the gospel that shuns both competition and mediocrity and rightly focuses on the beauty, power, and excellence of living as faithful disciples of the crucified and risen Christ. Drawing on ancient traditions and on contemporary voices, L. Gregory Jones offer both a theology of excellence and portraits of pastors, lay leaders, and congregations that embody "a more excellent way."--Publisher's description.
In his very personal account, Ed Koncel, a well read and thoughtful Catholic, shares his recollections of the church past, his frustrations with the church present and his hopes for Catholicism's more vibrant future. Robert McClory, author of As It Was in the Beginning Ed Koncel writes from the perspective of a faithful son of the Church--faithful over the course of his long life. He writes with both passion and compassion in regard to the people and the proceedings of the Second Vatican Council and the developments since the Council. Obviously well read and actively involved in various groups working to make real the words and spirit of the documents of the Vatican II, he speaks with the authority of knowledge and personal experience and integrity. I believe he also speaks as one whose love of the Church motivates him to keep working for its coming to accept the full participation of all in the liturgical and governmental life of its people. Mr. Koncel strikes me as a man of hope--an extraordinary virtue in our time! Denise Wilkinson, SP, General Superior of the Sisters of Providence
How does our gender impact our preaching? Can women express anger in a sermon? Why use a first person narrative sermon structure? After preaching for several years Christine Redwood realized both her preaching role models, and her theology, had come predominantly from men, so she spent the next six years researching feminist scholars and their readings of stories from the book of Judges. In this accessible book she shares what she has learnt including sample sermons and exercises for preachers wanting to grow in their craft. This is essential reading for preachers wanting to amplify marginal voices!
Everyone knows that pulpits are for preaching and pews are for listening to sermons. This obvious scenario, however, masks an essentialprerequisite for faithful, fruitful preaching -- namely, that preachers listen to God and to their people before they speak. Roger Van Harn here puts forth pointed questions that sermon listeners really ask of preachers: Why should we listen to sermons? Doesevery sermon need a Bible text? How can a sermon be the word of God? Do you preach for the church or the world? Van Harn grapples withand discusses such questions, giving preachers fresh insights into the needs and desires of congregations. Preacher, Can You Hear Us Listening? will foster an ongoing dialogue between pulpit and pew and sharpen listening skills in both directions.
For many African Americans who grew up in the pre-civil rights era, the segregated community was usually referred to as a village. This was the origination of the phrase, "It takes a village to raise a child." The voices that came out of the village were voices that are now becoming diminished. These voices helped to keep the culture intact. The voices from the elderly, the parents, the church, and the community-provided discipline, hope, pride, and integrity for the inhabitants. Many may feel that some of the messages were crude or inappropriate, but we have to take into account the lack of educational opportunities during this time. This book attempts to capture the messages that we need to not only remember, but respect. These voices helped us to survive racism and discrimination. The voices of the village are still relevant today and should not be forgotten.
A down-to-earth, practical introduction to the ins and outs of preaching for lay preachers, bivocational pastors, and others newly arrived in the pulpit. Recent years have seen a considerable increase in the amount of financial resources required to support a full-time pastor in the local congregation. In addition, large numbers of full-time, seminary trained clergy are retiring, without commensurate numbers of new clergy able to take their place. As a result of these trends, a large number of lay preachers and bivocational pastors have assumed the principal responsibility for filling the pulpit week by week in local churches. Most of these individuals, observes Clifton Guthrie, can draw on a wealth of life experiences, as well as strong intuitive skills in knowing what makes a good sermon, having listened to them much of their lives. What they often don't bring to the pulpit, however, is specific, detailed instruction in the how-tos of preaching. That is precisely what this brief, practical guide to preaching has to offer. Written with the needs of those for whom preaching is not their sole or primary occupation in mind, it begins by emphasizing what every preacher brings to the pulpit: an idea of what makes a sermon particularly moving or memorable to them. From there the book moves into short chapters on choosing an appropriate biblical text or sermon topic, learning how to listen to one's first impressions of what a text means, moving from text or topic to the sermon itself while keeping the listeners needs firmly in mind, making thorough and engaging use of stories in the sermon, and delivering with passion and conviction. The book concludes with helpful suggestions for resources, including Bibles, commentaries, other print resources and websites.
In Giving Voice to the Silent Pulpit, author Barry Blood explores the many differences that exist between Popular Christianity, (the doctrine as taught from the pulpit) and Academic Christianity, (the doctrine as taught in our colleges and seminaries). He contends these are startling differences that may shock the average Christian layperson. The author reveals how these differences have created an intellectual gap between the church and our present day worldview of reality, a gap which has contributed to the decline in Christian membership rolls worldwide. He contends that exposing these known doctrinal differences will create a more intellectually honest Christianity, and-he believes-will build a church that can be a more engaging choice for the educated populace of the twenty-first century.
FINALLY, a scholarly description of the development of Black preaching in the United States that is accessible to the average reader, but also contributes to the academic conversation about both style and theological content. Written from the perspective of a seasoned practitioner and tenured practical theologian, Thomas surveys Black preaching as it has responded to various social and historical time periods. Starting with the brutality of chattel slavery, early formations in segregated Southern life, rapid migration to and urbanization in Northern cities, and various events throughout the post-civil rights era, the book gives convincing details and examples of how the Black preacher helped to guide and sustain the masses of African American people through the wilderness of social change. At the heart of the book, three prime examples are presented as models of the real “genius” of Black preaching. The reader will never again think about Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Reverend Jesse Jackson in the same way. A special chapter is devoted to the contributions of Black women preachers along with a closing chapter that makes new proposals for the future. The book is a provocative and critical analysis of why Black preaching still matters.
