Practical Wisdom for Trying Times: A Conversation with Clergy Coach Laura Jackson
How do we lead effectively during constant change?
How do we find respite during constant change?
When we feel caught in the middle, how do we move out?
Resources for Preachers at the Time of a National Election
Preaching God’s kingdom in the midst of a national election is fraught. Backstory Preaching has put together a collection of Scripture, quotations, church prayers, and additional resources to buoy your faith, help you remember that you do not carry this burden alone, and provide guidance for your preaching and leadership over the next few intense weeks.
Encouraging Corporate Bible Study Among Parishioners (A Guest Post)
Consider more particularly how you create spaces for collaborative study relative to the Sunday lectionary readings. The key to empowered participation is to equip people to dig deeply into Scripture and then to really listen to and affirm their input.
How to Craft a Prophetic Sermon that Bridges the Divide
When emotions and political tensions run high, preaching prophetically becomes ever-more fraught. Using the example of a fellow preacher’s sermon, consider these three components of sermons that offer challenging messages in a way that bridges the divide.
On Preaching Politics and the Way of Christian Love: The Example of Bishop Curry
Preachers find themselves in a conundrum: listeners perceive sermon messages that address the ills of our current culture—like racism, climate change, or wearing masks—as subjects unbecoming to the pulpit. I want to offer an example of a recent sermon that effectively navigates this challenge. Read on to see how preachers can cast a vision for God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, particularly as it relates to our present struggles.
The Path to Moving Forward in Disaster
All of us are being called to exercise a part of our Christian belief to a breadth and depth few of us have experienced before. We are being called to shower forgiveness in all directions. Not only because Jesus forgave us, but because our nation and world will require rebuilding when this pandemic and election are over. And we won’t be able to move forward constructively if we believe some are unworthy to receive our forgiveness.
"How is your prayer?" A simple question with big impact (A Guest Post)
“Over the years I have discovered again and again that prayer, the interior life, is the backstory to my life, marriage, parenting, ministry, teaching, preaching. As my prayer goes, so goes everything else.”
Using Money for Good: Preaching Tips & Tools to Grow Conscious, Ethical Consumers (A Guest Post)
It’s rather surprising we don’t find ourselves preaching a lot about money since fully 1/3 of the parables are about money and one in ten verses in the Gospels are connected to money. Getting money situated in its right relationship with our lives, and the world around us, is an important spiritual topic. And we need to tackle it.
"Preaching God's Economy": A Panel Discussion Hosted by Faith+Finance
To help the people in our pews deal with the very real challenges, impacts, and opportunities of their money, we have to find a way to have difficult conversations about finance. Preaching about money is a good start. Listen in on this panel discussion to discover how you might approach these conversations in your own church.
Preaching & Comedy? "Thou Shalt Achieve World Peace Through Humor" (A Guest Post)
“Comedians have long known a secret that world and religious leaders struggle to understand to this day: humor is the key to world peace.”