Sexual sin. Financial shenanigans. Outright heresy. Bullying and creating a toxic work environment. These are obvious ways a pastor can betray their flock and bring public shame to the name of Jesus. But there is a subtler way in which pastors can let down their...
How do you choose what to preach on any given Sunday? Are you a… Lectionary Preacher? Occasional use of the lectionary, select seasonal use of the lectionary, or full-throttle every Sunday and any mid-week service in-between lectionary? Walk-Through-The-Bible...
Most Christians have some idea of what a parable is. Ask an adult Sunday school class and you might hear: “It’s a story!” Another might chime in, “with a moral message!” But the truth is, parables are a very special kind of story with a few key features. And unless we...
The Master & His Workshop I remember first walking into my friend Andrew’s new workshop, housed in a colonial-style barn and situated on an expansive wooded acreage on the Eastern Seaboard. Think Bob Villa and “This Old House”! The barn had been refurbished to...
For most of us “seasoned preachers,” when we come to the conclusion that we need a sermon illustration, our minds instantly think “story.” Many preachers use the words interchangeably, but as we will see, there are quite a few different kinds of ways to illustrate a...
Introduction This message is primarily directed to my friends for whom the word “lectionary” sounds like a disease. I, too, once shared your visceral shudder when someone uttered the phrase “lectionary preacher.” At the time, my cursory thoughts about lectionary...
