Category: Preaching
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A Caution Against The Argumentative Sermon
Something I noticed in my own preaching years ago was my tendency to argue through the sermon. What I mean is, I would write the sermon in such a way that instead of making a point, I would win a point, at least in my mind. It’s a small distinction, but an important one. To…
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Ash Wednesday Homily
The following homily was given this morning at our Ash Wednesday service. Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 The best movie of 1995 was “Tommy Boy”, starring Chris Farley and David Spade. It’s the story of Callahan Auto, a family-owned car parts distributer that was on the brink of foreclosure, due in no small part to the growing…
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The Gospel Wall
Homiletically, there are two paths you can go by: law, then gospel, then more law, or law, then gospel, and nothing more. The first path is common, easy, and well-worn. The reasons are many, one being that we’re not yet comfortable with the space that grace brings, so we feel the urgency to fill that…
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Sermon Stuff, Part 2: You Probably Don’t Need That Quotation
Back in the 90s, Leadership Journal published a book titled Quotes & Idea Starters for Preaching & Teaching, and it was a must-have. Filled with a cataloged list of sayings from well-known people, past and present, it was a go-to resource for filling those empty spaces in a sermon. “Oh look, Alexander Graham Bell said…
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Sermon Stuff, Part 1: The Sermon Is Sometimes
Back there in seminary school, as Jim Morrison once said, we were taught to write and craft sermons across a variety of styles and layouts. The push from the homiletics department was towards texture and difference, and towards a courage to practice a number of sermonic formats. Part of this had to do with finding…
For The Pastor 