C.S. Lewis once said that most of us don’t need to be told new things, but rather reminded of old truths. This has certainly been true in my own journey these past few months. On June 1, I entered into…
4 reasons why preaching the lectionary might be right for your church
By Amy Butler I recently returned from a week at Preacher Camp. There are many things to recommend about the experience of retreating with excellent colleagues to plan preaching, and I’ve often written about the gift of this kind of…
‘Preacher camp’ inspires sermons, ministries and lives of 6 pastors
By Jeff Brumley Every year, interest grows in a combined worship planning and support group that has forged an unbreakable bond between six Baptist pastors. Known as preacher camp, the annual, closed gathering got a lot of attention on Facebook…
Sermon mistakes
By Doyle Sager I misspoke in one of my recent sermons. I know. You’re not surprised that a preacher flubbed up. You’re only surprised that said preacher would admit it! Yes, I made a mistake in the pulpit! I was…
Don’t blame Millennials for shrinking sermon lengths, Baptists say
By Jeff Brumley Millennials and other young people get a lot of credit — or blame, depending on the observer — for the dramatic changes occurring in the modern church. Experiments with everything from mission to worship styles are attempted in order…
How do preachers end a sermon?
Several weeks ago, I wrote that it takes nothing short of a miracle for a pastor to write a sermon every week. It is true that sermons are the stuff of miracles, and I stand by my premise. Yet, for…
What I said to my conservative church about same-sex marriage
Preacher, if you are at all like me, as you were preparing to write your sermon this past Sunday, your mind kept going back to the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage. Last Sunday it was still so fresh that…
How being a pastor changed my thinking on homosexuality
I managed to make it through college, seminary, and grad school with most of my prejudices intact. I won’t overstate my bigotry: “I had gay friends,” but I was the kind of person who would use that phrase when defending…
A prayer for Independence Day 2015
Freedom-loving God, you teach us through the prophets to “to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8). This week, as we celebrate our nation’s Independence Day, we are simultaneously grateful for our heritage…