The Key to Deeper Insight & Broader Perspective (+ 3 Recommendations)
Collaboration invites us beyond our own limited understanding to gain new insights and consider other perspectives. It refines our ideas and helps us solve problems that seem insurmountable alone. Not only is the burden of sermon prep lightened, our authentic connection to our listeners is expanded. We are simply better when we are working together.
Pick 1: Try Shifting Something Small for Big Change (a Roundup of Our Most Useful Posts)
This holiday week, we've rounded up some of our most popular and useful blog posts to help you find the encouragement and strategies you may need to try something new. Pick one thing to shift this week and see what happens.
"The Preacher's Panel of Shame" (and What I Learned from Sitting on It!)
I haven't laughed so hard in ages as I disclosed my own worst foibles and heard from my colleagues about theirs! Rather than reveal our "worst" sermon (which for all of us had been blessedly erased from our memories; God is merciful!) we on the panel revealed three of our biggest mistakes and what we learned from them. Here are my "Top Three."
Want to Write a Good Sermon? Listen First, Write Later
How can you really know what your listeners need from a sermon? It may be as simple as asking. John McClure, the Charles G. Finney Professor of Preaching and Worship at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, suggests collaborative preaching for sermons that meet listeners in their questions and need. Check out four ways to tap into the power of collaborative preaching for your own sermons.
9 Ways Looking Ahead Saves Sermon Prep Time
For busy preachers, looking ahead at the preaching season may seem to be a luxury you can’t afford. But taking the long view can actually save you time. Learn why this practice can better your preaching and discover how to set up your own seasonal sermon prep.
Four Ways a Preaching Community Improves Your Sermons
One of the most effective ways for preachers to grow and improve is to participate in a collaborative community. Discover how one church builds collaboration and feedback into their staff's weekly rhythm, and see what this kind of support can do for you.
The Transfiguration Again? 10 Ways to See an Old Story with Fresh Eyes
When you've preached the same story several times, finding fresh inspiration is a challenge. Sometimes, a simple shift in perspective—and process—reveals a trove of new ideas.
Overcoming Sermon Procrastination: How to Get to Work When You Don't Know Where to Start
Sometimes, what looks like procrastination is actually failure to make a decision. After all the decisions we have to make, What am I going to preach? can feel like the Everest of decisions. As a result, we put our sermon prep off. But we can anticipate this difficulty and plan for success.
How do we overcome the fatigue that causes us to put off our sermon prep? How do we just get started?
Eight Ways Thinking like a Coach Can Improve Your Sermon
Adults learn differently than children, and that means putting different principles to work. There's even a word for teaching adults: "andragogy" (as opposed to pedagogy).
The coaching relationship may best capture the nuance of these distinctions. You can learn to think like a coach with these take-aways from the article "Transformative Learning: Another Perspective On Adult Learning" by Connie Malamed.
Three Sermons in Two Days? No Sweat! How to Plan for Your Christmas Weekend Preaching Marathon
With three sermons to preach in two days, Christmas weekend will demand a lot this year. By starting now, you can ensure you finish without the scramble of last-minute preparations. Check out our guide to find practical ideas to plan and preach creatively for less stress this preaching-intensive season.
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Live Lectio for Sermon Prep (Free!)
Get an early start on your sermon prep by joining us live on Facebook (Mondays at noon Central) as we prayerfully discuss the coming week's gospel passage (RCL & NL).
I participated in the Lectio study today with a complicated and double-speak Gospel (John 17:6-19) and WOW! I received so much great insight and am headed in a direction I feel really good about. Thank you to all my colleagues! If you are wondering if this is worth it, wonder no more. It is.
—Donna G.
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The Gospel People Don't Want to Hear: Preaching Challenging Messages was written to aid preacher’s in understanding what’s at stake for their listeners so they can craft sermons their audience can receive, even if they challenge cherished beliefs.
I just have to say WOW. I'm so grateful that I made the investment and joined The Collective. These Thursday [workshops] are a game-changer for me.
—Andrea M.