What makes a sermon faith-full?
Please note, this post has been re-posted from an earlier blog that was maintained by the Faithful Preaching Project before it became part of the Sharing Faith Initiative. These posts have been re-shared to maintain the full story of the grant initiative.
“A particular sermon that helped me grow in my faith was one that was biblically didactic to help me better understand the text…and then illustrated with a narrative that made the heart sing!”
In January of this year, we collected over two hundred interviews (over one hundred online surveys and a hundred in-person interviews) in which we asked participants a number of questions about preaching, including what characteristics in a sermon helped them to grow in their faith. A number of responses stood out.
Answers included: practical, genuine, good stories, relevant, biblically-based, specifically about faith, allows for community feedback, embodied, includes different perspectives, demonstrates vulnerability (but not too much), and perhaps involves visual aids or graphics. Many of these answers were found again and again.
These responses will now guide the discussion and coaching of our lay preacher and clergy cohorts. Perhaps some of these characteristics are something that our preachers are already doing well. Or perhaps, one of these is an new opportunity to grow and improve. We are excited to embark on this opportunity for growth and refinement.
Thank you again to all who participated in our survey or interviews to help mold our project’s goals. Do you have more ideas that you’d like preachers to know about how you experienced faith in a sermon? A story of a meaningful sermon or word to add to this list? Please send your words (100-150 total) our way and they just may make it into a future newsletter!
In addition to the excitement around our two cohorts of preachers, the Faithful Preaching Project looks forward to our first preaching workshop this fall…and you are invited to attend! The workshop is free and open to all interested preachers. The workshop will be held in person on campus and streamed to Zoom for an interactive online experience. We hope you can join us!
Workshop Title: "Preacher and Artist: Using Actor Training Methodology for Embodied Preaching"
Date: Saturday, November 2, 2024'
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (Lunch break from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.)
Description
Wrapped in humbled flesh, preachers are bodied vessels who miraculously proclaim, “Thus saith the Lord.” How can embodied practices expand the holistic spiritual practice of preaching preparation and proclamation? How can these practices form the preacher? This session will introduce activities based on actor training methodology that put theology and theories of embodied preaching on their feet. Participants are invited to explore enhancing their biblical, theological, and practical preaching practices with holistic embodiment techniques.
About the Workshop Facilitator
Rev. Dr. Jaclyn P. Williams is a professor of the practice of preaching and chaplaincy in the School of Mission and Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in California. With degrees in both theology and theater, Dr. Williams has also worked as a professional actor and performing artist. Her research interests include incarnational and embodied preaching, performing artist training as spiritual practice, and resiliency resources in pastoral and spiritual care practice. Dr. Williams is a chaplain and an ordained American Baptist minister.
Ways to attend the workshop
Saturday, November 2, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
1) In-Person on the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Campus
Dr. Williams will be on campus at Austin Seminary to lead the workshop. The in-person component will be held in Wright Hall of the Mary B. and Robert J. Wright Learning and Information Center, beginning at 10:00 a.m. and ending at 3:00 p.m. Attendance is free and lunch will be provided.
Our in-person capacity is limited to 100 people, so if you know that you want to attend on campus, book now! If you are unsure if you can make it in person, please register online so that space can be available for someone attending in-person.
2) Online through Zoom
The workshop will be available for interactive online attendance through Zoom. Online participants will receive digital worksheets by email and be invited to participate in break-out discussion groups over Zoom. The workshop will begin at 10:00 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m. Attendance is free and a lunch break will be from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.