Download or read book Never Far From Home written by and published by Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. This book was released on with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the introduction: Despite our repeated failures, our escapes, and our human tendency to become lost, we are unable to flee God's love." The 100 short essays collected here were originally 5-minute radio sermons broadcast between 1979 and 1999 to rapt Sunday morning audiences on WCRB, a classical radio station near Boston. The sermons address a wide range of issues including blizzards, guns, poetry, marathons, last words, and impossible things before breakfast. Scovel reviews the lives and works of poets, mystics, composers, saints, and charlatans alike. Although these sermons vary in compelling topics, Scovel's storytelling focuses on one centralized theme -- the ways in which God's presence may be discerned in our lives and in nature.
Download or read book It Happened In Church written by Patti Webster and published by Kensington Books. This book was released on 2010-04-19 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Laughter Happens. Even in Church. Quiet reflection and prayer aren't the only things that happen at religious services. As preachers and the faithful can tell you, some of life's funniest moments pop up in the place least expected--church! It Happened in Church: Stories of Humor from the Pulpit to the Pews brings together a collection of these most laugh-worthy accounts. From a churchgoer doing the limbo under a velvet rope to get to his pew, to congregation members stumbling blindly back to their seats after a preacher stomped on their glasses (you have to believe in the miracle of healing for it to work!), these stories will both tickle the funny bone and inspire the soul. Gathered from the friends, family, and personal experiences of Patti Webster, a third generation Christian leader, each story is topped off with scripture and reflection. You'll also find comic breaks and anecdotes from your favorite celebrities. As the stories show, humor really does have the power to heal and to teach. It Happened in Church is sure to bring both fits of laughter and bouts of clarity.
Download or read book From Pew to Pulpit written by Clifton Floyd Guthrie and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A down-to-earth, practical introduction to the ins and outs of preaching for lay preachers, bivocational pastors, and others newly arrived in the pulpit. Recent years have seen a considerable increase in the amount of financial resources required to support a full-time pastor in the local congregation. In addition, large numbers of full-time, seminary trained clergy are retiring, without commensurate numbers of new clergy able to take their place. As a result of these trends, a large number of lay preachers and bivocational pastors have assumed the principal responsibility for filling the pulpit week by week in local churches. Most of these individuals, observes Clifton Guthrie, can draw on a wealth of life experiences, as well as strong intuitive skills in knowing what makes a good sermon, having listened to them much of their lives. What they often don't bring to the pulpit, however, is specific, detailed instruction in the how-tos of preaching. That is precisely what this brief, practical guide to preaching has to offer. Written with the needs of those for whom preaching is not their sole or primary occupation in mind, it begins by emphasizing what every preacher brings to the pulpit: an idea of what makes a sermon particularly moving or memorable to them. From there the book moves into short chapters on choosing an appropriate biblical text or sermon topic, learning how to listen to one's first impressions of what a text means, moving from text or topic to the sermon itself while keeping the listeners needs firmly in mind, making thorough and engaging use of stories in the sermon, and delivering with passion and conviction. The book concludes with helpful suggestions for resources, including Bibles, commentaries, other print resources and websites.
Download or read book Passion in the Pulpit written by Jerry Vines and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 2018-07-03 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biblical exegesis doesn’t stop with the words alone. Faithful preachers exegete the emotion of the text as well. It’s easy to let our own personalities dictate the emotional dimension of our sermons, but the best preachers mirror the Bible’s emotive intent in their sermons. In Passion in the Pulpit, Jerry Vines and Adam Dooley will teach you how to exegete not just the verbal content of Scripture, but its emotional appeal as well. They show you the role the Bible’s emotional intent should play in each stage of sermon prep, and: Offer exegetical steps to discern the biblical pathos Teach you how to avoid manipulation while making your sermons emotional Help you determine the appropriate limitations of emotional appeal Give you verbal, vocal, and visual techniques to help convey the biblical emotional intent in your sermons When we elevate the Bible’s emotional intent above our own, we preach truth rather than personality.
Download or read book Humor From The Pulpit written by Robert Machurek and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2005-02-20 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recent Letter: Dear Pastor Robert. As a Religious leader and broadcaster, I am always sent material that is funny, but may be overly disrespectful to God, my TV audience, or other denominations. I can honestly say that More Humor From The Pulpit is one of the most enjoyable collection of religious humor I have read in a long time. While 12 of the jokes and stories I am told are from your own writings, the rest have been passed on from minister to minister and told to congregations throughout the years. Surprisingly I found many in your book that I have not heard before. I highly recommend that all ministers and anyone else who enjoys a good laugh, to pick up their own copy.
Download or read book Power in the Pulpit written by Jerry Vines and published by Moody Publishers. This book was released on 1999-06-10 with total page 509 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The call to preach is just that- a call to preach. The call to preach, however, is more than just preaching. The call to preach is a call to prepare. Too many pastors have refrained from preparation while they await the Holy Spirit to do all of the work. God expects preachers to prepare sermons as much as possible and allow Him to prepare the preachers. Join Dr. Jerry Vines and Dr. Jim Shaddix as they achieve a balanced approach to teaching sermon preparation in Power in the Pulpit. This book combines the essential perspectives of a pastor of forty years with another pastor who also devotes daily time to training pastors in the context of theological education. Thus, Power in the Pulpit is a practical preaching help from a pastoral perspective in the tradition where expository preaching is a paramount and frequent event in the life of the local church. Power in the Pulpit is the combined work of Dr. Vines's two earlier publications on preaching: A Practical Guide to Sermon Preparation (Moody Press, 1985) and A Guide to Effective Sermon Delivery (Moody Press, 1986). Dr. Shaddix carefully organizes and supplements the material to offer this useful resource which closes the gap between classroom theory and what a pastor experiences in his weekly sermon preparation.
Download or read book Stories I Couldn t Tell While I Was a Pastor written by Bruce McIver and published by W Publishing Group. This book was released on 1991-08 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: True stories from the pulpit.
Download or read book The Shared Pulpit written by Erika Hewitt and published by Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. This book was released on 2014 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Here is a complete workshop to help lay people gain experience writing and preaching a full-length sermon for their congregation. This easy-to-use guide for both facilitators and participants provides a step-by-step lesson plan for eight sessions. Workshop members learn about the theory and theology of preaching, then practice writing and speaking with authenticity, gradually building toward composing quality 20-minute sermons. Workshop leaders learn to foster a supportive environment in which participants offer one another helpful feedback. The Shared Pulpit includes a separate leader's guide, readings for homework, sample sermons, and exercises to help first-time preachers polish their preaching craft."--Back cover.
Download or read book Living in The Story written by Charlotte Vaughan Coyle and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2021-08-26 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What kind of book is the Bible? Is it a rulebook or a guidebook for moral living? Is it a history book or a book filled with fascinating (and sometimes fantastic) stories? Did humans write the Bible or did God somehow speak a perfect message that the authors transcribed? Many people have asked these questions about the nature of this beautiful, odd, comforting, disturbing book the church calls its “Holy Scripture.” Charlotte Vaughan Coyle shares her own journey to make sense of the Bible in this read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year project. She discovered that the crucial work of asking hard questions and even arguing with the Bible revealed the Scriptures to be a symphony of polyphonic voices, a work of art that paints an alternative vision of reality, a complex novel-like story unavoidably embedded in its own culture and time, and yet able to give witness to the God beyond history who has acted (and continues to act) within history. With the heart of a pastor and the passion of a preacher, Rev. Coyle invites seekers and students (both churched and un-churched) to strap on their scuba gear and join her for a deeper dive beneath the surface of this immense, colorful, mysterious world of the Bible.
Download or read book Stories That Feed Your Soul written by Tony Campolo and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2010-09-13 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bestselling author and modern-day prophet Tony Campolo believes that one of the best ways to tell the grand story of the gospel is to tell stories of everyday life where God is at work...just as Jesus did during his earthly ministry. This collection of stories from Tony's lifelong friendships and international travels allow readers to "overhear" the gospel at work around the world. Set around Romans 8, the stories center on eight gospel themes: freedom of condemnation, new life in Christ, intimacy with God, the call to rescue creation, living with hope, praying in the Spirit, God's plans for us, and the assurance we need. Whether humorous or poignant, each one is an unforgettable echo of God at work around us and within us.
Download or read book Between Pulpit and Pew written by W. Paul Reeve and published by Utah State University Press. This book was released on 2011-05-23 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cain wanders the frontier as a Bigfoot-like hairy beast and confronts an early Mormon apostle. An evil band of murderers from Mormon scripture, known as the Gadianton robbers, provides an excuse for the failure of a desert town. Stories of children raised from the dead with decayed bodies and damaged minds help draw boundaries between the proper spheres of human and divine action. Mormons who observe UFOs in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries find ways to explain them in relation to the church’s cosmology. The millenarian dimension of that belief system induces church members to invest in the Dream Mine, a hidden treasure that a would-be heir to Joseph Smith wraps in prophecy of the end times. A Utah version of Nessie haunts a large mountain lake. Non-Mormons attempt to discredit Joseph Smith with tales that he had tried and failed to walk on water. Mormons gave distinctive meanings to supernatural legends and events, but their narratives incorporated motifs found in many cultures. Many such historical legends and beliefs found adherents down to the present. This collection employs folklore to illuminate the cultural and religious history of a people.
Download or read book Preaching written by Fred B. Craddock and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2010-05 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The standard textbook on the art and craft of preaching, with a new Foreword by Thomas G. Long.
Download or read book Mountain Preacher Stories written by Ben C. Fisher and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over a period of forty years, Ben Fisher collected stories illustrating the humor of the Southern Highlander. English, Scotch, Welsh, and Irish immigrants to the Appalachian region of North Carolina brought with them a rugged individualism and a sense of humor and dignity which have been characteristic of the sturdy yeoman farmer. Most mountain preachers and many of the old time mountaineers had a real talent for telling stories. While the "tall tale" is a staple of mountain storytelling, more often the tales relate to something that happened, not something just dreamed up. Mountain humor, like all folk humor, typically arises out of a life situation. Fisher's work, edited by his wife Sally following his passing, relates many of the stories and tales that he had heard over the course of his life.
Download or read book Reflections on the Gospels written by Vance Havner and published by CLC Publications. This book was released on 2004-01-01 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vance Havner’s Reflections on the Gospels was rescued by Michael Catt from a collection of newspaper columns and compiled for the first time into book form. The result is a wonderful devotional volume that gives a unique insight into God’s Word through the eyes of this great preacher.
Download or read book God Incidents written by Rev. Dr. Glenn M. Wagner and published by EBook MyBook L.L.C.. This book was released on 2016-05-15 with total page 135 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: God Incidents: Real Life Stories to Strengthen and Restore Your Faith by Rev. Dr. Glenn M. Wagner invites persons who are struggling with belief to reconsider God. Wagner offers honesty, empathy, and inspiration from four decades of global pastoral experience. He shares many different ways that God is made known so that persons who doubt God and those who seek to help them may find new perspectives for living. Connect with the author and learn more at: glennmwagner.com
Download or read book Caught in the Pulpit written by Daniel C. Dennett and published by Pitchstone Publishing (US&CA). This book was released on 2015-05-01 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is it like to be a preacher or rabbi who no longer believes in God? In this expanded and updated edition of their groundbreaking study, Daniel C. Dennett and Linda LaScola comprehensively and sensitively expose an inconvenient truth that religious institutions face in the new transparency of the information age—the phenomenon of clergy who no longer believe what they publicly preach. In confidential interviews, clergy from across the ministerial spectrum—from liberal to literal—reveal how their lives of religious service and study have led them to a truth inimical to their professed beliefs and profession. Although their personal stories are as varied as the denominations they once represented, or continue to represent—whether Catholic, Baptist, Episcopalian, Methodist, Mormon, Pentecostal, or any of numerous others—they give voice not only to their own struggles but also to those who similarly suffer in tender and lonely silence. As this study poignantly and vividly reveals, their common journey has far-reaching implications not only for their families, their congregations, and their communities—but also for the very future of religion.
Download or read book Making a Scene in the Pulpit written by Alyce M. McKenzie and published by Westminster John Knox Press. This book was released on 2018-10-23 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can preachers ensure that their sermons continue to engage listeners in a world defined by visual media and the short, segmented delivery of information? Alyce McKenzie harnesses the element of drama and the human fascination with scenes to offer ministers a modern means of sermon development and delivery. McKenzie's core strategy is to invite listeners into scenes—whether from Scripture or contemporary life—and, once they are there, to point them toward the larger story of God's relationship with humankind. Creating such scenes unifies the whole process of preaching, she says, from the preacher's daily life observations to interpretation of scenes from Scripture, to sermon shaping, sequencing, and delivery. The process culminates in a specific understanding of the purpose of the sermon: to send listeners out into the scenes they'll play in their lives for the next week, equipped to act out their parts in ways that are kinder, more just, and more courageous than last week.
