by Amos Yong

This article is divided into three consecutive parts: The intuition behind this essay is that the dynamic character of Christian preaching should be explicated theologically in terms of its orality and ontologically in terms of its audibility. We will explore the orality of preaching and do so in conversation with the oral culture of Pentecostalism.

by Amos Yong

In order to probe deeper into the implications of orality for a theology of preaching, the author expands the field of analysis to include both the nature of speaking vis-à-vis vocalization and the nature of hearing in relationship to sound.

by Lisa S. Kraske Cressman

In a lecture to new writers, Poet Mary Oliver stressed that getting published was not the author’s most important task; honing their craft was. She had not smelled, touched, or marveled enough at God’s wondrous creation to have something worthwhile to write until then. Preachers share roughly the same two tasks with poets: to marvel, and then to write. And to have marveled enough at God’s being and the divine gifts offered us is much more difficult than writing the sermon.

by Eunjoo Mary Kim

It maybe difficult for preachers whose congregations are in the dominant culture—affluent and satiated—to deal with God’s Superabundance since it may require imagination to see what God is doing on the margins as well as recognizing our obligations to the global community.

by Phil Ruge-Jones

The author encourages us to communicate with our listeners not only by preaching at them but by drawing them into the Gospel readings through a “you are there” technique of Biblical story telling. How better to demonstrate the Ḥesed of Jesus than a memorable encounter with him?

by Peter S. Perry

Attempting to define the word <Ḥesed for use in a sermon can be daunting since it tends to differ depending on the translation used. The author feels it is worth the time since defining Ḥesed may help preachers gain new insights into their and their congregants’ relationships with God.

by Peter Lau

Here is a detailed analysis of the relationships among Ruth, Naomi, Boaz, and God as reported in the Book of Ruth. The Ḥesed in Ruth springs from a generous spirit whose self sacrifice helps those in need without regard for one’s own peril.

Reviewed by Neal D. Presa

According to author Cox, preaching requires sermon preparation and delivery that will enable the brain to receive the intended message. He lists several techniques for engaging the neural pathways in our brains to do just that.

By Hrayr Jebejian

The thirst for the Bible is strong indeed among the people who migrate to the oil-rich Middle East seeking the promise of high paying jobs but often finding disappointing and harsh conditions. The author shares his experiences in how getting bibles to the people in their own languages, has helped them in their quest for a better life.

Reviewed by Keith Russell

The Practice of Prophetic Preaching: Preaching An Emancipating Word
by Walter Brueggemann (Fortress Press, 2012)

By Angella Son

This article diagnoses our society as the “culture of narcissism” and the common way to address narcissism both in churches and society is to treat it as a pursuit of self-gratification. Sermons addressing narcissism often tell people to avoid self-grandiosity. This article points out that the core experience of narcissistic people is not self-aggrandizement but a desperate search to restore their sense of realness of their existence, and it offers new insights into dealing with an important societal problem.

By Johannes Unsok Ro

The Bible offers a common thread related to caring for marginalized individuals in human society. However, there is another essential area of care in the Bible that goes beyond relationships among humans–Environmental Care. Through specific biblical quotes, the author builds a substantial case for the need to change our attitudes about our planet.