Making the Timeless Word Timely

This cohort is now full.  Please check out the Preaching As... cohort beginning in January 2020 in the western districts of our conference!
 

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The Word for all times and places is also a very specific word for individual moments in history and communities of faith. This course will examine how we exegete and proclaim scripture in such fashion that it bridges the gap between the world of the Bible and the world of the hearer, sharing a timeless faith and making a timely impact.
 
Participants will:  

• Participate in an eight-month cohort of pastors that will meet once a month.  This meeting will occur on Tuesdays from 9:00-noon.  Any changes to that schedule will be communicated the month before.
• Participate in collective and individual consultations about the role of preaching in the life of the pastor and congregation.
• Critically reflect upon the task of preaching week-to-week in particular congregations.
• Provide sermons for reflection and learning from their peers.

The program will be led by Dr. Michael B. Brown.  Dr. Brown spent most of his pastoral career in the WNC Annual Conference, serving such churches as Boone UMC, Central UMC, Asheville, and Centenary UMC, Winston-Salem.  He then served for almost ten years as Senior Minister of Marble Collegiate Church in New York City.  In addition to teaching at Wake Forest Divinity School and New Brunswick Theological School, recently he has been teaching New Testament at High Point University and also serves as Summer Pastor of the Blowing Rock Methodist Church. 


 
The cost to participate is $50.  The rest of the expense is funded by the WNC Leadership Development Team. Participants will be responsible for purchasing books. 
 
The cohort will meet on the first Tuesday of the month starting September 3 and running through April.
 
The meeting place will be Mt. Tabor UMC in Winston-Salem.
 
Suggested Readings:

• An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith, Barbara Brown Taylor (Harper One: 2009)
• Craddock on the Craft of Preaching, Fred B. Craddock and Lee Sparks (Chalice Press, 2011)
• Making the Timeless Word Timely: A Primer for Preachers, Michael B. Brown (Smyth & Helwys, 2013)
• Ways of the Word: Learning to Preach for Your Time and Place, Sally A. Brown and Luke Powery (Fortress Press, 2016)

 
Session One:
The Construction and Delivery of a Sermon (Exegesis, Writing, Delivering)
 
Session Two:
Pastoral, Prophetic, and Priestly Preaching
 
Session Three:
Description of Your Setting for Preaching, Applying Texts
Joint Exploration of Approach and Methodology Related to Individual Settings, Demographics, etc.
 
Session Four:
Preaching on Special Occasions (Sacramental, Weddings, Memorial Services, Baccalaureates, Online, etc.)
Outline Development of Occasional Sermons
 
Session Five:
Peer Preaching on Assigned Texts with Shared Evaluations
 
Session Six:
Peer Preaching on Assigned Texts with Shared Evaluations
 
Session Seven:
Peer Preaching on Assigned Texts with Shared Evaluations
 
Session Eight:
Review
 
Participation is limited to WNC clergy or ministry professionals who preach on a regular basis. The cohort is sponsored by the Western North Carolina Leadership Development Team.