Advent is a time in which silence and waiting can be emphasized. The theme of silence has many metaphors in scripture. Muteness (as in Zechariah) is one of them. In preaching, as well as in worship, think about how you can create moments of silence, pauses, Selah...
In our time and culture, we don’t really understand, most of us, what it means to pledge loyalty to a King. In order for us to understand the concept of Christ the King, we need to explore the metaphor of “King”… and all of its sub metaphor –crown, scepter,...
Prayer can be a powerful part of your message, as well as your sermon. Too often, our churches are long on programs and short on prayer. Make your church a “house of prayer” by incorporating prayer into your sermons. You can do sermons on prayer, have prayer before or...
When you think about metaphors in scripture, think deep, and think wide. Mining metaphors for meaning opens up a plethora of layers. The deeper you go, the more you’ll uncover. Likewise, look for the other places in scripture where that metaphor appears. Go wide....
As the hymn says, “I love to tell the Story….” As preachers, we need to remember to tell the old, old stories of scripture. Jesus relied heavily on the Hebrew stories in his ministry and mission. When we leave them out of our preaching and teaching, we lessen our...
Prayer is often used as a preview to a sermon, or sometimes a closing. But have you thought of using prayer AS the sermon, or in the midst of your sermon…. or in a participatory way. Don’t ignore the power of prayer which can deliver more than you can do… To...
