Looking ahead to the Gospel reading for Transfiguration Sunday (Matthew 17:1-9), I'm struck by how calm – clueless? – the disciples are despite some pretty odd things happening around them. First, after leading Peter, James and John up a high mountain (as the parent of three young children, I can't help but think of DoraContinue reading “Trying to Get the Disciples’ Attention”
Tag Archives: preaching
Tomorrow’s Sermon, Today
Though I often finish the first draft of my sermons on Fridays, I usually work on the sermons through Saturday evening and even into Sunday morning. But this week I'm done earlier than usual. Tomorrow's sermon is available today, over at my sermons blog, The Lutheran Zephyr: Sermons (which, if you're interested, has its ownContinue reading “Tomorrow’s Sermon, Today”
Trying on Millstones
Yesterday I updated by Facebook status to read, "Chris thinks he ought to get fitted with a millstone." This was in reference to Luke 17:2: It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these littleContinue reading “Trying on Millstones”
When Ministry Paradigms Collide
Two ministry paradigms collided within me yesterday, but I couldn't tell you what the wreckage looked like, because I'm not sure I really understand what happened. Yesterday I attended a seminar on preaching stewardship where we heard from a Lutheran pastor who, from what I can tell, seems to swim in somewhat different church watersContinue reading “When Ministry Paradigms Collide”
Preaching and Plagiarism
To what extent is there an expectation that a preacher's sermon is original work? Surely the expectation is that the preacher proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ. But is there also an expectation that the words of the proclamation are original words composed by the person speaking them? If sermons are borrowed from anotherContinue reading “Preaching and Plagiarism”
The Lutheran Zephyr 