Craft of Preaching

Dear Working Preacher
Other People’s Prayers

Imagine if you could hear the prayers of people in your congregation. Of course, sometimes [...]

Theology and Interpretation
Imagining Leadership

Isaiah 11 (December 8) imagines several qualities of wise leadership: wisdom and understanding, council (or strategic thinking) [...]

Dear Working Preacher
Taking the Fork in the Road

Thanks for preaching the Word, in season and out of season—steadfast, immovable, always abounding in [...]

Dear Working Preacher
An Attitude of Gratitude

One of the things I practiced as a parent, and hoped to instill as a habit, was [...]

Dear Working Preacher
How Long, O Lord?

I know it is the custom in this column to focus on the Gospel text, but this [...]

Dear Working Preacher
Unprecedented Warnings

This week I’ve found myself struggling to switch my voice from a local congregation in Flint, Michigan, [...]

Dear Working Preacher
Dirty Rotten Preaching Scoundrels

Once, when I was an M.Div. student, my teacher Beverly [...]

Dear Working Preacher
Lost and Found

Dear Working Preachers, it is good to be back. After five years, 1000 words a week, I [...]

Theology and Interpretation
Learning to Pay Attention

This summer I taught a week-long continuing education course for pastors on scripture and ecology. [...]

Dear Working Preacher
Choose Life

This is one of those weeks when, after reading the Gospel lesson, you might feel like putting [...]