Preaching

Derek Schuurman on Using Artificial Intelligence in Church

You are probably used to artificial intelligence (AI) suggesting ways to complete sentences in your emails and texts. Now that AI has the capacity to write sermons and mimic emotional care, how should AI be used in churches?

July 18, 2024 | 5 min read
Latest Round of CICW Grants to Fund 37 Worship and Preaching Renewal Projects

Vital Worship, Vital Preaching grants fund new projects for worshiping communities and teacher-scholars.

April 25, 2024 | 2 min read
Daniel I. Block on God’s Grace in Ezekiel

Although Ezekiel’s strange visions and often shocking images perplex readers, Old Testament scholar Daniel I. Block explains why the book of Ezekiel is worth reading. The judgment, grace, and love God spoke through Ezekiel to Israel also apply to the church today.

April 18, 2024 | 7 min read

Symposium Offers Hope Found in Ezekiel

Bookended by powerful prayers of confession and lament and drawing some 800 participants from around the world, the 2024 Symposium on Worship took place Feb. 7-9 on the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary.

February 16, 2024 | 6 min read
Preaching Conversations that Connect Pulpit and Pew

Whether churches call it a message, teaching, homily, or sermon, there’s often a big gap between what preachers think they are saying and what listeners hear. Preaching can become more effective when ministers, priests, deacons, and laypeople learn how to talk together. This two-way preaching conversation requires a cultural shift.

October 5, 2023 | 10 min read
Karla J. Bellinger on Lay Contributions to Compelling Preaching

Have you ever gone home from worship disappointed that the preacher or Sunday homily didn’t seem very effective? Recent research reveals that listeners can help preachers help their peers grow closer to God.

October 5, 2023 | 10 min read

The Colossian World Today: Opportunities for Preaching

In the 2023 Worship Symposium’s five main worship services we are looking at Colossians. In this session the five people preaching on Colossians will reflect together on how the situations facing the Colossian Christians long ago remain relevant today. Najla Kasab, Marshall E. Hatch Sr., Laura de Jong, Danny Román-Gloró, and Scott Hoezee will talk about what they observed in crafting their sermons for this year's symposium and on the larger opportunities all preachers have to bring forward Paul's words to address the many crises of our own time.

July 21, 2023 | 24 min video
Compelling Preaching: A Conversation with Neal Plantinga and Laura de Jong

Vivid imagery, compelling stories, perceptive exegesis, pastoral sensibilities, theological clarity, cultural fittingness--each of these gifts contributes immensely to compelling, transformative preaching. Compelling preaching features the dynamic interplay of each of these strengths. This conversation will explore how these dynamic interactions come about, how we cultivate them, and how the practice of polishing, and studying, exemplary sermons can stretch not only award-winning authors but also those of us struggling to shape compelling sermons for people who may not always seem to appreciate it.

July 19, 2023 | 78 min video