The Homiletics Online Blog
In Homer’s Iliad, a scene depicts a footrace between Odysseus, the hero, and his rival Ajax. As the race plays out, Ajax breaks out to a big lead and it soon becomes obvious that Odysseus is going to lose. As they come down the home stretch, Odysseus does what athletes seem to have been doing…
You’ve just finished writing an epic sermon that is sure to cause your congregation to be overwhelmed by the Spirit. They’ll marvel at your stunning command of biblical exegesis and the brilliance of your powerful illustrations. This one is definitely a home run — a grand slam, even. Problem is that your finished draft is…
A sermon is a divine encounter with God’s Word through a messenger — a preacher. There are good and bad sermons, but how does a preacher design and deliver a perfect sermon? Here are 10 ways to preach a perfect sermon. 1. Keep it short The attention span of adults is now shorter than a…
I was preaching not long ago and invited people to turn in their Bibles to a certain chapter. Not hearing the familiar rustling of onion skin Bible pages, it occurred to me that my audience was not packing. I asked Bible-toting believers to wave them in the air. Nary a one. I made some smart…
I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.—Groucho Marx Summer is the time when many preachers get to read books. Congregational life slows down just a bit. Accrued vacation time is often taken during these months. A good book is always…
“In the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love,” wrote Tennyson. What the poet chose to leave out, however, is that in the same season the fancy of many young women turns to thoughts of a wedding. Those of us who deal professionally with couples and their wedding ceremonies often find…
By Joanna R. Loucky-Ramsey If the last several months have been challenging for your group, you’re not alone! Navigating relationships during a pandemic, with all the challenges of social distancing, lockdowns, and meeting each other on small screens, hasn’t been easy. Many groups have experienced losses and change. Whether or not you normally take a…
Faithful readers of Homiletics will recall that I’ve waxed modestly about trees on several occasions. The archetype of the tree is an important device in both Scripture and literature. Indeed, the Bible begins with “the tree of life” (Genesis 2:9) and ends with the “tree of life” (Revelation 22:19). Adam and Eve were not to…
Several of our longtime writing contributors are avid enthusiasts of different athletic activities. One is a seasoned cyclist who’s ridden back and forth across the entire country and probably pedaled every back road in the state of Ohio. Another is a marathon runner who’s completed both the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon….
The first week of the New Year is often a time to take a breath and relax. Autumn was full of excitement with fall festivals, trips to the orchard and pumpkin-spice everything. We were still enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers when Advent ushered in the magic and joy of Christmas, with events nearly every day in December. And we probably stayed up too late on New…
