Course Description:
Introduction to Preaching engages students with the broad resources and traditions of preaching in the Christian faith in order to equip them to proclaim the Gospel in diverse ministry contexts. Students will submit an exegetical paper for preaching, preach a sermon, and receive feedback from the instructor and classmates on two occasions. We will work together to develop workshop spaces that are generous, thoughtful, and meaningful for growth for preaching students of all experience levels.
This course aligns with a specific goal and outcome of the Master of Divinity Program:
M.Div Goal: To enhance practices of ministry through focused skill development, empowering capable leadership in parish and related contexts.
M.Div Outcome: Students demonstrate competence in a leadership task in a ministry setting.
Note: As evidence of this outcome, all sermons and exegesis papers written for the first preached sermon will be forwarded to the Dean’s office as artifacts of this Preaching course.
Learning Goals– Students at the end of this course should be able to:
1. Engage with critical biblical scholarship and diverse interpretive methods for the purpose of preaching
2. Reflect thoughtfully upon one’s own social location as a preacher, and consider relational dynamics within one’s ministry context and wider community
3. Discover and develop one’s preaching “voice” that is a unique gift to God’s people, in continuing conversation with diverse perspectives, and aware of the implicit and explicit homiletical commitments of their religious tradition/spiritual background
4. Craft and deliver sermons that are pastorally sensitive, courageous in confronting evil, hopeful in announcing the reign of God, and clear in their claims about God for today’s listeners
5. Consider not only how to preach sermons, but also how to hear sermons, meaning that students will grow as gracious, constructive conversation partners who help one another grow in their preaching abilities
Introduction to Preaching engages students with the broad resources and traditions of preaching in the Christian faith in order to equip them to proclaim the Gospel in diverse ministry contexts. Students will submit an exegetical paper for preaching, preach a sermon, and receive feedback from the instructor and classmates on two occasions. We will work together to develop workshop spaces that are generous, thoughtful, and meaningful for growth for preaching students of all experience levels.
This course aligns with a specific goal and outcome of the Master of Divinity Program:
M.Div Goal: To enhance practices of ministry through focused skill development, empowering capable leadership in parish and related contexts.
M.Div Outcome: Students demonstrate competence in a leadership task in a ministry setting.
Note: As evidence of this outcome, all sermons and exegesis papers written for the first preached sermon will be forwarded to the Dean’s office as artifacts of this Preaching course.
Learning Goals– Students at the end of this course should be able to:
1. Engage with critical biblical scholarship and diverse interpretive methods for the purpose of preaching
2. Reflect thoughtfully upon one’s own social location as a preacher, and consider relational dynamics within one’s ministry context and wider community
3. Discover and develop one’s preaching “voice” that is a unique gift to God’s people, in continuing conversation with diverse perspectives, and aware of the implicit and explicit homiletical commitments of their religious tradition/spiritual background
4. Craft and deliver sermons that are pastorally sensitive, courageous in confronting evil, hopeful in announcing the reign of God, and clear in their claims about God for today’s listeners
5. Consider not only how to preach sermons, but also how to hear sermons, meaning that students will grow as gracious, constructive conversation partners who help one another grow in their preaching abilities
- Teacher: Andrew Scales