Festival of Homiletics 2024!

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bible, book signing, booktalk, Brian Mclaren, christianity, church, expository-preaching, Festival of Homiletics, preaching, When God Became White, worship

When I was in seminary at Knox College in Toronto, we had to take three preaching classes during our M.Div. program. I appreciated the professor of homiletics, Dr. Stephen Farris, and enjoyed his preaching classes very much. One of our class assignments was to preach in front of the class.

That was over thirty years ago, but I still remember that day like it was yesterday. We didn’t preach inside the classroom, but we preached in the large Knox College chapel which seats hundreds of people. We had to stand in the elevated wooden pulpit with an enormous stained-glass window behind it that often had bright sunlight shining down on the preacher as if it were a huge spotlight.

It is a majestic stone chapel and I always felt that only “great” preachers who can preach a life-changing sermon can get up to that pulpit to preach. Thus, I felt inadequate that I did not have the right tools, message, or delivery to preach in that beautiful chapel, even for a class assignment.

As I sat in the pews awaiting my turn to preach for the class, my hands became sweaty, my stomach turned into knots and my heart was racing a hundred miles an hour. As I walked up the steps to the pulpit to preach, I felt nauseous, and I was going to pass out.

Thirty years have passed, and I still get nervous getting into the pulpit, but now I welcome each preaching invitation as a moment of grace to share the gospel.

Therefore, I am always honored and humbled to be invited to preach in different pulpits around the country. This week, I am excited to be preaching at the Festival of Homiletics. It is an honor to be one of 24 preachers from around the country to be invited to be part of this wonderful Festival. Karoline Lewis, Program Director, Festival of Homiletics writes:

We have been through it, preachers. We have adapted and pivoted and survived. We have proclaimed the Gospel faithfully and preached God’s hope passionately. But now is the time for some serious self-care. We have heard from you and from preachers around the world that what preachers need now is help in sustaining and nurturing the preaching life.

The 2024 Festival of Homiletics is an invitation to lean into a little self-love. Together, we will relearn ways to care for the craft of preaching and discover new habits to support the preaching life. We will listen to uplifting sermons and experience inspiring worship, but we will also have time for reflection and renewal and remembering – to recall once again the why for what we do.

During the Festival, I will be leading a workshop on my new book, When God Became White and books will be made available. You can still register for the Festival of Homiletics and there is an online option to attend.

I am also excited to be preaching at Pittsburgh Theology Seminary’s weekly worship on May 14th. Please join me there for worship and book signing.

Lastly, to celebrate our recent publications, Brian McLaren and I will have our Book Release/Reception on May 14th at 630p.m. at Eastminster Presbyterian Church. This event is free and open to the public, so please join us.

Special Events:

1.Florida friends, please come to this Brunch and Book event where I will be sharing my book WhenGodBecameWhite. This event is organized by the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Florida and held at the Woodson Museum on June 8th.