Summer 2012/Seattle

PR 511

Dahlstrom

 

DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to offer an intensive, practical experience of preaching and sermon preparation. The class is limited to nine students so that each student will have the opportunity to preach twice during the class. Students will prepare and deliver original sermons, which will be evaluated by class members under the direction of the instructor. All sermons will be audio/video recorded.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

·       The course will solidify the conviction that the biblical text is the proper foundation for preaching

·       The course will enable the student to better frame the content, building bridges between the text, the culture, and the life of the community

·       The course will help the student refine and develop their delivery skills

·       The course will help the student evaluate my own preaching, and enable them to equip others to grow in their preaching skills

 

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY:

Verbal communication skills are central to most ministry leadership positions, and often include public preaching. Those who are able to build bridges between God’s revelation in scripture and the human condition will always find eager listeners, as the hunger for meaning and truth has never changed. Conversely, few are willing to endure poor preaching in the 21st century, thus making this part of one’s ministry more important than ever.

 

COURSE FORMAT:

The class meets for two hours each day for two weeks in an intensive format, for a total of 20 hours. Most days, two sermons will be delivered in the first hour, and the second hour will be devoted to constructive feedback and debriefing, including instructor input on each sermon. Interwoven into the class will be discussion about elements of preaching, including preparation, introduction, content structure, and styles of delivery.

 

REQUIRED READING:

In preparation for feedback sessions, students will do exegetical reading on the texts of each day’s sermons, prior to their delivery.

 

·       Caddock, Fred. Preaching. Revised Edition. Abingdon, 2010. 228p. ISBN: 0687336481. $15.99.

 

ASSIGNMENTS:

1.     Two Sermons prepared and preached during the quarter, with outlines, and references of commentaries and study tools consulted. (80%)

2.     Class participation (10%)

3.     Require reading (10%)

 

PREREQUISITES: PR500 – Homiletics.

 

RELATION TO CURRICULUM:

M. Div., Min 2 core requirement in Preaching and Communication. The practicum may be taken for credit more than once, though students are encouraged not to enroll in more than one section during any given quarter.

 

FINAL EXAMINATION: None

 

Note: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design, but is subject to modification.                           (1/11)