DESCRIPTION: The course builds a biblical and theological foundation for preaching, through lectures, readings, and written assignments. Through preparing two sermons, hearing and offering constructive feedback, and self-evaluation, students will develop their skills as preachers.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The preaching of the Word of God is central to how God calls people into God's kingdom, forms them as disciples, nurtures the church, and sends it out in mission. Pastoral leaders who are called to preach strive to proclaim the gospel with joyful boldness, genuine love for their listeners, creativity, and faithfulness to the witness of Scripture.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who successfully complete the course will have shown that they (1) have developed a theology of preaching and have grown in their conviction that the biblical text is the proper foundation for a sermon; (2) have developed skills in exegesis, sermon-writing, and delivery that will enable them to bring biblical messages in compelling, faithful, and creative ways to diverse listeners; (3) have grown in evaluative skills, through analysis of the written and heard sermons of experienced preachers and the heard sermons of their peers.

COURSE FORMAT: This course meets two evenings a week for five weeks. The first two weeks will focus on lectures, class discussions, and analysis of sermons we watch, listen to, or read together. The latter weeks will focus on your preaching, with some lectures. The course will also require you to attend at least one church service based in a denominational tradition and/or ethnic composition different from your own, during the five weeks (arrangements can be made for those whose church work makes this difficult).

REQUIRED READING:

Long, Thomas. The Witness of Preaching. 2nd ed. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2005. 200 pages. ISBN: 0-8042-1571-5. List Price: $16.06.

Pitt-Watson, Ian. A Primer for Preachers. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1986. 100 pages. ISBN: 0-8010-7096-1 (out of print but published through Fuller Bookstore and available used online).

Taylor, Barbara Brown. Pick ONE of these three collections of sermons:

Seeds of Heaven. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993. ISBN: 0-664-22886-0. List Price 13.60.

Bread of Angels. Cambridge: Cowley Publications, 1997. ISBN: 10:1-56101-142-8. List Price: $10.08.

Gospel Medicine. Cambridge: Cowley Publications, 1995. ISBN: 10:1-56101-110-X. List Price: $10.95.

One of these two:

Either Nieman, James, and Thomas Rogers. Preaching to Every Pew. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2001. ISBN: 0-8006-3243-5. List Price: $18.00.

Or LaRue, Cleophus. The Heart of Black Preaching. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1999. ISBN: 0-664-25847-6. List Price: $21.00.

In Addition:

Roughly 25 pages of classical theological reflection on preaching: Calvin, Luther, Barth, Bonhoeffer, etc. These readings will be available on reserve.

Commentaries and other resources as needed to produce two exegetical papers on chosen biblical texts. 40 pages.

Forest of Rhetoric website: http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/Silva.htm (This site will be studied to learn principles of rhetoric as a means of persuasion.) One hour.

A few sermons will be assigned to read or listen to during the course. 12 pages.

1. Theology of Preaching: You will begin to articulate a theology of preaching, in conversation with the theology expressed in Pitt-Watson, Long, and selections from a classic text.

2. Analysis of Written Sermons: This paper will report reading 8 sermons, and will reflect on your reading of 4 of them (4 pages). At least two by Taylor.

3. Analysis of Spoken Sermons: In this paper you will report on hearing 6 sermons and will reflect on 3 of them. At least two must be heard live, with one in a setting not familiar to you (see above). Two of the six must be from the African-American tradition (3 pages).

4. Two Sermons will be preached. Manuscripts will be submitted for both. Exegetical notes of roughly four pages will be submitted with each sermon. (Self-evaluations of one page will be due one week after the sermon is preached (11 pages - 40 hours).

5. Attendance and participation are crucial due to the nature of this course, and will figure significantly in the grade.