Winter 2013/Pasadena

PR500

Labberton

PR500: HOMILETICS. Mark Labberton.

DESCRIPTION: This course will consider the theology, calling, and practice of preaching. It will provide the opportunity to study and to reflect on the vision and challenge of preaching in pastoral ministry, and to develop in the practice of preaching.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The gospel of Jesus Christ comes to us as kerygma, the proclamation of the good news of the Kingdom of God for our sake and for the sake of the world. This means that preaching holds a distinctive place in the spiritual life of the Church, a place that needs to be understood both for what it is and what it is not. Many in leadership in the Church are called upon to preach, and the calling, labor, and joy of preaching needs to be competently and humbly embraced and developed.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will have the chance to (1) read about and reflect on the ministry of preaching; (2) develop their own coherent vision of the role of preaching in the church and their own sense of call to such a ministry; (3) learn from other preaching models and examples; (4) develop their own skills in preaching by preparing and preaching two sermons.

COURSE FORMAT: Class will consist of lectures and small group preaching practica. The lectures will be at regular class scheduled times, meeting twice a week for two-hour sessions, and practica groups will be available at a variety of times based on need and availability of space. Students will sign up for practica times on the first day of class.

REQUIRED READING:

Long, Thomas. The Witness of Preaching. Westminster John Knox, 2005. ISBN: 978-0664229436, $25.00. (240 pages)

Newbigin, Lesslie. Proper Confidence: Faith, Doubt, and Certainty in Christian Discipleship. Eerdmans, 1995. ISBN: 978-0802808561, $20.00. (111 pages)

Taylor, Barbara Brown. Bread of Angels. Cowley, 1997. ISBN: 978-1561011421, $16.95. (176 pages)

Choice of one:

Buechner, Frederick. Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Comedy, Tragedy, and Fairy-Tale. Harper, 1977. ISBN: 978-0060611569, $18.00. (111 pages)

Erdman, Chris. Countdown to Sunday: A Daily Guide for Those Who Dare to Preach. Baker, 2007. ISBN: 978-1587432033, $11.00. (208 pages)

Choice of one (Contextual Preaching):

LaRue, Cleophus J., ed. Power in the Pulpit: How America’s Most Effective Black Preachers Prepare Their Sermons. Westminster John Knox, 2002. ISBN: 978-0664224813, $20.00. (144 pages)

Gonzalez, J. L., and P. A. Jimenez. Pulpito: An Introduction to Hispanic Preaching.Abingdon Press, 2005. ISBN 978-0687088508, $20.00. (152 pages)

Kim, Eunjoo Mary. Preaching the Presence of God: A Homiletic from an Asian American Perspective (Judson Press, 1999) ISBN: 978-0817013035, $12.00. (160 pages)