What are we doing when we preach?
Back in the mists of time, sometime around May, I was at the exceptional Festival of Homiletics in Minneapolis . A five day feast of speakers, worship and making new friends that I enjoyed and felt very refreshed by. The purpose, to talk about preaching, and to have great examples of preachers and to consider how our preaching can be improved and be stimulating and engaging. A full Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis (from Festival Flickr Stream https://www.flickr.com/photos/lutherseminary/sets/72157644910650154/) We did a lot of how, I didn't pick up a lot of 'why?'. It seemed to taken as a given that we accepted the importance of and the reasons for preaching. It wasn't the nature of the conference. But as I consider the possibility of taking on a course of Study - a Doctorate of Ministry in Preaching - the question of the nature and purpose of preaching is at the forefront of my thinking at the moment, Let's start with me, though, as it is kind o...