With easy access to sermons on the Internet, plus pressure to deliver the next sermon with little time to prepare, no wonder some pastors have resorted to plagiarizing other people’s sermons, passing them off as their own. This growing epidemic has received coverage in the Wall Street Journal, on National Public Radio, and elsewhere. Some pastors have been caught in the act and dismissed from their churches. Is this fair? Is this stealing? How can you recognize it? How can it be prevented? This book not only helps explain the problem, but it also explores the ethical implications and gives advice on how to avoid it or deal with it if the problem surfaces in your church. It includes study questions at the end of chapters and a concluding case study.
The church in America is part of a changing culture, and today's preachers must be prepared to engage the unique issues of our postmodern age. Editor Scott M. Gibson has skillfully combined the works of many well-known preachers, including Haddon Robinson and Bryan Chapell, into one practical guide written for present and future church leaders. Including questions for reflection and suggestions for further reading, this helpful resource addresses important topics such as preaching to a postmodern audience, pluralism, and the intersection of preaching and psychology."Preaching to a Shifting Culture is a must-read for preachers. It intensified my passion to preach Scripture, it clarified for me some critical issues related to preaching, and it triggered some ideas and strategies I will biild into my preaching."--Steve Mathewson, author of The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narrative"A stimulating potpourri of evangelical insights for changing times."--Michael Quicke, Charles Koller Professor of Preaching and Communications, Northern Baptist Theological Seminary"Timely and relevant, this collection of essays thoughtfully explores the issues facing today's preacher and calls today's preacher to thoughtfully face the issues."--Patricia Batten, pastor, Village Baptist Church, Kennebunkport, Maine"Those who are called to proclaim the Word in a contemporary setting will benefit from the analysis and suggestions offered in this outstanding collection."--Michael Duduit, editor, Preaching magazine
How can a preacher best address suicide from the pulpit? Pastors face many challenges. Suicide in a congregation is amongst the most heart-rending and intimidating. However, the preacher has a unique capacity to engender gospel hope for preparing the congregation and comforting the bereaved. To do so, preachers need help understanding the challenges and opportunities presented by addressing suicide from the pulpit. In Preaching Hope in Darkness, two practitioners in fields that do not typically interact--homiletics (Scott M. Gibson) and psychology (Karen Mason)--work together to support the preacher in this difficult task. Gibson and Mason offer wise advice on a range of topics such as suicide prevention, post-crisis care, and funeral sermon preparation. With an appendix of sample sermons and a sample funeral liturgy, Preaching Hope in Darkness is an essential go-to guide for this difficult topic.
