David E Leininger

Whether used for relaxed devotional reading or as a source of stimulating sermon illustrations, this installment of CSS' popular Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit series is certain to enrich your spiritual life. David Leininger takes you right to the heart of the scriptures with imaginative and inspirational stories based on Cycle B lectionary texts. His thought-provoking reflections illuminate the handiwork of God in the modern world -- and they provide an invaluable resource for the daily life and ministry of pastors and laypersons alike. Some of the intriguing chapters are: - Christmas in the Crossfire - A Gospel for Losers - Our Magnificent, Mysterious, Mischievous God - God's Day Off - Handling Freedom - God's Battleship - Sermons in Stone - A Disaster of Biblical Proportions - The View from Jesus' Pew ... and many more David E. Leininger is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Warren, Pennsylvania. He has also served congregations in North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Prior to entering the ministry, Leininger had a successful career for almost two decades in radio and television. He is the author of God of Justice, A Color-Blind Church, and Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit (Series VI, Cycle A), and his sermons have appeared in the Best Sermons 4 anthology (HarperCollins). Leininger has also been a contributing writer for the online services StoryShare and The Immediate Word (www.sermonsuite.com).

Whether you pick up this book as relaxed devotional reading or are searching for a last-minute sermon illustration, you'll be delighted with the imaginative and inspirational stories in the newest installment in CSS' popular Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit series. David Leininger takes you right to the heart of the scriptures with a rich variety of captivating material illustrating Cycle A lectionary texts. His thought-provoking reflections are certain to enrich your spiritual life -- and point out the myriad ways in which God is at work in our daily lives. This volume is sure to become a favorite resource for pastors and laypersons alike. Some of the intriguing chapters are: - The Quintessential Evangelist - What Boggles Your Mind? - Who Woulda Thunk It? - The Blame Game - Under the Rainbow - How Not To Be the Father of the Year - The Bush Is Still Burning - Leaping Lepers David E. Leininger is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Warren, Pennsylvania. He has also served congregations in North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Prior to entering the ministry, Leininger worked for almost 20 years in radio and television. Leininger's sermons have appeared in the Best Sermons 4 anthology (Harper-Collins), and he has been a contributor to the online services StoryShare and The Immediate Word (www.sermonsuite.com). He is the author of A Color-Blind Church (CSS), an intriguing account of the attempted merger of two congregations -- one black, one white -- in a small community following the reunion of the northern and southern streams of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1983. Leininger is a graduate of Edison State University, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, and Erskine Theological Seminary.

In this refreshingly honest and authentic analysis of what continues to be a persistent dilemma in the modern church, David Leininger offers his take on why 11:00 on Sunday morning is still the most segregated hour in America. Although attitudes toward racial issues have changed in recent decades, Leininger shows us how much they have stayed the same with a startlingly contemporary story. A Color-Blind Church represents wise advice from an experienced pastor reflecting on his own early years of ministry and how he would handle a similar "prophetic" opportunity in our time. This book will be a good mentoring tool for present and future pastors on how to deal with potentially controversial issues in the church. William J. Carl III President, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary Conflict is often painful -- but it can also stimulate growth in ways that might never have occurred without it. A Color-Blind Church tells the gripping story of two churches in the little village of Liberty Hill, South Carolina -- one black, one white, both Presbyterian -- and the struggle generated by an attempt to bring them into closer fellowship. From his firsthand perspective, Leininger examines numerous contentious issues this unique opportunity raised, reflects on what he might have done differently and the lessons he learned, and offers specific advice on how to successfully build bridges when bringing together disparate faith communities. A Color-Blind Church is a real treat As one who lived through this period in the history of Presbyterians in the South, it is encouraging to read Leininger's account of real live congregations being confronted with the racial divide in our church and seeking to find a way together to embody Christ's call to unity. This is a well-written book that shares both the dreams and the nobility of those who tried to make reunion come alive in new ways and the inevitable barriers that have grown up through centuries of history and are not quickly overcome. A Color-Blind Church is both a very interesting window into the recent history of Presbyterians in the South and a helpful set of learnings for all who seek to be about change in the church. I heartily commend this book Clifton Kirkpatrick Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (USA) David E. Leininger is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Warren, Pennsylvania. He has also served congregations in North and South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia. His sermons have appeared in the Best Sermons 4 anthology (Harper-Collins), and he has been a contributor to the online preaching service The Immediate Word (www.sermonsuite.com). Leininger is a graduate of Edison State University, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, and Erskine Theological Seminary.