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Leading With the Sermon: Preaching as Leadership

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William H. Willimon Fortress Press, 192 pages William Willimon has a way of expressing himself that provokes his readers first to laugh and then to view things in a different way. In this volume from the Working Preacher series, Willimon challenges preachers to see themselves as leaders, understanding how preaching can both aid and shape their leadership approach — and how leadership "provides the context, purposes, and test” of preaching. His first example of a preaching leader is none other than Jesus Christ. Why? Because “we know the truth about God only because of the proclamation of the one true preacher, Jesus.” Willimon, a bishop in the United Methodist Church as well as a professor at Duke University, believes that sermons must do more than communicate important religious ideas.  It’s “not enough for the sermon to ask and answer, ‘Who is God and what is God up to in the world?’” he writes.  The sermon must also include an explicit invitation: “’Don’t you want to … [Read more...]

Tagged With: preaching

Serving the underserved in Congo

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Guest commentary by Shannon Jung What would it take to build a hospital in the heart of Africa?  Nothing less than God’s grace and continuing providence! And yet this is what God hath wrought in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Insitut Medical Chretien du Kasai (IMCK) is a Presbyterian-founded Christian medical institute in the Kasai province in the middle of the DRC. When William Sheppard, an African American Presbyterian, steamed up the Congo River in 1890, he had no idea of what he was to start. This mission of the PCUS was to grow into a Congolese Presbyterian Church and subsequently into a beacon of hope for the young republic. In 2021, the IMCK is considered the best regional hospital in the Kasai provinces.  The institute comprises a 160-bed reference/teaching hospital; schools for nursing, hospital administration and laboratory technology; a nutrition center; and rural health programs.  The IMCK also includes a center for continuing medical … [Read more...]

What’s right about First Presbyterian Church?

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First Presbyterian Church — Beatrice, Nebraska In 2019, First Presbyterian Church celebrated our 150th anniversary, and we also installed a new pastor, Zac Wolfe. As we talked about an anniversary gift to the church, Pastor Zac encouraged us to also think about a gift to the community. After discussing several possibilities, we decided to create Sweet Dreams Bed Ministry. Since it was announced in March 2020, the congregation has provided new beds, mattresses, box springs and bedding for 11 children. In addition, we also take along cookies for the family and a book for younger children. I am proud of how our congregation has embraced this project and has provided both financial and spiritual support. I am thankful to be a part of such a caring church family. — Doris Martin, ruling elder Share your 150-word story of “what’s right” with the Outlook by emailing it to submissions@pres-outlook.org. … [Read more...]

We Aren’t Broke: Uncovering Hidden Resources for Mission and Ministry

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Mark Elsdon Eerdmans, 239 pages. Reviewed by Philip J. Reed Mark Elsdon shows us the money. Before COVID-19, many of our congregations and institutions struggled with the realities of fewer people — and dollars. As the pandemic winds down and we return to our usual worship, programs and mission, we ask, “Where we will find the resources to go forward?” Elsdon poignantly responds, “We aren’t broke.” Our money is hiding in plain sight in endowments, property and the retirement savings accounts of our members and friends. But there’s a problem: We practice a two-pocket investment and giving strategy. “Money is invested out of one pocket to make more money. Then the earnings from that investment are used for operating the church or given away for mission.” This is such a long-held strategy that we rarely question it. When we hand our investment dollars over to the market, we help companies like Amazon, Apple and Facebook grow their businesses in exchange for a (small) portion of … [Read more...]

Tagged With: stewardship

Mentoring women in ministry

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I have always been passionate about women in ministry — the history, the achievements and the obstacles they faced as they paved the way for the rest of us. As I started to dig into my doctoral research on women in ministry, I found “Living by the Gospel,” a guide published by the Board of Pensions. In the document, I discovered the statistical data to back up anecdotal stories of many ordained women in ministry today. The statistics on gender disparity are staggering. Often, women assume the difficulties they encounter are their problem, not realizing that it is a pattern of discrimination within the larger church. “Living by the Gospel” contains a short section titled “Gender Disparity,” that begins: “From 2007 to 2019, there has been a distinct gender disparity as to the provision of benefits in the PC(USA).” During this time frame, women comprised 52% of ordinations. However, the difference between salaries and benefits were specifically noted. Men received benefits in their … [Read more...]

Tagged With: women in ministry

As I leave for Vietnam (50 years ago)

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50 years ago — September 6, 1971 The U.S. is preparing to end the 20-year war in Afghanistan. And 50 years ago, the U.S. was preparing to end another protracted war — in Vietnam. An army officer turned chaplain had completed his duty at an Army hospital in the states. He shared his thoughts on the eve of his first tour of duty in Vietnam. “I live in a semi-state of despair because the war continues to cause tragedy in the lives of the American and Vietnamese peoples.” At the hospital he ministered to the soldiers returning from Vietnam. “One very serious problem was drug abuse. … This war has not been the sole cause for these men’s taking drugs, but I am convinced that it has contributed greatly to increased drug abuse by many. … I am appalled at the number of [soldiers] who will never recover emotionally from their experience in Vietnam. One problem which receives little publicity is the vast number of marriage problems that exist as a result of the emotional strain and the … [Read more...]

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