What Are Sermons for, and How Can They Be Improved? (Jonathan Pennington)
Episode Summary
When it comes to preaching, less is more. If you really understand a complex issue, you should be able to write it down on a postcard. In light of this, how does one avoid dumbing down their preaching while still clearly communicating a complex message?
Dru and CHT fellow Dr. Jonathan Pennington discuss his book Small Preaching: 25 Little Things You Can Do Now to Make You a Better Preacher, how to convey rich meaning in a sermon while keeping it simple, and the significance of preaching within a worship service.
Chapters
- 0:26 Sermon prep
- 1:27 How can a preacher avoid common pitfalls?
- 3:22 Two schools: lofty and simple
- 7:55 Confidence
- 9:00 The ideal preacher’s life/snack writing
- 12:48 Should you write your sermon?
- 17:16 The significance of preaching in the worship service
- 23:49 Teaching vs. preaching
- 31:06 “Celebrification” of preaching
- 33:23 Is preaching performance art?
Transcripts are AI generated and are not guaranteed to correctly reflect the content of the podcast.
Transcript
Share On:
Dr. Jonathan Pennington
Jonathan T. Pennington (PhD in New Testament Studies from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland) is Associate Professor of New Testament Interpretation and Director of Research Doctoral Studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky (USA). He is the author of The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing, Heaven and Earth in the Gospel of Matthew, and Reading the Gospels Wisely. He is on the preaching staff at Sojourn East in Louisville, Kentucky, and is also the host and co-producer of the YouTube show, Cars, Coffee, Theology.
Most Recent Podcast Episodes
Join the Mission to Bridge Faith and Understanding
Your support fuels research, teaching, and resources that shape minds and hearts. Invest in the future of Hebraic Thought.