Emily Bisset – Bio
Preaching and Poetry – With a Focus on Several Poets
How do we use language in our preaching? My first love was poetry. How poets use words is so different to prose. Twenty-five years into this preaching and teaching journey, my love has only deepened. In poetry, words are spare, but every word is laden with meaning. Poetry can teach about pace and rhythm; it invites interpretation different from prose. Preaching, at its best, is a wonderful blend of poetry and prose. Conversation with the poets can teach preachers a great deal about economizing words while enriching proclamation of the Gospel. Come join the conversation! We will consider the work of poets such as Mary Oliver, Billy Collins, and Amanda Gorman.
Susan Sparks – Bio
Cross-training for Preachers: Leveraging Lessons from Unexpected Disciplines
Have you ever gotten up Monday morning and thought, “I just don’t have another sermon in me.” Do you ever feel bored with your own preaching? Is your creativity stuck? Well, get in line friends. It happens to everyone. The solution? Cross-training! Like Serenna Williams who studied Mohammed Ali’s footwork to take her tennis game to a new level, join us as we consider lessons from different artisans to level up our own preaching artistry. Examples include singer songwriters, storytellers, spoken word poets, chefs, comedians, novelists, Harley riders, scientists, and more. Open your mind, shake loose some new ideas, and see what transformation can occur!
Sarah Han – Bio
Sparking Gospel Power Within Our Preaching
What if the true power of our sermons doesn’t lie in our eloquence, structure, or insight, but in how clearly, we draw out the gospel of Jesus from every text we preach? In this workshop, we will explore how every passage of Scripture holds within it the power to spark transformation when the gospel is proclaimed. We will discuss practical ways to anchor sermons in the person and work of Christ so that listeners are not merely informed about Christ but invited into an encounter with the living Jesus. Together we will recover the joy and urgency of gospel-centered preaching and learn how to preach not just good sermons, but sermons that burn with resurrection power.
Leanne Friesen – Bio
The Grieving Preacher: Preaching Hope When Your Heart is Broken
All preachers have tried to bring hope and comfort to those who face grief and loss. But what about when preachers are experiencing their own season of grief? What about when you are back at your calling after the death of a loved one? What about when you are grieving yourself for the congregant whose funeral you are leading? In this workshop, participants will discuss how to grieve while we lead others.
Scott Hoezee – Bio
Show, Don’t Tell: Detail and Vividness in Preaching
Alfred North Whitehead said, “We think in generalities but we live in detail.” Too often we preachers settle for generalities, telling the congregation various truths but failing to show them what those truths look like in the concrete specifics of day-to-day living as disciples of Christ. This workshop will explore why story and vivid specificity are the key to effective and compelling preaching. The purpose is to help preachers effectively connect the sermon theme to indelible moments in life during an ordinary week.