Assignment | Lesson One | How Do We Preach the Good News
August 20, 2026 7:55 PM
Part One:
POST: Select one of the questions below and post your reflection.
- How do this week’s readings and videos challenge common assumptions about that worship “should” look like? Identify one assumption about worship (structure, space, leadership, participation, music, etc.) that is being reimagined, and explain how the materials invite you to think differently. (at least 200 words in length)
- In light of the meal-based practices in early Christianity and the multicultural/dinner church examples, what does it mean for worship to grow out of a community’s real life? What concrete shift might this require in your own context? (at least 200 words in length)
Part Two:
Respond to the contributions of at least two other class members. Your responses to others may include acknowledgment of helpful insights gained by a fellow student’s entry, further questions raised by another’s comments, or a respectful critique of another’s argument. Each of these response posts should be at least 150 words in length but no more than 350 words.
This assignment is due on Sunday, September 6.
Discussion (26)
Scott- Your sentence “the lived wisdom of individuals and communities as a source of theological insight” struck me. I think that there are cultures and communities that lean into this and value lived experience. I’m disappointed that I don’t live in one. We tend to keep the elderly out of sight or dismiss those older as being out of touch, which is very unfortunate as we are missing or losing much wisdom available to us. I can see where the current focus on technology leads to the dismissal of those older regardless of knowledge. After a certain age, many become invisible. Also, there is very little consideration around communal insight. I wonder if that is based in our pull yourself up by the bootstraps way of seeing the world.
I’ve also been thinking about what counts as worship. I have (as do many others) experiences in nature or on a youth group trip where God’s presence was very real and where the circumstances were not “worship” in intent yet were worshipful. These are some of the most meaningful worship times identified in my life, and I find them hard to explain to others sometimes because I don’t necessarily have the words…. Beyond maybe “God was present”.
Thank you for a thought provoking post.
Sometimes we get caught up in "the way things have always been done," and it's worth asking ourselves why we do a thing, and if our "theology" and "practice" are fully integrated. Thanks for surfacing that thought for me with this reflection.
I agree with the idea that the movement from lived practice to theological insight can itself become worship and preaching for our lives.
If Christian life is about discerning how we, as people created in the image of God, can embody the mind of Christ in our own lives and in our relationships with others, then perhaps theology is also, in some sense, a study of what it means to be human. In other words, our exploration of God cannot be separated from our understanding and reflection on human beings. Rather than beginning theology with an abstract and absolute concept of “God,” perhaps we can begin with an honest understanding of ourselves as human beings who believe in and experience God.
When we live out this “worship in everyday life,” perhaps our gatherings for worship in the church can become a true celebration—a time filled with encouragement, gratitude, and an experience of God’s kin-dom among a gathered community of Christians.
I come from a tradition of what I would call spoon-fed-don’t-argue religion. Feelings and emotions were unreliable and biblical knowledge and faith were everything. I found the Disciples of Christ as an adult and experienced Anne Wimberly’s Educational Liberation engaging in the Scriptures for myself. Some tapes, however, are difficult to erase. Currently I am the music director at a DOC church and am on the rotation to speak approximately every two months. I still sometimes struggle with whether I am academic enough in my topics- I am not a preacher, but I am a teacher (Professor of Sociology)
Each sermon from the Preaching Retreat was very specific to the listening audience. Each acknowledged who was in the room (fellow preachers) and each speaker strongly represented who they were with personal stories, use of language, and their own social location. The speaking was personal yet relatable with a focus on the good news in Christ.
Rev Beech Kreven’s sermon emphasizing enthusiasm erased many years of the aforementioned tapes from my upbringing. There’s no need for me to slip in academia while using my own experience and stories, making what I say more relatable for those in the room. If I can incorporate the enthusiasm I have for the bulk items at Winco into the topic, I can let go of the need to be “smart”… which I realize just separates me from others. All of which stems from my upbringing and what I was taught in how to be a Christian.
(I answered question 1 from the Intro Video. I see now that the prompt is different )
I also relate to what you and Erin are saying about the "academic" part. But like the readings said, our theology and our scripture are narrative in nature. Your lived experience is a valuable contribution to the community, and is important to be shared. And as is often the case, when you tell your own story, there will be others who relate to it, can connect with it, or learn something new from it. Thank you for your reflection here.
I agree with you. When theory becomes too dominant, we may understand our faith intellectually but experience little transformation in our daily lives. At the same time, our personal experiences also need theological reflection to help us understand them more deeply. I think finding a healthy balance between the two is important.
When I think about the early Christian communities, however, I am reminded that they did not have academic theological backgrounds. When they gathered around something as simple as bread and juice, they shared their stories, their lives, and their faith—and experienced the kin-dom of God among them.
I believe your lived experiences have already touched many people’s lives and will continue to do so. Your experiences themselves can be a meaningful way of sharing the good news.
As a layperson, I’ve always considered preaching to be the message that was delivered at the time of the sermon. It had never occurred to me to think of it wholistically. In one of the videos that I watched, Rev. Bekah Krevens used personal story to get this point across. She combine bible text with a story of her own life and how if she wasn’t entering into delivering the good news with the same joy and excitement as she did other things in life, it was a sign to her that she needed a reset. I can say from my place in the pews, that I know that I can feel it when there is a disconnect within the person who is preaching and what they believe. Sometimes I sense that they are preaching their own lesson to themselves.
I’m appreciative of the readings about the importance of multicultural preaching as this is something that has been heavy on my mind lately. So many of us go to the same church every week and have the same pastor preach to us every week. And while, there is a relational value to that, I wonder if by hearing the same person deliver their message, we are losing out on gaining perspective from other voices. Preaching is absolutely shaped by culture and how can we understand the message from God if we are only hearing it through the same lens and voice each week?
Thank you, Erin. I too was touched by Rev Keven’s sermon. At first I avoided listening to it as I wanted to hear voices from those who I look the least like…and yet..her sermon met me personally where I was- and I’ve been thinking about that quite a bit. Is that because of where I am right now in my search or for some other reason.
I also wanted to touch on the questions around about hearing a variety of other voices. My church was pastor-less for over a year, by choice. We knew that we had decisions to make about our future and that would then guide us as to who to call. During that time we opened the pulpit up to anyone who wished to speak. Honestly, I was nervous about it, yet it was exactly what we needed. When it came time to call an interim, we specifically said that we didn’t want a weekly preacher; we needed administrative help and guidance in our decisions about our future (building sale, closing, moving, etc). We still rotate the speakers two years later. The difference between people has been refreshing and now the list has somewhat “refined” itself, leaving those who feel more called to speak as opposed to “who-the-heck-can-speak-next-week” which happened often in our year of survival. I’m all for it and love to hear the different voices.
I appreciate your reflection, especially your observation that we can sense when there is a disconnect between what a preacher says and what they truly believe and live. I also agree that hearing the same message through different cultural lenses can open us to aspects of God’s message that we might otherwise miss.
Perhaps this is one reason preaching is more than simply delivering a message. It is also about bringing our lived experiences, stories, and social locations into conversation with Scripture and with the community. Different voices can help us hear and understand the good news more fully.
A strength, then, of the critical reflection approach would allow all of us to reject the destructive elements of stories told in the dominant culture and transform our perspective to make another world possible. I can see how it is a means of personal empowerment and human agency - to reject the power of dominant narratives, identify cultural assumptions, and replace them with questioning, curiosity, and a commitment to reshaping the narrative to something that moves us all toward liberation.
I can see how using the techniques he describes in preaching from the pulpit and in a life of living sermons could really help a congregation to practice recognizing how they receive and interact with the stories from our culture. I would hope with practice they could become adept at seeing opportunities to shift the narrative and step outside of traditionally harmful ways of perpetuating stories and truths that do harm.
I viewed the presentations from Rev. Dr. Miseon Choi and Rev. Leah Jackson from the Disciples Preaching Retreat. Both preachers gave moving sermons, lifting up messages of hope and action.
Dr. Choi presented Bartimaeus as an example for all of us to throw off the cloaks of dominant ideologies that keep us under their control in order to restore our true selves, free from the oppressive shackles of materialism, white supremacy, classism, sexism, and the like. Through her message she encouraged listeners to pay attention to those ‘along the roadside’ (even though the Disciples ignored or chastised them) and restore them to community; inviting and encouraging them to join in on the path toward the kingdom of God. This concern for those who are often left behind is a call to bring their voices forward, to listen to their stories, and allow ourselves to be changed by what they have to say. It’s an invitation for us to investigate our own biases and shed the earthly values that would separate and harm us - but first we have to have the cultural awareness, the spiritual vision to see what is holding us back - and then we can join in the liberation. Dr. Choi’s presence communicated her confidence in the message and embodied an invitation into a better world.
Rev. Jackson brought three pieces of wisdom together to bring the story of Paul and Silas in Thessalonika to life. She emphasized the courage it takes to turn the world upside down as Jesus did. What this takes is a clear understanding of the culture we face and a willingness to call out the parts that need changing. In Jesus’ name we as preachers can speak truth to power, oppose injustice, oppression, and hypocrisy, using the scripture to guide us. In her message she used lines from hymns, familiar lines from scripture, and catch phrases from pop culture, showing an awareness of how her audience would hear and respond. This was an empowering message for the listeners because it repeated again and again in a variety of ways how important the work of ‘turning the world upside down’ is, especially when it’s not well-received. She encouraged people to keep going and to trust in Jesus, whose name has so much power, and he will help us turn the world toward love, equity, and peace.
P.S. - Sorry I wrote so many words this week! I promise to be more brief next time.
The 9/11 chapter got me this week too. It brought me back to that time, and I think it's my first time that I've truly wrestled within conversations of how to love thy neighbor and forgiveness. It was such a raw and confusing moment in history, and as a non-practicing Catholic at the time, I wasn't sure how to place it all with my faith. I have to use this a reminder in moments with people that are coming from different places, times, theologies, beliefs, experiences that we all can't get there in the same way or in the same time.
Thank you for sharing your thoughtful reflection. I especially appreciated the way you connected critical reflection with preaching as a way of life. I wonder if holding these two together is an important perspective for preachers and religious leaders. If we have only a critical perspective, we may end up with a lot of knowledge and analysis without bringing meaningful change into our lives. On the other hand, if we focus only on action without critical reflection, our actions may lack direction or awareness of what is shaping them. Perhaps finding a balance between the two is important—allowing critical reflection to inform how we live, while also allowing what we practice and live out to deepen our reflection.
I also enjoyed the readings, especially the one in Eunjoo Mary Kim.... "To be human . . . is to have a body, and as this embodied person to be open and available to God and to one another. . . . The image of
God thus consists in the action of prayer, but it is faith that performs
this action through love for the other. Ultimately it is in love, then,
that we find the true imago Dei."
Love the way she puts it! It makes sense it is clear. We are made in God's image, but still human and have this body which should show our action in loving others.
We have been having these conversations at First Christian Church in Chico, as there has been a shift in recent years in our demographics and congregation. What “should” church look like? I was compelled by some truths in this weeks readings: both that people are “craving up-close interactions” (Wimberly), and that “right action comes before right belief” (Rogers). When I talk to people about church, one of the most common complaints about church today is that it is not honest and not authentic. And it’s not hard to see why, churches have given people significant reason to pause and consider whether to engage. But I’m incredibly drawn to the hope that our faith and being in faith communities can provide. FCC Chico has seem some new members join in recent years because they got involved in our social justice work in the community. They love to help the unhoused, volunteer supporting foster families, and meeting the physical needs of those who need support. Many of them have felt the pain of rejection in church spaces, or don’t see themselves as particularly “religious”. But they take part in the action, and are slowly compelled to ask questions about their spirituality. It’s not like we have structured that in any way, but it does tend to happen. Perhaps the “right action” helps people to develop trust with the larger faith community, so that wounds can be healed, and belief can follow. But I would say that even if they never got to that point, the folks at FCC Chico would welcome and work along side them, which I think is a special quality regardless of the end result.
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful experience. I agree that sometimes insight or even faith can grow through our actions, experiences, and the way we live our lives.
It is painful to hear that people experience the church as dishonest or inauthentic, but perhaps that perception has been shaped by the lives and actions of those who have been called—or have called themselves—“Christians.” I hope that more of the sincerity you are describing can spread throughout our society: walking alongside those who are marginalized, whose voices have been silenced by structural discrimination and exclusion, and living out our faith through action and practice, just as FCC Chico is doing.
If the direction and values of a person’s life, and the way they act toward others, gradually become more focused on the well-being of others, I wonder if that transformation itself can be a form of the good news.
I really appreciate this sentence "Perhaps the “right action” helps people to develop trust with the larger faith community, so that wounds can be healed, and belief can follow." It's something we talked about this weekend at FCC Vallejo - that we don't have any expectations for what someone has to believe in order to come and participate and find home with us. Especially for folks who have been burned in other higher-control church settings, there's a freedom and relief in just allowing them to exist and grow at their own pace. Healing can't be forced, but we hope to offer space to feel safe and held and hopefully experience the extravagant love of the divine.
DSF CAW Wk 1
Erin Aylor
Sept 14th
[My sincere apologies for being so behind in my participation in this course. There is no justifiable excuse. I got behind in starting, thinking it would start after Labor Day. It had not yet opened when I checked toward the end of August. Then, I genuinely forgot to check back in sooner to get rolling.]
The 2 Disciples Preaching Retreat videos I watched were Dr. Thompson’s focus on Hesed and Rev Bekah Krevens’s focus on Jesus meeting us where our need is like the woman at the well. Dr. Thomas’s sermon wove community of the nation and world throughout his sermon in reminding us that retaliation was never a part of Jesus’s MO or vocabulary. One simple sentence, but wow did that hit my heart! The breadth of his sermon was very narrow, which allowed him to go very deep and meaningful on the word Hesed. He probably repeated that word 20 times throughout the sermon, but each time it was in a layering context almost like extra coats of nail polish on a finger. He gave great visuals of a wobbly table that we are all so familiar with! And what metaphorically props up the wobbly table leg in our world? Hesed, of course! He took something so deep and truly complicated and made it simple enough not only to be understood but also relatable and shareable with others. I’m a note-taker person, and he had many nuggets of wisdom, with one being “In the OT, Hesed was a Principle. In the NT, Hesed is a Person.” He certainly embodied empowerment in his sermons, making sure those listening knew that we could utilized Hesed with one another in the most challenging times…when we’d want to instinctively reach out in anger or retaliation or utilize our own strengths to solve hard problems versus leaning on God Almighty who knew ahead of time exactly what we’d be facing. Rev Krevens’s sermon was very relatable to me as a bi-vocational mom pastor. Although my boys were teens when I began ministry, the struggle is real! She did an excellent job of weaving the story of her little girl “writing her a sermon” and the woman at the well…drawing similarities where even men could relate to the push and pull of work and demands and Jesus’s compassion and perfect timing. [I was actually so interested I spent another 20 min on her church’s website and got some great ideas for our church! I already emailed the beautiful narrative approach to church budgeting to the church treasurer of our little congregation!]
In regards to the readings, I downloaded them and will be keeping them as resources. As a bivocational pastor who also is a licensed educator working as a Career Coach in my local high school for the past 5 years, I was encouraged by so many things! Sharing the Good News is being the Good News in action! Even learning to ask, “Are there other versions and variations of this story that I have not heard,” was a great learning opportunity for me! I may have only related to the washed and sanitized version while my friend and community member had to hear and live the ugly original version. Some other nuggets gleaned are that, “Involvement in narrative activity is intrinsically transformative,” and “Personal transformation is a result of social action, not a precondition for it.” Sharing the Good News can work through the premise that “Right action comes before right belief.” If we meet people and act together, Jesus Christ is well-able to do the backwards-chaining necessary to move their hearts toward him in the process.
I’m glad to hear that the sermon videos and readings have been helpful for you in your life and ministry journey. Your reflection on asking whether there are “other versions and variations of this story” also stood out to me. It reminds me how important it is to listen to stories beyond the versions we have already heard and to recognize that our understanding may be shaped by the perspective we have been given. Perhaps when we meet people, listen to their stories, and act together, we create space for transformation—not only in others but also in ourselves.