Encapsulating years of experience integrating critical theological thinking with the preaching task,Claiming Theology in the Pulpitwill be a welcomed resource to both preachers and students. Through the use of a theological profile, Burton Cooper and John McClure help preachers become more aware of not only the broad theological traditions of the church but of their own particular theological appropriations. Part One lays out the eight categories of the theological profile, offering a worksheet for readers to identify in summary fashion their own theological position. Part Two suggests specific ways that preachers can use the profile as a tool to become more theologically intentional in their preaching.

Every congregation in North America has victims, survivors, and perpetrators of violence in its midst. Many in the church, while supporting marital and family connections, do not know how to address abuse. Many ministers are searching for theological and ethical perspectives with which to frame an effective pulpit, teaching, and pastoral ministry.Telling the Truth assembles the wisdom of experts from across disciplines and denominations. Biblical and theological issues are analyzed by Johanna Van Wijk-Bos, Shawn Copeland, and Wendy Farley. Pastoral resources are presented by Marie M. Fortune, James Poling, Nancy Ramsay, and David Goatley. Preaching strategies are discussed by Barbara Patterson and John S. McClure. Four sermons are also included to provide effective models for ministering against sexual and domestic violence.

"John McClure's book is a double treasure. It tracks the way North American homileticians have responded to the cultural, social, and philosophical movements of recent decades, and it introduces the reader to both linguistic and ethical ways to deconstruct preaching." - Edward Farley, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

How do we help our friends who have just become Christians or are young in the faith? In this concise and accessible book, Mike Patton unpacks the basics of the Christian faith, helping new believers think rightly about God and live fully for God as they begin their new life in Christ. In ten easy-to-read chapters, Patton introduces readers to the foundational teachings and life-giving practices of Christianity—from the doctrine of the Trinity to reading and understanding the Bible. Designed for individual use or small group discussion, this handbook on the Christian faith has the potential to become the go-to guide for new believers wanting to follow Jesus with their heads and their hands.

A revealing look at the identity and mission of the Black church What is the true nature and mission of the church? Is its proper Christian purpose to save souls, or to transform the social order? This question is especially fraught when the church is one built by an enslaved people and formed, from its beginning, at the center of an oppressed community’s fight for personhood and freedom. Such is the central tension in the identity and mission of the Black church in the United States. For decades the Black church and Black theology have held each other at arm’s length. Black theology has emphasized the role of Christian faith in addressing racism and other forms of oppression, arguing that Jesus urged his disciples to seek the freedom of all peoples. Meanwhile, the Black church, even when focused on social concerns, has often emphasized personal piety rather than social protest. With the rising influence of white evangelicalism, biblical fundamentalism, and the prosperity gospel, the divide has become even more pronounced. In The Divided Mind of the Black Church, Raphael G. Warnock, Senior Pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, the spiritual home of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., traces the historical significance of the rise and development of Black theology as an important conversation partner for the Black church. Calling for honest dialogue between Black and womanist theologians and Black pastors, this fresh theological treatment demands a new look at the church’s essential mission.

A bright new resource for working preachers. Packed with preaching wisdom from twenty-seven outstanding American preachers from various religious and ethnic backgrounds.

John McClure's Preaching Words highlights the most important ideas in homiletics and preaching, offering short explanations of these ideas, what scholars of preaching are saying about them, and how they can help in today's preaching. Topics range from elements of the sermon (introduction, body, and conclusion) to aspects of delivery, types of preaching in different Christian traditions, and theories of preaching.