Sermon Brainwave quietly celebrated its seventh birthday in June. No cake, no party favors; just the 421st posting of this weekly table talk among Luther Seminary faculty on the coming week’s Revised Common Lectionary texts.
The Sermon Brainwave podcasters—Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis and Matt Skinner—are theologians who engage others in their conversation. “Listening to them is like sitting around with other pastors and figuring out the basic strategies for preaching the week’s texts,” commented P. Jones Moody, an iTunes subscriber to the podcast. “[It’s a] very effective format, with good theological insights.”
According to Google Analytics, the podcast received more than 200,000 visits in the past 12 months.
Another listener commented, “[This is] my first experience with a lectionary podcast … it is so good to have an auditory presence, reactivating that intellectual/spiritual joy of participating in a lectionary discussion!”
Lewis, who is associate professor of biblical preaching and the Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Homiletics, has been on every one of the 440 episodes aired to date. “Recording more than 400 episodes is hard to believe, yet I can’t imagine a coming Sunday without having had the opportunity to be in dialogue around God’s word. Engaging the texts with my colleagues each and every week is just plain fun,” Lewis said.
She has jointly hosted the discussions with Luther Seminary colleagues Jacobson and Skinner. “I learn so much from the conversations with Matt and Rolf. Just when I think, ‘What else can I say about this text?’ because of the conversation, I always see something new,” Lewis said.
The podcast has sparked imaginations around the globe, and earned praise from preachers such as Soren Schmidt, who commented: “Thanks for this week’s Sermon Brainwave … [You] gave a new perspective and insight into my message for the congregations I am serving in… . Peace to you all, and thank you for bringing God’s word to us.”
Finally, the podcast is helpful to preachers on a week-in, week-out basis. “Since I preach every Sunday, I always look for new ways of approaching a text I may have dealt with several times before,” commented another iTunes subscriber. “These folks never fail to provide what I need or to send me off in a new direction. Thank you!”
How can you catch Sermon Brainwave? Access Sermon Brainwave podcasts directly on Working Preacher or via iTunes or RSS feed.
Remember that gifts to Luther Seminary’s Sustaining Fund keep resources like Sermon Brainwave, the Narrative Lectionary, Enter the Bible and God Pause free for church leaders wherever they serve. With your ongoing support, Luther Seminary continues to provide excellent resources, such as the Sermon Brainwave podcast, that strengthen lives of faith across the globe.
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