Preachers – more than 1,800 – flocked to San Antonio, Texas, in May to experience the 25th annual Festival of Homiletics.
This year saw a record number of attendees who enjoyed sermons from renowned preachers, including Walter Brueggemann, Barbara Brown Taylor, Vashti Murphy McKenzie, Otis Moss III and many more.
Lectures by such luminaries as Rob Bell, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Will Willimon, Yvette Flunder, Grace Imathiu and Sam Cruz explored the theme, “Preaching on the Borders.”
One participant summed up her 2017 Festival experience: “Encouraging. Refreshing. Healing.”
Visit the Festival blog and Flickr album for highlights, including:
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- Barbara Brown Taylor offering a word of encouragement: “Preaching is not about hitting home time or striking out, but about continually showing up over and over again.”
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- Anna Carter Florence preaching on Jesus’ encounter with the Syrophoenecian woman in John 4, challenging preachers to “choose to build a well rather than a wall.”
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- Ashley Cleveland and Joshua Sommerville singing spirituals: “Woke up this mornin’ with my mind stayed on Jesus.”
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- Yvette Flunder issuing a warning to congregations: “Before we go out to bring in strangers, let’s ask if we’re real sanctuary for folks who are already there.”
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- Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis and Matt Skinner exploring the Spirit’s work with a live audience for the Day of Pentecost Sermon Brainwave
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- Grace Imathiu reminding preachers: “Even church isn’t about church, it’s about God who crosses every border.”
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- Will Willimon declaring, “The best moments in ministry have come when Jesus pulled me kicking and screaming over some border.”
Recordings of most sermons and lectures delivered at the Festival of Homiletics (2009-2017) are available for purchase from Abila Recordings.
Save the date for the next Festival of Homiletics, May 21-25, 2018, in Washington, D.C. To hear from participants what the Festival is like, watch this 2-minute video.
The Festival of Homiletics began as the Rev. David Howell’s vision to bring some of the best preachers together to educate and inspire ministers. Since 2011, Luther Seminary has owned, operated and planned the Festival. The Rev. Dr. Dawn Alitz, director of Luther Seminary’s Center for Lifelong Learning, oversees the Festival and other programs for church leaders, including KAIROS continuing education and events like Rethinking Church, Working Preacher Presents: The Craft of Preaching and the Reformation Festival.