Underneath Are the Words

Paul once said that we are saved "by the foolishness of preaching". For me that includes the foolishness of struggling to write a sermon. Who can get such a thing right? It is foolish to even try. How dare we line up all our words next to those of Scripture in hopes of saying one more time "God is for us and not against us." And yet we do. It has been a part of God's saving grace on my journey that my call has included writing and preaching. In some very dark times, my charge to say...
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Paul once said that we are saved "by the foolishness of preaching". For me that includes the foolishness of struggling to write a sermon. Who can get such a thing right? It is foolish to even try. How dare we line up all our words next to those of Scripture in hopes of saying one more time "God is for us and not against us." And yet we do. It has been a part of God's saving grace on my journey that my call has included writing and preaching. In some very dark times, my charge to say something to others has kept me close to the ancient words of life. To preach one must have those who are willing to listen. Maybe Francis of Assisi preached to the animals in the forest, but I prefer people. I am grateful to people at the Sixth Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., at Davidson College (where I was chaplain for a while), at Seigle Avenue Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and at First Presbyterian Church, Richmond, Virginia. Your patience in the pew is a gift to me. Your willingness to let a foolish preacher get up Sunday after Sunday is certainly an act of grace and faithfulness. In this book I have gathered a few sermons and stories from over the years. Preaching is an oral tradition, and I love to be the story teller. Most of the sermons include a personal story from someone's journey. This is my attempt to connect Scripture with the world we live in. The sermon length stories at the end grow out of the lives of people who have traveled with me all along the way. These are not literary works. They were delivered out loud, and so the writing is in a style for such delivery. You might try reading one of them out loud (especially the stories). It changes how they are heard. It has been my privilege to spend most of my 40 years of ordained ministry in the city. So a number of these sermons are about our charge to reach across the lines that divide our communities - across lines of race, class, economics, and politics. Any proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Boaz and Ruth, Inc., ministry in Richmond, Virginia. This is a bridge building ministry that seeks to rebuild lives and communities through relationships, jobs and economic development.