The Art of Anglican Preaching (Which May Include John Howe and The Grateful Dead)

Mar 24, 2022

Jacob Smith, an Episcopal priest and seasoned preacher from New York City, shares his passion for Anglican preaching with a twist. He explores what makes a sermon truly great, emphasizing connection to Christ while drawing inspiring parallels with stand-up comedy and pop culture. Jacob dives into common preaching pitfalls and the art of using evocative illustrations, including a near-death experience in nature. He highlights the importance of understanding your audience and offers insights from diverse preaching traditions to refresh one’s approach behind the pulpit.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Gospel-Centered Preaching

Good preaching proclaims Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension as present realities for listeners.
It should leave hearers knowing Christ forgives them and is advocating for them now.

ADVICE

Find Your Voice By Studying Others

Study a wide range of preachers and communicators to discover and shape your own voice.
Listen to sermons, comedians, and speakers you admire until your authentic style emerges.

INSIGHT

Blend Traditions For Fuller Sermons

Different traditions offer complementary strengths: Reformed exegesis, Pentecostal passion, evangelical illustration, Anglican sacramentality.
Sew these strengths together to craft short, sacramental sermons tied to font and table.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

How was I to know that a conversation on the art of Anglican preaching would take me to talking about T.D. Jakes and The Grateful Dead? Well, I guess when you're talking to the Rev. Jacob Smith, it's bound to happen.

We're talking about the art and craft of preaching today, thinking about beginners to the craft, but also thinking about those who have been at it for a long time, and what it might take to get out of the rut of old habits, re-energize your imagination, and even let yourself get nervous behind the pulpit again, if you haven't felt that way in a while. What is a good sermon, anyway? And how much does it really matter if the liturgy and the Eucharist take center stage? What can bad preaching do? And what does preaching have in common with stand-up comedy and tennis?

Apart from tips for good preaching or better preaching, we've got some edifying stories of embarrassing mistakes to learn from, and forays into the realm of pop culture. We also survey a few other preaching styles throughout history that may not be familiar, or even comfortable, but we can definitely learn from, from Jonathan Edwards to televangelists.

Fr. Jacob was born on the Navajo Reservation and was raised in Yuma, Arizona. As an Episcopal priest he initially served in the Diocese of San Diego, and he's been at the Parish of Calvary-St. George's in NYC in various roles for 15 years. His wife, Melina, by the way, publishes a church curriculum for children you should check out called Storymakers. And in part of his free time, when he's not watching a favorite show and gleaning sermon illustrations, Jacob is lovingly working on the Same Old Song preaching podcast with fellow priest Aaron Zimmerman.

Now get out your Moleskine journal and your favorite pen and join us as we make some insightful and fun notes on preaching! We hope you enjoy the conversation.

LEARN MORE about our conference in Oklahoma City, Love's Redeeming Work: Discovering the Anglican Tradition

Storymakers curriculum

Same Old Song podcast

--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/living-church/support

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands