The BWA is going to sponsor a sermon competition to help meet the preaching needs of some in this forum. There are some rulz, so listen up.
1) You must stay on the topic or theme that I name. It's kind of like Iron Chef where you don't know the ingredient.
2) Limit your sermon to 5 minutes max. If your post is as long as a Nemesio post, I will disqualify you.
3) No copy/paste crap. All original and from your heart.
4) You can cite only ONE, I repeat ONE scripture passage to support your sermon.
5) The judges will offer helpful commentary so as to help your proclamation skills.
6) All religions are welcome to participate.
7) You can have an "invitation" or alter call or whatever you want to call it, but remember, this is the internet. We ain't gonna sit through 15 stanzas of "Just As I Am".
I will give an update soon on the topic and the judges.
One more thing. If you don't enter, I don't want to hear any crying, weepin, moanin, gnashing of teeth about how nobody understands your faith. So far I have three judges and waiting for a fourth who will be sitting on the front pew ready to dedicate their lives to whatever you have to offer them. And let me tell you, these judges will give you better feedback than you'll get from any top rate divinity school. This is your chance to shine so do not put your light under a bushel basket. You know who I'm talkin to.
OK, sermon topic #1. Here are the rulz. I will give you a topic and you must present it by Sunday, the day when sermons are delivered. You can present it before if you like, but Sunday is our deadline.
Here is your first sermon topic: "How God's Word Made Me a Better Person". I'll give you a little hint; the key word in this sermon is "me."
Here are your judges (so far): Reverend K., DoctorScribbles, Bbarr and one to be announced.
Originally posted by kirksey957"Me", meaning you? And who are the contestants? And why should they compete with one another?
OK, sermon topic #1. Here are the rulz. I will give you a topic and you must present it by Sunday, the day when sermons are delivered. You can present it before if you like, but Sunday is our deadline.
Here is your first sermon topic: "How God's Word Made Me a Better Person". I'll give you a little hint; the key word in this sermon is "me."
Here are your judges (so far): Reverend K., DoctorScribbles, Bbarr and one to be announced.
Originally posted by kirksey957A rather interesting, if unorthodox, panel of judges.
OK, sermon topic #1. Here are the rulz. I will give you a topic and you must present it by Sunday, the day when sermons are delivered. You can present it before if you like, but Sunday is our deadline.
Here is your first sermon topic: "How God's Word Made Me a Better Person". I'll give you a little hint; the key word in this sermon is "me."
Here are your judges (so far): Reverend K., DoctorScribbles, Bbarr and one to be announced.
Originally posted by kirksey957For those of us who haven't had much experience writing sermons, would you care to give us a few technical pointers? I'm assuming there's more to it than just putting 'Amen' at the end of your post.
OK, sermon topic #1. Here are the rulz. I will give you a topic and you must present it by Sunday, the day when sermons are delivered. You can present it before if you like, but Sunday is our deadline.
Here is your first sermon topic: "How God's Word Made Me a Better Person". I'll give you a little hint; the key word in this sermon is "me."
Here are your judges (so far): Reverend K., DoctorScribbles, Bbarr and one to be announced.
Originally posted by kirksey957Is this open to agnostics?
The BWA is going to sponsor a sermon competition to help meet the preaching needs of some in this forum. There are some rulz, so listen up.
1) You must stay on the topic or theme that I name. It's kind of like Iron Chef where you don't know the ingredient.
2) Limit your sermon to 5 minutes max. If your post is as long as a Nemesio post, I will di ...[text shortened]... 15 stanzas of "Just As I Am".
I will give an update soon on the topic and the judges.
Also, it'd be helpful if you gave a brief outline of the judging criteria.
Originally posted by kirksey957How did God's Word make me a better person? It made me a better person to the extent that I allowed it to better me. It made me a better person to the extent I choose to submitt myself to it. It made me a better person to the extent that I allowed the incarnated Word of God (Christ) to live in me to effect change in me and live through me.
"How God's Word Made Me a Better Person".
How's that for starters? Too short and too sweet perhaps?
Edit: Do we get bonus points for correct grammer and spellin?
Originally posted by rwingettWell, that's fair as you don't seem to darken the church door much. This is all about communicating about what is "most important." It should be like writing a good short essay in which you are trying to get someone's attention and convince them of what it is you are trying to say. So it is perfectly appropiate for you to assume you can write a "sermon" about how the "word" of atheism made you a better person. We'll just take it that atheism is your "higher power."
For those of us who haven't had much experience writing sermons, would you care to give us a few technical pointers? I'm assuming there's more to it than just putting 'Amen' at the end of your post.
I always like a little humor in a sermon, but that's just me. I can't speak for the others.