Let Your Light Shine Through

Are you a new preacher who wants to build confidence in writing and delivering sermons?

Or have you been preaching for a while and are looking for new ideas and techniques to keep your sermons fresh and your congregation engaged?

These 62 creative sermons, written by New Zealand Methodist Lay Preacher Philip Garside, will provide just the input you need.

Sermons work well when you are honest about your theology, draw meaning from the Bible readings for the day and relate them in a clear, logical way to your congregation. People will respond to personal stories in your sermons, and you will find that you develop your own style of preaching over time.

Memorable sermons and services can be created by offering physical objects for the congregation to interact with, e.g. at prayer stations around the church, or waving flax leaves at the start of a Passion Sunday service and folding them into palm crosses later, during the sermon slot.

If you read widely, listen to new music, look at new art, stay up-to-date with the politics of the day  and generally take in what is happening in your local community, you will never be short of imaginative ideas to fill your sermons. Keep adding to your creative toolbox. Try something new. Your congregation will thank you.

And always remember that your sermons need to tell the Good News of God's love for us shown by the life, teaching and example of Jesus Christ.

The book includes indexes of Scripture readings and of People & Themes, and a Bibliography of key books, recordings and other sources referred to in the sermons.

The book is supported by free online PowerPoints, images & photos, video clips, and audio recordings of many of the sermons.

Quotes from the sermons

• "He turned 'Thou shalt not...' into, 'Do this in remembrance of me.'" From the sermon: The Tipping Point
• "This evolution of the story of Jesus death over a 30 to 35 year period was a deliberate choice by the gospel writers in each case." From: Head, Heart and Hands
• "If you can learn to love your enemy, can they still be your enemy? No, because of you...