with Mr Paul Johns
To be good preachers we need to know our Bible. It’s the preacher’s book. There’s always more to learn from it; there are always fresh ways of interpreting it. We also need to be good at engaging with the congregation, so that people feel we’re talking with them not at them. We need to keep fresh our speaking skills.
But above all we need to display conviction! You may not be a great biblical scholar, or a gifted orator. But if you can speak from the heart about Jesus Christ, witness to the truth of what you say from your own experience, then, while not everyone may agree with you, ‘they will know that there has been a prophet among them’. (Ezek. 2:15)
So preaching with conviction in a culture of doubt and scepticism – that’s the main theme of this day together. Let’s look afresh at the ways
- we use the Bible in our preaching;
- reflect on our personal experiences;
- interpret what’s going on in the world around us
- shape our sermons and share them with the congregation.
And on the way, we’ll look back to John and Charles Wesley, Anglican priests who founded the Methodist movement. The Spirit led them to proclaim the gospel afresh for their times. Will the same Spirit lead us to do the same for ours? The answer is YES
‘And let me live to preach Thy word’ (Charles Wesley).
Paul Johns has been a Methodist local preacher for many years, and for six years until recently Director of the College of Preachers. He has degrees in history and theology. He used to contribute to BBC 4’s ‘Thought for the Day’, has been Managing Director of Traidcraft, and Chair of CND. When not living in the world of preaching in this country, Paul spends time in Bosnia working on behalf of Coventry Cathedral on a project called ‘Schools for Peace’.
10.30am Start, 4pm Finish
Click here to book a place.