Introduction to Preaching course syllabus

ECCAK Western Alaska Ministry Training

Introduction to

Introduction to Preaching Course Description Instructor: Dr. Paul Koptak Required Reading (to be completed prior to course) Frank A.Thomas, They Like to Never Quit Praisin’ God: The Role of Celebration in Preaching Revised and Updated (2013) John C. Holbert, Preaching Old Testament: Proclamation & Narrative in the Hebrew Bible (1991); chapters 4 and 5 only, available in PDF from ECCAK office Course Requirements a. Class participation. Students are invited to actively participate in discussions on the topics of each session. Your input will help to enrich the learning of the class. b. Written Work: Papers should be written with Times-New Roman 12 point font, double-spaced. Be sure to cite your sources. Cover pages and works cited do not contribute to the page length requirements of papers.

Assignment (to be completed prior to course): Compose a 1000-word paper in response to Thomas, They Like Never to Quit Praisin’ God. This paper will present: • A summary and critique • An answer to this question: What in Thomas’s approach offers a challenge or help for improvement with your next sermon?

• Discussion on how has Thomas spoken to you? What challenges and responsibilities does he place on you as a biblical interpreter?

• A conclusion that includes a word about who you are becoming as an interpreter and communicator of God’s word.

Assignment (to be completed prior to course and presented in class) Prepare a 12-15 minute retelling of a Bible story to present in class and submit a paper (see guidelines below). Use at least four resources to prepare, including at least two commentaries, but not including Thomas or Holbert.

1. Present a biblical story that could serve as a sermon, homily, devotional, Sunday school lesson, or something that fits your current or anticipated ministry setting. You will deliver it to the class without using any notes or memory aids. For an encouragement to incorporate storytelling in our preaching, see Darriel Harris, “Let Me Tell You a Story: The South Sudanese Culture of Storytelling Taught an American Pastor How to Use Bible Stories to Teach and to Delight,” Faith and Leadership, April 9, 2013. http://tinyurl.com/cm6p688

ECCAK Western Alaska Ministry Training

Introduction to

2. Pick one story or story cycle from Scripture, Old Testament or New Testament. Use one of the approaches found in John Holbert’s Preaching Old Testament. Choose either the pure narrative or frame narrative method as outlined in chapters 4 & 5. As you prepare, take time to explore: •

the historical background of the events

•

the sights, sounds, or even smells one would experience

•

a change in point of view (for example, how would Pharaoh have told about the time Abraham pretended Sarah was his sister?) You may wish to tell your story this way, but it is not required.

3. Your paper is due at the time you make the presentation and should be no longer than eight pages double-spaced.

•

Three to five pages of the presentation itself. Write out in advance what you plan to say, but don’t try to memorize it word for word. Instead, try to get to know it well enough to tell “by heart.”

•

Three to four pages of narrative notes, following Holbert’s example (plot, characterization, point of view, narrative clues).

•

To satisfy my curiosity, would you also add a few sentences to tell me about your experience with using this method?

Other Helpful Recourses For some suggestions and inspiration on storytelling, you may wish to consult The Storyteller’s Companion to the Bible or the following web sites: Network of Biblical Storytellers The Art of Storytelling National Storytelling Network Illinois Storytelling

http://www.nbsint.org/ http://www.eldrbarry.net/roos/art.htm http://www.storynet.org/ http://www.storytelling.org/