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Resource Post Headers (8)
Preaching

Embracing the Old Testament

I have a confession: I’m not a big fan of the term “New Testament Church.” Many Christian Churches today use this title as a self-descriptor. These churches have good intentions of displaying their efforts to embody the ideals of the First Century Church and to declare the good…
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Preaching

Here We Are Again: The Easter Sermon

Everything dies, baby, that’s a fact But maybe everything that dies someday comes back – Bruce Springsteen, “Atlantic City” It turns out that Easter is on a Sunday this year, so we should probably start talking about what we’re…
Emmanuel Christian Seminary
Preaching

Published Sermons from the Emmanuel Community

Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan enjoys a strong reputation in good preaching and teaching from scripture. Words have always mattered to this community. We believe that proclaiming God’s truth from scripture changes lives, heals wounds, liberates the oppressed, and restores communities. The collection below of published sermons from…
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Preaching

Adorned with Joy: Easter and the Early Church

The celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ is the oldest feast in the faith. It was, and continues to be, the center point of the Christian faith. Just like in the New Testament Scriptures, early Christian writers took every opportunity they had to speak about Christ’s incarnation, death,…
Advent Candles and Lights
Preaching

Advent Worship

Since joining our church staff back in 2019, it’s usually around this time of year that I am given the opportunity to preach during the Advent season. At first, I’m always really excited. As a woman in ministry, I’m still getting used to the fact that I’m now blessed to…
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Preaching

Advent: Cultivating Joy as Resistance

As we enter in the holy presence of God this week, we gather ourselves around the pink candle which marks what was traditionally known as “Gaudete Sunday,” literally, “Rejoice” Sunday. The rose-colored candle that stands in the cocoon of the Advent wreath is a symbol to remind us of the…
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Preaching

Advent: Turning Everything on Its Head

The Magnificat, Mary’s song of praise in Luke 1:46-55, is a Gospel passage that we often overlook during this season when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. Although reminiscent of the ancient Israelite Psalms in its form and themes, this song of Mary does not get the attention…
ocean, after a storm
Preaching

Advent: A Time to Pay Attention

In the last few decades, several global realities have been reminders of the possibility of end times. The threat of nuclear war, COVID-19, global warming, and the effects of the rising seas are threatening life on earth. The world’s leading climate scientists who met last month in Glasgow delivered a…
Woman writing in a journal with trees in the background
Preaching

Crafting Sermons to Shape Church Culture

Over the past year and half, sermon-planning has taken a backseat to wrestling with weekly changes, complaints about Covid responses, and a general loss of motivation. Many of us feel the need to get back into the groove of creating fabulous messages that contribute to the culture God is shaping…
Microphone at a funeral: Preaching through Grief Header
Preaching

Bleeding in the Sermon: How to Preach in Grief

“It’s Frederick Buechner’s fault,” I tell myself on Sunday morning. I’m getting ready to return to my home church to speak. I’m trying to figure out who is to blame for this strange emotional position I find myself in: I’m going to be in the same room where I’ve delivered my…