Upcoming Homiletics course.

UNITED THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE

December 2024- May 2025

 

  Theology Homiletics

Course Number 103.

Location:  Online and in person in Malindi. M201 Day(s): Monday Time: 9:30-12:30

Instructor(s):   

Assistant Instructor:

 

 Course Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Articulate some basic principles for preaching
• Acquire basic principles for preaching exegesis, homiletical theology, and sermon preparation
• Exhibit development in good preaching habits.
• Preach sermons which: - proclaim and celebrate God’s action in both the bible and world.
• Proclaim God’s grace in a balance with God’s judgment.
• Gain a sound theological structure - use language which has sensory appeal - assist the work of the Holy Spirit
• The overall goal of the course is to foster a love for preaching grace.

Course Description:

 An introduction to the theology, science, art, and practice of preaching God’s Word in the Protestant Christian tradition. Students will read extensively in the discipline, preach regularly, submit their sermons for comment and critique and pass based on written essays and sermon delivery.

 Course Materials:

1. Required: The Four Pages of the Sermon: Revised and Updated, Paul Scott Wilson, Abingdon, 2018.
2. The Practice of Preaching, Revised Edition, 2007, Paul Scott Wilson, Abingdon, 2007

Preaching as Poetry: Beauty, Goodness, and Truth in Every Sermon, Paul Scott Wilson, Abingdon, 2013 Actuality: Real Life Stories for Sermons That Matter, Scott Hoezee, Abingdon, 2014. Preaching in Pictures: Using Images for Sermons That Connect, Peter Jonker, Abingdon, 2015.

                              

The Company of Preachers: Wisdom on Preaching, Augustine to the Present, Richard Lischer (Editor), Eerdmans, 2002. Recommended: Preaching the Luminous Word: Biblical Sermons and Homiletical Essays, Ellen F. Davis, Eerdmans, 2016. The Practice of Preaching, Revised Edition, 2007, Paul Scott Wilson, Abingdon, 2007. Preaching That Matters: The Bible and Our Lives, Stephen Farris, WJK, 199

Recommended but not assigned:

Preach the Word, Alfred Gibbs, ECS Ministries, January 1972.

Assignments & Method of Evaluation of Assignments:

Participants taking this course for credit must meet six requirements:

1. Pre-Class Assignment (5%)

Prior to the first week of class, prepare and write down a sermon from a Biblical text of no less than 5 verses and no more than 15 verses and sent it to your professor. This sermon will be discussed in class.

2) Participation. (10%) Active attendance and class participation is very important. Here, we are Church for one another.

3) Weekly Assignments & Test. (10%) Almost every week there are readings and assignments to complete before the next class. There will also be a test on Week 4.  These are designed as theory-laden building blocks for sermon preparation. Each missed assignment deducts 2% from this requirement. Each wrong answer on the test deducts 1% from this requirement.

4) 20-Minute Sermon (10 %) During class week 7. each student will preach a sermon exactly two (2) minutes long. This will be from the biblical text you will use weeks 1-6. 4) Reading Assignment OR Preaching Event in Toronto Nov. 11-13th (10%)

5. 5. Reading Assignment (20%)

Assignment 4, Read the entire book, The Four Pages of a Sermon, Report the results of your findings from the book by reflecting on what you read in 2000 words.  You should: - Give a sense that you’ve engaged the reading at a meaningful level. Express the elements you found interesting or helpful and why so. Express the elements you found less helpful, if any and why so. List things you’d like to explore for your own preaching DUE week 8.

6. Preaching Event (10%)

    Revise the sermon you preached in week 7, take into account all feedback you received in class, lectures and books and deliver the same in meeting or church in week 9.

 

7) Short concise sermon 10 -Minute sermon (10%) In class week 10.  Each student will choose a biblical text, and will have one hour to prepare a 10-minute sermon using the “Four Pages” theory. Each student will preach that sermon in that class week 10.

8.) Final Sermon (25%) After reading week you will either choose a text from the Lectionary, the Bible or use the same sermon you prepared before commencement of class used for your final sermon. Preach this sermon in a church or location approved by UTS. It must be a “Four Page” sermon, or one of the prescribed variations.

Apply via the website portal today. If you are a pastor and would like to participate as an attendee, please feel free to contact UTC. You will not sit for exams and no transcript will be issued for attendees only.