It’s a hat trick. The third SDB Vital Preaching gathering took place at the SDB Center in Janesville, WI. Twenty-one people from 10 states participated throughout the weekend of September 13-15. We focused our time on discussing practical preaching skills, practicing faith communication, and worshipping.
We took in a full weekend of engaging presentations:
- “Knowing Your Context” – Rev. Andrew Samuels, SDB Missionary Society
- “Building Bridges” – Nathan Mech, Acton Institute Collins Center for Abrahamic Heritage
- “Preaching From Integrity” – Rev. John Pethtel, SDB Director of Church Development
- “SDB Identity” – Rev. Nick Kersten, SDB Director of Christian Education
- “Reviewing Sermons” – Rev. Dr. Carl Greene
Fifteen Vital Preaching participants also provided much of the content of the weekend. Participants have been working with mentors while participating in Vital Preaching, which included working on a specific testimony to share with the group. Each participant shared a salvation testimony that utilized an ‘accent of rest.’ Our hinge Scripture passage is Matthew 11:25-30. Nathan Mech, John Pethtel, and Nick Kersten served on the review panel to provide each participant with feedback and suggestions.
SDB Vital Preaching
The SDB Vital Preaching initiative provides emerging ministry leaders with contemporary faith communication skills by providing a series of in-person retreats and immersing them among veteran ministry leaders as mentors. The first in-person gathering was at the SDB Summit in southern New Jersey (April 26 – 29) and the second event was the retreat at the SDB Deep South Camp in Oak Hill, FL (June 7—9). Rev. Dr. J. Michael Jordan (Houghton University) led the second gathering, utilizing his just published book, Worship in an Age of Anxiety: How Churches Can Create Space for Healing.
SDB Vital Preaching is made possible through a Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment Inc.
Pictured
(Left to right, beginning with the front row). Bryan Baker, Nick Kersten, Evan Kane, Anthony Reynel-Hernandez, Joyvis Henderson, Asabe Miller, Frank Bernau, Samantha Floyd, Josiah Kenyon, Liam Probasco, Carl Greene, Keith Barnes, Andy Samuels, Neil Lubke, Victoria Mech, Nathan Mech, Logan Curran, Lance Greene, Isaac Floyd, Scott Paulin, John Pethtel (not pictured). The picture was taken at the Milton SDB Church in Milton, WI where Andy Samuels preached the sermon, “Discipleship is Relationship.”
