Preaching for Change is not about theology, in particular. We welcome preachers from all kinds of backgrounds – liturgical, evangelical, charismatic, Catholic, Protestant, independent, non-denominational, etc.
Our concern is with the craft of preaching and our primary focus is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and his teachings.
Having said that, we’re also aware that preaching, by necessity, will always involve wrestling with theology. Sermon ideas, notes, articles, and other resources offered here will always generally align with the Apostles’ Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and the Nicene Creed. We say “generally” because some archaic words and phrases probably need clarifying in today’s language in order to really be interpreted correctly.
As the owner of Preaching for Change, I (Brandon Cox) want to be honest about how I approach the Christian faith since that will inevitably affect the messages I prepare and share with others. I wrote my own personal creed, modeled after the Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in one God, the Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
Source of all life and all love.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son,
Fully God, fully human,
Savior of the world,
The risen King of kings.I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The very breath and power of God,
Sustainer of our life in Christ.I believe in the church, Christ’s body,
God’s family for the spirituality homeless,
Called to be Love and Light,
To pursue justice and show mercy,
To proclaim the Good News of Christ,
To work for the common good of humanity.
I agree with Rupertus Meldenias, the Lutheran divine, who coined the phrase, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials, liberty; in all things charity,” but beyond these creeds, I will leave it to you to decide what are essential issues.
My Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Do you believe women can preach and serve as ministry leaders?
Yes. Without hesitation. I am an egalitarian and believe that both women and men are equally valuable and worthy and that God calls both men and women into every level of leadership, teaching, and preaching within the body of Christ.
Do you affirm one approach to preaching as superior (i.e., expository)?
No. I see room for expository, topical, textual, thematic, and liturgical approaches to sermon preparation and delivery.
What is your view of the Bible?
I see the Bible as a trustworthy source of revelation concerning God’s plan of redemption for mankind. For me, the Bible is the written word of (or from) God that points us to the only perfect, living Word of God, Jesus Christ. I don’t like the word “inerrancy” because it forces the Bible to bear a burden of accuracy I don’t believe the Holy Spirit ever intended and leads into arguments that were not of concern to the early church and are not of great concern outside of conservative evangelicalism.
I see value in both the historical-grammatical and historical-critical schools of interpretation and believe that it’s best to be honest about the parts of the Bible that are most difficult to explain rather than trying to make an excuse for every hard question.
The church grew exponentially for several hundred years before Christians carried Bibles, which makes it apparent that the foundation of our faith is not the biblical canon, but rather the historical fact of Jesus’ life, death on the cross for the salvation of the world, and his resurrection from the dead.
Want to ask me something not mentioned here? Use the form below to shoot me a note.