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Festival of Homiletics: Fred Craddock

Next up in my slowly-but-surely-coming Festival of Homiletics notes: Fred Craddock. Craddock is certainly a favorite at the Festival, with good reason. He has a sweetness and joy in his preaching and lecturing that is just so endearing that it is also quite persuasive.

Notes: Judges 13:1-7, Acts 14:8-18, What Shall I Do with the Gift?

What shall I do with the gift?

1) Deny it. “Gift, hell! I worked hard on that sermon!”

2) Give it back. “No thanks!”

3) Take the gift and divide it up among the members of the congregation. “Ministers: The Congregation.”

4) Take the ribbon off, unwrap it, and tell it what it is: necessity. Paul: Destiny, compulsion, summons, divine pressure. Trying to lay hold of the one who already laid hold of us. Paul: I can’t brag about it – it’s God. I won’t charge – I can boast about that Little ribbon of freedom. J How do you work it?

5) By just complaining. Jeremiah. “You enticed me and I was enticed.” God gave me too many gifts. Poor souls. “What a blow, to gag on your favorite pie.” Some complain because they get the call in impossible situations. “Sometimes God is too mischievous.” His complaint, “God did not speak loud enough. Speak up!” Quoting one of my favorite poems: “Batter my heart, three-personed God.”

6) Want everyone to know we have the gift. Saul.

7) Try to get rid of the gift. Samson. That God could still use him. Grace of God.

What shall I do with the gift?

Jesus: “I must needs go to Jerusalem.” “Must needs go.”

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Comments

John Montgomery said…
Wish we might have met in Atlanta - like you I am slow to pull my thoughts together. For me, the key highlights were Barbara Brown Taylor's stunning look at Southern religiosity and Thomas Troeger's reflection on physical and rhetorical violence and the question whether our communities might affirm that there is a Balm in Gilead. I would point you to Day 1's conversation with Diana Butler Bass. It is posted on their site, or if you want you can check it out on the site I share with others www.holyleftovers.wordpress.com

I look forward to reading further reflections.
4:57 PM
Bob Braxton said…
Audio CD from 2009 Homiletics Festival (Craddock) misplaced so how does one go about getting replacement short of $229 additional charge?
11:47 AM
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