Search Results on Nathan Aaseng

Preaching, Parables, Story

So This Guy Walks Into a Bar....

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng says that humor can be useful in sermons, for maintaining attention, aiding memory, and dispelling anxiety and awkwardness. But humor must not be used to feed the ego of the preacher.

Humor, Creativity, Anxiety, Preaching

Knuckleballing Children’s Sermons

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng recommends flexibility in preparation and delivery of children's sermons. "The one thing you can depend on…is that there is nothing you can depend on."

Article about Worship and the Sacraments

Children's Sermon

Brought to You by the Letter "O"

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng considers the "O" often used when addressing God in prayer (as in "O, God"), and reflects on what it means to approach God in a respectful manner.

Prayer, Names Of God, Reverence

The Dark Side of Proclamation

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng acknowledges his target audiences while preaching: the faithful believers and those who show up uninterested in the Gospel. To foster credibility, Aaseng speaks to an honest confession of the church’s sins.

Humility, Reconciliation, Sin

Winning One for the Gipper

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng says that although preachers may dream of delivering a rhetorical masterpiece with dramatic impact, it is usually more effective to build the kingdom of God "brick by brick."

Kingdom Of God, Preaching, Imagination, Patience

Wrestling With God

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng's article offers commentary on Genesis 32 showing that the wrestling match between God and Jacob doesn't lessen God's power. Rather, it shows that God, in love, gives us the wrestling time we need.

Genesis 32:22-32

Attributes Of God, God's Love, Wrestle, God's Power

The Power of Empty

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng's article says that after thoroughly preparing a sermon, a preacher should just "bring it," without being consciously concerned during the message about how it is being received.

Ministry, Preaching, Pastor, Congregation

Your Kid Did What?!

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng reflects on the value of using stories in sermons, and the advantages and cautions of using stories about oneself or one's family.

Family, Preaching, Homiletics, Experience

Fear Factor in Preaching

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng writes on fear and confidence when it comes to preaching. Confidence has to do with faith. Fear has to do with humility.

Preaching, Confidence, Fear, Faith

Bad to the Bone

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng's article explores the fine line between engaging culture and selling out to it. If it makes the Gospel come alive? That's contextualization.

Culture, Contextualization, Popularity

Stalking the Wild Idea (Part 2)

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng discusses four strategies for preaching in fresh ways: harvest what's in the air, mine your experience, create a chain reaction of questions, and put things where they don't belong.

Preaching

An Excellent Rant

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng says that it may be appropriate at times to preach in a way that makes listeners uncomfortable, but preachers are never justified in ranting at a congregation just to make themselves feel good.

Truth, Preaching, Prophecy, Anger

Shakedown Sunday

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Nathan Aaseng discusses the difference between stewardship and fundraising. "A congregation that truly believes in the message of Jesus Christ will not have to be badgered or guilted or manipulated into giving" (Matthew 6:19-21).

Matthew 6:19-21

Stewardship, Offering, Giving

Packers, Cowboys, and the Power of Hate

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

In view of the motivating power of hate, Nathan Aaseng struggles with how to preach the power of God's love. He concludes that based on God's power, "love is the greatest power in the universe."

God's Love, Hatred, Divisions

The Night Sky At Christmas

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

In this article on Psalm 88, Nathan Aaseng reflects on the experience of leading a "Blue Christmas" service and what it reveals: "God shines most intensely against the backdrop of the darkness of our world."

Psalm 88

Love, Sorrow, Grief, Darkness

Stewardship Refund

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

In this sermon starter for Exodus 35, Nathan Aaseng suggest a sermon on stewardship, saying that giving comes when your heart is stirred, when you recognize that God is working in you to do something dynamic.

Exodus 35

Stewardship, Gratitude, Giving

The Law of Grace

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

In this article, Nathan Aaseng considers the relationship between law and gospel, emphasizing that both reflect the love of God and both exist to cultivate God's love in humanity.

God's Grace, God's Love, Law, Salvation

Flags and Greeting Cards

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Article about Worship and the Sacraments

This article by Nathan Aaseng questions where secular holidays, such as Mother's Day or Independence Day, fit into our corporate worship. He suggests that our worship, our proclamation, and our priorities be Bible-based, rather than Hallmark-driven.

Flag, Holiday, Honor, Mother's Day

Self-Plagiarism

Nathan Aaseng | Working Preacher

Arguing that there are occasions in which it is appropriate to "recycle" sermons, this article by Nathan Aaseng discusses how to adapt older sermons to meet a congregation's current context.