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You’ve Been Asked to Preach: Now What?

Unlock Your Preaching Potential: Ready to swap panic for power in your preaching?

About this Course

“You’ve Been Asked to Preach: Now What?” is designed to take your sermon crafting from petrifying to inspiring.

What you’ll learn:

Unlock the discerning power of scripture selection: Gain critical skills in discerning the right scriptures to choose for your sermon and how to lead others in understanding their applications in their lives.
Master the art of sermon crafting: Discover simple yet effective frameworks to quickly craft powerful sermons and turn what might seem like a daunting task into a far less stressful process.
Elevate your storytelling and communication skills: Learn enhanced storytelling and communication techniques to ensure your sermons engage and touch the hearts and souls of your congregation.

Nervous about preaching a sermon? Don’t be! Our on-demand course You’ve Been Asked to Preach: Now What? is designed to take your sermon crafting from petrifying to inspiring. By the end of this course, you will have a fully written, ready-to-preach powerful sermon that resonates with your congregation and leads them closer to God.

Step into the pulpit with conviction! You’ve Been Asked to Preach: Now What? is your comprehensive guide to creating captivating sermons that leave a lasting impact. This course will equip you with the skills to select the right scriptures, craft powerful sermons, and deliver them in a way that deeply resonates with your congregation.

Modules

Welcome

Get oriented to the course, download the interactive handbook, and access the group to chat with others!

Why Preach? Because We Have A Story To Tell!

In this module, you will

  • Understand the purpose of the sermon.

What is a Faithful Sermon?

In this module, you will

  • Learn the characteristics of a faithful sermon.

From Scripture to Sermon: Engaging the Text

In this module, you will

  • Learn practices for engaging the text.
  • Become familiar with Dwelling in the Word.
  • Open up your biblical imagination.

Putting Pen to Paper (Or Fingers to Keyboard)

In this module, you will

  • Learn different models for writing the sermon.
  • Learn a formula for keeping the sermon focused.

Re-vision: Maximizing your Sermon

In this module, you will

  • Consider the dos and don’ts of a sermon.
  • Revise your draft into a ready-to-use sermon.

Preaching the Sermon

In this module, you will

  • Understand the concept of “preaching as event.”
  • Learn the mechanics of preaching.

Conclusion

Find out your next steps as you complete the course and how to stay connected with your group. You'll also be able to submit feedback about your course.

One-time purchase

With Faith+Lead Membership

One-time purchase

Get a free public display license to use for group study.

*by joining Faith+Lead Membership for just $19.95 per month

8 Modules

Self-Paced, On-Demand

Lifetime Access

Get to Know Your Instructors

Kathryn Skoglund

Retired ELCA pastor

The Rev. Dr. Kathryn Skoglund is a retired ELCA pastor. With MDiv and DMin degrees from Luther Seminary, she has served God and the church in a variety of ways.

Skoglund worked as an interim pastor for Eglesia Luterana Paz y Esperanza, and as a pastor for Trinity Lutheran, St. John’s Lutheran. She also served as a Chaplain for the Project Turnabout Addiction Treatment Center, and as an Assistant to the Bishop in the Southwestern Minnesota Synod ELCA.

Her DMin thesis, Telling the Old, Old Stories: Reconnecting with Jesus’ Parables Through Biblical Storytelling, is one of her most noteworthy accomplishments.

In her retirement, Skoglund enjoys having extra time to spend with her husband, children, and grandchildren. She is currently improving her cookie decorating skills.

Ready to Enroll?

Enroll in this on-demand course today or unlock free access to this and all Faith+Lead’s on-demand courses, plus more with a Faith+Lead Membership.

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What to Expect with a Faith+Lead Academy Course

You’ll get a transformative learning experience that combines trustworthy theological teaching with spiritual practices, interactive elements, and a supportive online community.

Know

Expand your theological toolkit with fresh insights for today’s ministry landscape. Connect timeless wisdom with practical frameworks for navigating change.

Deepen your spiritual identity through transformative practices. Move from doing church to being church in ways that nurture authentic discipleship.

Practice skills to lead confidently in your ministry context. Take actionable steps to invite your community into God’s unfolding story.

Every Academy course is designed to

Help your growth in one of these core areas:

connect with god

Develop a Christ-centered identity, grounded in theology, scripture, and spiritual practice, that empowers community members to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in everyday life.

Tell the story of Jesus and invite neighbors into Jesus’ way of life and love through words and actions they can recognize.

community

Listen deeply, name God’s presence in the midst of everyday life, and form life-giving relationships across all dimensions of diversity—both within and beyond the church.

Through mutual relationships with the neighbors among whom you’re hosted, join in acts of compassion, justice, and reconciliation as a witness to the ministry of Jesus—especially in places of suffering and despair.

ministry models

Harness skills of agile leadership, stewardship, fundraising, entrepreneurism, and management to be nimble enough to respond to a changing cultural landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Academy courses consist of 6-10 lessons or modules, each walking you through the “know, be, do” learning framework. You’ll learn some new information with instructor videos and other resources (know). You’ll engage in a spiritual practice that will help you develop your faith around the topic (be). Then, you’ll be asked to apply what you’ve learned through activities completed online or in the “real world” (do).

Each module is designed to take 15-45 minutes. Some learners complete the course in as little as one day. Some do a module a day or even a module a week. We suggest allowing some time between modules to process what you are learning, but not so much time that you lose momentum.

Each course includes a flexible leader’s guide with multiple pathways for group facilitation. You’ll find thought-provoking discussion questions and practical activities that connect faith with daily life, designed to work with whatever preparation time you have available. These resources equip you to foster meaningful discipleship experiences that meet your community where they are.

The private online group allows you to connect with others. Because our courses don’t have a required start or stop date, you will encounter others in different places in the course and even in different courses altogether. This is by design. Feel free to interact as much or as little as you like.

Reach out via email to faithlead@luthersem.edu with your question and we’ll get back to you with a response within two business days.

The best way to connect with us is to complete this form with your suggestion. We always want to hear your feedback. You may also include it in the comments section of the course evaluation.

Don’t see your question addressed?

Email us at faithlead@luthersem.edu for more information. We’ll be delighted to connect!

One-time purchase

With Faith+Lead Membership

One-time purchase

Get a free public display license to use for group study.

*by joining Faith+Lead Membership for just $19.95 per month

8 Modules

Self-Paced, On-Demand

Lifetime Access