Why doesn't preaching work?
"Why do I spend all this time on these sermons if people forget almost everything I say by the time they’re halfway home?!?” - Every Pastor (at some point)
Can preaching transform anything?
We all want our preaching to transform people's lives. So why doesn't this happen more often? Why does preaching seem to have so little affect on our Monday through Saturday lives?
Adventures in powerless preaching
Are you frustrated with the seeming ineffectiveness of your sermons? I can relate.
I'm Matt Tebbe, one of the cofounders of Gravity Leadership, and I lead Preaching School, a 4-month cohort-based coaching and training experience starting we offer.
I've been preaching regularly for almost 20 years, but for most of those years I had NO IDEA what I was doing. I was discouraged by the almost complete lack of transformation and breakthrough in my churches.
But in the last few years, through failure, suffering, wrestling in prayer, and experimentation, I've learned a few lessons about how to preach in a way that brings true transformation to those who listen and respond.
We believe that preaching for mission that makes disciples is desperately needed in the North American church. The problem is most of the preaching we learn to do in seminaries and hear on podcasts doesn't lead to real transformation. It doesn't make disciples to live on mission.
Training for Truly Transformational Preaching
So we're very excited to invite you to Preaching School, a 4-month cohort-based training intensive. Here's how it works:
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Weekly cohort gatherings
Cohorts of 6 people meet weekly with a coach for 75 minutes via video call for in-depth teaching and training on preaching for discipleship and mission.
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BONUS: 1-hour consultation
After the training, you'll also get a FREE 1-hour consultation to talk through anything you'd like (your preaching calendar, specific issues relating to your context, etc).
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Immediately Actionable Training
You'll be working with your actual upcoming sermons so every week you'll be able to immediately take action on the things you're learning.
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BONUS: Online Preaching Workshop
You'll get our Preaching For Transformation Workshop FREE (a $47 value)
What you'll learn
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Why most preaching falls short
Discover the common pitfalls that keep our sermons ineffective.
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How to capture the imagination
Learn how to ignite the imagination in your preaching, instead of only informing the intellect.
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The difference between teaching and preaching
Find out why your teaching needs to support your preaching (and not the other way around).
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How to help people respond
Learn how to call for a response of surrender, instead of offering application ideas.
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How transformation actually happens
Learn how people change, and how our preaching can either help or hinder the transformation process.
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How to order your sermon
Learn how to structure a sermon to open space for transformation.
Sign up for Preaching School Today
Join Preaching School today with a one-time payment of $697, or 4 monthly payments of $197 ($788 total).
One-time payment
Click the button below to enroll in Preaching School with a one-time payment of $697.
Sign Me Up!Monthly payments
Click the button below to enroll in Preaching School with 4 monthly payments of $197.
Sign Me Up!-
The Gravity Leadership folk are the real deal. Taking Jesus as their primary reference point, they help churches develop discipleship practices that can go to scale. Thumbs up!”
Alan Hirsch, author and missional pioneer
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Preaching School has given me a solid preparation system for each week's sermon. I have a stronger sense of the role of story in my preaching, and I'm better at "proclaiming," not just "explaining."
Matt Furr, Lead Pastor, CenterPoint Church
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After this coaching, my preaching began to change... People started giving feedback, but not on how great the sermons were, but on how Sunday worship (including the sermon) had begun to impact daily life for church members.
Jonathan Fettig, Senior Pastor, Media Presbyterian Church
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Preaching School creates space to think about the "why" behind preaching. There isn't always time to do that in ministry, and this course prompted me to reevaluate the desired outcome of my preaching.
Bryan Marvel, Senior Pastor, Meadowbrook Church
Is this a webinar?
No, this will be a live weekly video call with 6 others. It will be highly interactive, with lots of hands-on practice, training, and Q&A. It will look a bit like the image below:
When will the calls be scheduled?
Once we get a final registration list, we'll send out a poll to find a time that works for each cohort group. If everyone brings some flexibility to the table, we almost always find a time that works for everyone.
Can a group participate with me?
Because of the nature of the training, it won't work very well to have a group of people trying to participate with one computer. Every participant will need their own computer.
Is this a video series I can watch on my own time?
No, this is a live video call that you'll attend each week. It's hands-on training. We'll all be in the same "digital room" together. Here's another picture of one of these kinds of calls:
What happens after I sign up?
When you click the registration button, you'll be taken to the checkout page, where you'll enter your email address and payment information. After that, you'll get an email from us about next steps.
What kind of tech will I need?
We will meet via group video conference call, so to participate, you need to have:
- A high-speed Internet connection
- A computer with a video camera and microphone
- A quiet space where you can focus and work