Podcast appearances and mentions of will willimon

Will Willimon tells of having once served a church where there was a long standing tradition in which lay leader would rise at the conclusion of the sermon to offer a prayer. And, one Sunday after preaching a tough sermon on a difficult text, the lay leader stood up and prayed a simple, clear, and direct prayer. “Lord, today we've heard your word. And we don't like it.” We don't like this Word of the Lord because it cuts right to the heart of our faith. It's impossible to live like this, we think. How could we ever really love our enemies? They're our enemies for a reason! Shouldn't we be doing the opposite of love toward them? Have you ever tried to pray for those who mistreat you? Better to run away and never think of them than to pray for them! It's impossible, what Jesus wants us to do. Thankfully, though, nothing is impossible for God...

How do we stay hopeful in the face of despair and disillusionment—especially when politics threaten to tear us in two? Kate speaks with Parker Palmer, a writer, teacher, and activist. As you'll hear, he has gone through seasons of deep clinical depression, and has hard-won wisdom to share with us on how to survive, how to regain a sense of agency, how to remain hopeful despite it all.  In this episode, Kate and Parker discuss: finding agency in the midst of depression and despair (including his trick of redefining achievement) why it is important to recalibrate our sense of reality—especially in the face of 24-hour news cycles and social media algorithms how a broken heart can either shatter or break open into a larger, more compassionate way of being So on a day like today when we all might be thinking about the state of our nation or the state of our world or the realities at stake for our families and friends (....or perhaps, more tempted to keep our head in the sand to just make it through Thanksgiving), might we pull up close and listen to what Parker has to teach us about how to keep our hearts soft and remain hopeful, still.  If you liked this episode, you'll also love:  Sharon McMahon on the small differences we can make Will Willimon on aging into a new vocation   Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here or visiting katebowler.com/podcasts. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler. Links to social pages and more available at linktr.ee/katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is it possible for anyone to change—change their mind, change their theology, change their priorities? What does it mean to hope when we live in such uncertainty? Richard B. Hays is a world-renowned scholar of the New Testament. He is also a dear friend and colleague of Kate Bowler. Richard and Kate were both unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer at the same time, which meant they spent many hours discussing the heart of what it means to hope. Their hard won wisdom adds such depth and heart to today's episode. In this conversation, Richard and Kate discuss:   What it means to be hopeful A rich theological perspective of suffering in light of the resurrection How to pray when you are living in uncertainty  Why it's never too late to change your mind as you grow older This is a soulful conversation that embodies the humility it takes to change anything. Your mind. How your time is spent. Your certainties. We can't wait to hear what you think.  If you liked this episode, you might also love:  Will Willimon on vocation (especially as we age) Tom Long on learning to number our days Stanley Hauerwas on needing fewer explanations Jeff Chu on discovering grace for people who think unlike you   Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here or visiting katebowler.com/podcasts. Follow Kate on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly known as Twitter)—@katecbowler. Links to social pages and more available at linktr.ee/katecbowler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Willimon's chicken sitter, Slice Penny is a rising third year student at Duke Divinity School and soon-to-be-husband. A recovering drug and alcohol addict, Slice served four years for drug trafficking at a maximum security prison in Florida. Looking back, he sees it's all a part of God's call upon his life. 

Join the Homebrewed Christianity & Crackers and Grape Juice podcasts for a unique evening of candid theological discussions over a pint at Petty Thieves Brewing Co. ahead of the 2024 General Conference of The United Methodist Church. A dynamic trio of thought leaders will join us: Dr. Leah Robinson, Rev. Dr. Will Willimon, and Rev. Derrick Scott.This event is for anyone interested in theology and who wants to engage in open conversations in a relaxed setting. We will delve deep into the pressing issues confronting the modern church in America. From societal challenges to internal transformations, these voices offer unique perspectives, sparking conversations on faith, culture, and the evolving role of the church in our communities. Don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and explore theological topics in a casual and welcoming environment.The event will not be live-streamed, but rest assured that because this is a live podcast recording, the audio will be available shortly after the event.So, if you are heading to Charlotte for The United Methodist Church's 2024 General Conference, I hope you'll stop by Petty Thieves Brewing Co.Get Your Tickets Now

We often think of speaking up as an act of courage. And of course, there are times when it most certainly is. But what about the courage to listen? The best kind of generous listening is interesting because it seems to acknowledge and create a mutual agency. The courageous, generous listener grants the speaker an authority to have the floor and make a point or drop a bomb or tell it like it is. But that act of listening is itself an active mode of receptive agency. So the best kind of listening is a truly powerful thing because each party involved in this miracle of communication gets to be present in fullness.That is not something that can be done by the speaker alone. The ability to create the conditions for that mutual agency is up to the listener. But when you apply that to a religious scenario—the preaching and hearing of the gospel, things get interesting.Whether its from the window of St. Peter's Basilica, or from the screams of a megaphone wielding street preacher, or the pulpit of your small, faithful community church… something profound seems to be happening when we listen to someone speak and illumine the Word of God.Will Willimon, who has trained many preachers and written several books on preaching and homiletics, has written a book for listeners, both acknowledging and uplifting the act of listening to sermons. Will is Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School and he came on the show with me to talk about his book, Listeners Dare: Hearing God in the Sermon.Together we discuss the act of listening and the rare achievement it seems to be; the definition and purpose of a sermon, and what that might mean for its listeners; how to cultivate the charity and courage to listen; and the inherent risk involved in genuinely and generously listening to the gospel.Show NotesListeners Dare: Hearing God in the SermonPreaching is a demanding skill for both preachers and their audiences.Scripture itself pays attention to audiences as well as speakers.Listeners come to sermons with expectations. For sermons to most benefit the audience, preachers can guide their listeners to ask the right questions of a sermon.What is proclamation?Like the Bible itself, sermons can take a wide array of literary forms to communicate the truth of God. Because it proclaims truth about God, the Bible itself can be seen as a sort of sermon.“Christian sermons, ought to arise out of an encounter with scripture.”The gospels began a new genre of literature to communicate the truth of Christ.The genre or form of sermons continues to evolve and diversify today with outside influences such as TED Talks.Fred Craddock and the narrative unfolding sermonVerse-by-verse discovery in a sermonOne definition of preaching is “a biblical preacher goes to the biblical text hoping to make a discovery. Then you announce that discovery to the congregation.”At times when a preacher has no audience, such as street preachers, there is still something compelling about the preacher's commitment to their message, that regardless of its reception it must be spoken.Preaching requires charity and risk from listeners, so they can open themselves to the possibility of hearing and being transformed by another's message.Listening requires daring because the gospel message presented by Christian preachers has the power to upend listeners' preexisting beliefs.“Preaching is a confrontation with the God who came to us, who is a Jew from Nazareth, who lived briefly, died violently, and rose unexpectedly—preaching is about that.”Listening, and listening to God, are skills that can be cultivated.“We have a revealing, talkative, loquacious God.”It is helpful for listeners of sermons to assume both the preacher and God hope to communicate with their listeners.Listeners must be willing to learn from, critique, and engage with sermons.“Listeners are the playground of the Holy Spirit.”Preachers partner with the Holy Spirit to bring sermons to their congregation, even using difficult passages of scripture to further engage listeners.John 6 and the “hard sayings” of JesusListeners Dare! :) Will mentions a teenagers compliment to him once: “That was the most f—ed up thing I have ever heard… it was wonderful.”The courage to keep listeningAbout Will WillimonThe Reverend Dr. William H. Willimon is Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at the Divinity School, Duke University. He served eight years as Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church, where he led the 157,000 Methodists and 792 pastors in North Alabama. For twenty years prior to the episcopacy, he was Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. He is author of over 100 books, including Worship as Pastoral Care, Accidental Preacher, Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony, and his most recent, God Turned Toward Us: The ABCs of the Christian Faith. His articles have appeared in many publications including The Christian Ministry, Quarterly Review, Plough, Liturgy, Worship and Christianity Today. For many years he was Editor-at-Large for The Christian Century. For more information and resources, visit his website.Production NotesThis podcast featured Will WillimonEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Alexa Rollow, Macie Bridge, and Tim BergelandA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

In Season 4, we are featuring reflections from our Advent project called Advent in Durham: Watching for Your Dawn. Day 17 by Rev. Dr. Will Willimon. Read online at www.durhamcares.org/advent.  Theme Music: Peaceful by Luca Fraula Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5169-peaceful License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  

Chris and Eddie are joined again by Reverend Dr. Will Willimon, Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School and former Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church. Rev. Willimon, Chris, and Eddie talk about what it means to be part of the United Methodism, with its tradition of being the Gospel on the move, and how that tradition translates into today's world.Rev. Willimon has five decades of preaching and teaching experience, and as a lifelong Methodist, he's got a few opinions and ideas about the current issues facing the denomination and American Christianity as a whole--and he shares those opinions with humor and candor, and also with urgency and sadness over the difficulties facing God's Church today.This particular conversation doesn't cover Rev. Willimon's newest book, Heaven and Earth: An Advent Incarnation, but we'll be sure to have him back to talk about that.Follow Will Willimon on the web:https://willwillimon.com Heaven and Earth: An Advent IncarnationCheck out Will Willimon's other books and publications here:https://willwillimon.com/writing/ Follow Will Willimon on social media:https://www.facebook.com/WillWillimonhttps://twitter.com/willimontweets

Voices In My Head (The Rick Lee James Podcast) - Episode 529 - Will Willimon on The Lord's Supper and Advent   Book Link: https://www.abingdonpress.com/product/9781791029036/ Will Willimon is a preacher and teacher of preachers. He is a United Methodist bishop (retired) and serves as Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry and Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Duke Divinity School, Durham, North Carolina. For twenty years he was Dean of the Chapel at Duke University. A 1996 Baylor University study named him among the Twelve Most Effective Preachers in the English speaking world. The Pew Research Center found that Will was one of the most widely read authors among Protestant clergy in 2005. His quarterly Pulpit Resource is used by thousands of pastors throughout North America, Canada, and Australia. In 2021 he gave the prestigious Lyman Beecher Lectures on Preaching at Yale Divinity School. Those lectures became the book, Preachers Dare: Speaking for Godwhich is the inspiration for his ninetieth book, Listeners Dare: Hearing God in the Sermon. ABOUT THE AUTHOR William H. Willimon Will Willimon is a preacher and teacher of preachers. He is a United Methodist bishop (retired) and serves as Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry and Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Duke Divinity School, Durham, North Carolina. For twenty years he was Dean of the Chapel at Duke University. A 1996 Baylor University study named him among the Twelve Most Effective Preachers in the English speaking world. The Pew Research Center found that Will was one of the most widely read authors among Protestant clergy in 2005. His quarterly Pulpit Resource is used by thousands of pastors throughout North America, Canada, and Australia. In 2021 he gave the prestigious Lyman Beecher Lectures on Preaching at Yale Divinity School. Those lectures became the book, Preachers Dare: Speaking for Godwhich is the inspiration for his ninetieth book, Listeners Dare: Hearing God in the Sermon. Web Site: https://www.abingdonpress.com/bishop_william_h_willimon STREAM NOW “KEEP WATCH, DEAR LORD” BY RICK LEE JAMES

Voices In My Head (The Rick Lee James Podcast) - Episode 529 - Will Willimon on The Lord's Supper and AdventBook Link: https://www.abingdonpress.com/product/9781791029036/Will Willimon is a preacher and teacher of preachers. He is a United Methodist bishop (retired) and serves as Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry and Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Duke Divinity School, Durham, North Carolina. For twenty years he was Dean of the Chapel at Duke University. A 1996 Baylor University study named him among the Twelve Most Effective Preachers in the English speaking world. The Pew Research Center found that Will was one of the most widely read authors among Protestant clergy in 2005. His quarterly Pulpit Resource is used by thousands of pastors throughout North America, Canada, and Australia. In 2021 he gave the prestigious Lyman Beecher Lectures on Preaching at Yale Divinity School. Those lectures became the book, Preachers Dare: Speaking for God which is the inspiration for his ninetieth book, Listeners Dare: Hearing God in the Sermon.ABOUT THE AUTHORWilliam H. WillimonWill Willimon is a preacher and teacher of preachers. He is a United Methodist bishop (retired) and serves as Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry and Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Duke Divinity School, Durham, North Carolina. For twenty years he was Dean of the Chapel at Duke University. A 1996 Baylor University study named him among the Twelve Most Effective Preachers in the English speaking world. The Pew Research Center found that Will was one of the most widely read authors among Protestant clergy in 2005. His quarterly Pulpit Resource is used by thousands of pastors throughout North America, Canada, and Australia. In 2021 he gave the prestigious Lyman Beecher Lectures on Preaching at Yale Divinity School. Those lectures became the book, Preachers Dare: Speaking for God which is the inspiration for his ninetieth book, Listeners Dare: Hearing God in the Sermon.Web Site: https://www.abingdonpress.com/bishop_william_h_willimon“KEEP WATCH, DEAR LORD” BY RICK LEE JAMES

Better late than never! This week Teer talks with Godfather of the pod, Will Willimon, about Jason's new book, A Quid Without Any Quo: A Gospel Freedom According to Galatians Go grab you a copy!

In life, we learn that I am MINE. A person learns they are the captain of their own ship. Yet as people of faith, we are the stewards of the message that there is no better life than the one that God gives us!In this episode, Melissa and Bishop Wright have a conversation around Abram's faithfulness to say yes to God and to pick up and leave and GO. They discuss what it means to be sent and how it is counter-cultural to Americans. Listen in for the full conversation.Before listening, read For Faith.

What does it take to imagine a world without war? How do we begin to believe that as a possibility? Eddie and Chris begin a series on war with guest Stanley Hauerwas, noted theologian and ethicist. Dr. Hauerwas asks us to contemplate the hard questions of war and nonviolence, but he knows the answers don't come easily.Dr. Hauerwas is a long-time professor at Duke Divinity School and Duke University School of Law. He served as chair of theological ethics at the University of Aberdeen and was named America's best theologian by Time magazine in 2001. Dr. Hauerwas has authored numerous books, including Resident Aliens, co-authored by Will Willimon, Living Gently in a Violent World, and 2011's War and the American Difference. Resources:Find out more about Dr. Hauerwas, his publications, and appearances at stanleyhauerwas.org.Buy War and the American Difference

In his commentary on the Book of the Acts, Will Willimon reminds us of a line from poet T.S. Eliot who wrote: “In my beginning is my end.” What he means is that there is something about beginning stories that foreshadows what becomes of a person or organization. What are your beginning stories? Do any of you have traditions, say on your birthdays, when you go back and remember how you came into the world?   See sermon notes and more at stlukesumc.com/sermons Subscribe to receive our latest messages: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ2n... To support St. Luke's in our mission to be an open, antiracist, justice-seeking church, visit http://stlukesumc.com/give. We are an open community of Christians helping people find and give hope through Jesus Christ - regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality, disability or socioeconomic background. —— STAY CONNECTED Website: https://stlukesumc.com St. Luke's UMC Facebook: https://facebook.com/stlukesindy St. Luke's UMC Instagram: https://instagram.com/stlukesindy​ St. Luke's UMC TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stlukesindy St. Luke's UMC Twitter: https://twitter.com/stlukesindy St. Luke's UMC YouTube: https://youtube.com/stlukesindy St. Luke's UMC Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/stlukesindy

HAPPY 15th BIRTHDAY, Sermon Brainwave! Join Profs. Karoline Lewis, Joy J. Moore, and Matt Skinner for a conversation on the Revised Common Lectionary texts for the Day of Pentecost on May 28, 2023. Watch the video version on Youtube. This episode also marks 15 years since Working Preacher published Sermon Brainwave episode 1 on texts for June 1, 2008. It's amazing to think back on that first recording session with Karoline, Matt and David Lose huddled around a Snowball mic. It's a great opportunity to give thanks for the people who have made this podcast (this ministry!) possible: Co-hosts: Rolf Jacobson, Karoline Lewis, David Lose, Joy J. Moore, and Matt Skinner Special guests: Walter Brueggemann, Tom Long, Anna Carter Florence, Will Willimon, to name a few… Behind-the-scenes staff: Dozens of staff and student workers who scheduled, recorded, edited, posted, promoted, etc. And of course, we're grateful for you, Sermon Brainwave listeners!

by Will Willimon

by Will Willimon

by Will Willimon

by Will Willimon

by Will Willimon

by Will Willimon

by Will Willimon

by Will Willimon

by Will Willimon

by Will Willimon

by Will Willimon

by Will Willimon

On today's episode we have Bishop Ken Carter on to talk about his new book God Will Make a Way, Spiritual Life and Leadership in a Contested Season. Ken is on his 10th year as bishop in the great state of Florida. Make sure to check out his new book! Also joining in on the conversation is Will Willimon!

We are joined again by Will Willimon to talk about his new book, "Don't Look Back". We talk about the future of the Methodist Church and how we look forward and find hope. We discuss ways to promote unity and conversation instead of isolating each other.

Today, we will talk about what's going on United Methodist Church, how it got to this point that's it's splitting in two and what is the future of the church. I'm talking with not one, but two guests. Drew McIntryre is a frequent guest on Church and Main and is the pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. Ben Gosden is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Methodist in Savannah, GA and this is his second time on the podcast. We had a great discussion that is actually broken up into two parts. The main part is about the United Methodists in General and a smaller part talks about the former Bishop and writer Will Willimon, his role in the UMC and what it means to be an institutionalist. One quick note; Ben had some technical issues, which I tried to fix, but if there are still glitches that's what it is. I hope you enjoyed the episode. Just a reminder that it takes a lot to make great content like this available to you. Consider making donation by going to Church and Main's website at churchandmain.org. 

What better way to start our season about the values the church must carry forward into the future than with the ‘gadfly of the church,' Bishop Will Willimon! Co-host Gil Rendle points out that as the gadfly of the church, Will both loves and cares about the institution AND asks critically important questions that challenge the church to be better. You won't want to miss this compelling story-packed episode that includes topics like how Jesus disrupts contented churches, why purpose is so important right now and Will's advice to pastors in today's context.    In this conversation, you'll hear: Gil Rendle shares the meaning behind his paper “Jacob's Bones.” What should we carry forward? (02:52) Will Willimon's call to ministry and relationship with the church (13:36) How Jesus Christ disrupts otherwise happy, contented churches (19:46) Why getting clear on purpose is so important and how easy it is to get distracted (22:19) How to stay focused on what to keep and what to let go of (33:17) Willimon's hope for the church 20, 30, 40 years from now (51:00)   QUOTES “It is easy to get distracted in the present moment. And sometimes I think the church argues about some of the stuff we're fighting over because it's' easier to fight over those subjects than to have a good argument about how can we have a future? How can we welcome in the two or three generations of Christians that we have excluded? That's hard, and maybe that's why we've been arguing.” -Will Willimon [25:59] “There's times when I think sometimes our Methodist problems are due to the fact that maybe we have taken our eye off of the ball. We have not allowed the main thing to be the main thing, and we've had our arguments. But at the end of the day, those arguments have got to answer to Jesus Christ.” -Will Willimon [29:17]   Will Willimon's Bio The Reverend Dr. William H. Willimon is Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at the Divinity School, Duke University. He served eight years as Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church, where he led the 157,000 Methodists and 792 pastors in North Alabama. For twenty years prior to the episcopacy, he was Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. Willimon is the author of over 80 books. His articles have appeared in many publications including Theology Today, Interpretation, Liturgy, and Christianity Today.   RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS More information about Bishop Will Willimon can be found on his website. Will Willimon is the author of 80 books. His latest is “Don't Look Back: Methodist Hope for What Comes Next.” This podcast is brought to you by the Leadership Ministry team at TMF and Wesleyan Investive. Leadership Ministry connects diverse, high-capacity leaders in conversations and environments that create a network of courage, learning, and innovation in order to help the church lean into its God-appointed mission. Subscribe to our Leadership Ministry emails here. We send emails about each episode and include additional related resources related to the episode's topic. We know your inbox is inundated these days, we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry. If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts / iTunes?

Bishop Julius C. Trimble is the Resident Bishop of the Indiana Area of the United Methodist Church. Bishop Trimble has the personal mission to encourage all people with the love of Jesus Christ to rise to their highest potential. It is his commitment to his personal mission that led Bishop Trimble to create the “To Be Encouraged” Podcast along with co-host Rev.Dr. Brad MIller. Bishop Trimble says, “I am compelled by Jesus to share with you an encouraging word or two about Jesus, theology, the Bible, the pandemic, the environment, racism, voting rights, human sexuality, and the state of the United Methodist Church.” To Be Encouraged with Bishop Julius C. Trimble is to be published weekly and is available at www.tobeencouraged.com and all the podcast directories. https://www.inumc.org/bishop/office-of-the-bishop/ (https://www.inumc.org/bishop/office-of-the-bishop/) Rev. Dr. Will Willimon https://divinity.duke.edu/faculty/william-willimon (https://divinity.duke.edu/faculty/william-willimon) The Reverend Dr. William H. Willimon is Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at the Divinity School, Duke University. He served eight years as Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church, where he led the 157,000 Methodists and 792 pastors in North Alabama. For twenty years prior to the episcopacy, he was Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. He is the author of "DON'T LOOK BACK Methodist Hope for What Comes Next" to be released in September 2022 and is available at: https://www.abingdonpress.com/catalog/search?term=don%27t+look+backhttps://www.cokesbury.com/Dont-Look-Back-2?select=879126 (https://www.abingdonpress.com/catalog/search?term=don%27t+look+back) https://www.abingdonpress.com/catalog/search?term=don%27t+look+backhttps://www.cokesbury.com/Dont-Look-Back-2?select=879126 (https://www.cokesbury.com/Dont-Look-Back-2?select=879126)

Chris and Eddie are joined again by Reverend Dr. Will Willimon, Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School and former Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church. This time around, Rev. Willimon is here to talk about preaching--but not as a preacher. In his most recent book, Listeners Dare: Hearing God in the Sermon, Rev. Willimon helps listeners get more out of a sermon (and helps preachers listen to their listeners) because “to be a Christian is to be a listener of God.”With five decades of preaching and teaching experience, Rev. Willimon has great respect for the listeners of God's Word. Listening to sermons is one of the main ways that God reaches God's people, so how do you listen well? How do you open yourself to a sermon that might not be about you or for you and come away with a change in your perspective? And how do preachers step aside and let the conversation happen between God and God's people freely? Rev. Willimon has a few ideas.Resources:Follow Will Willimon on the web:https://willwillimon.com Listeners Dare: Hearing God in the SermonCheck out Will Willimon's other books and publications here:https://willwillimon.com/writing/ Follow Will Willimon on social media:https://www.facebook.com/WillWillimonhttps://twitter.com/willimontweets

Bishop Julius C. Trimble is the Resident Bishop of the Indiana Area of the United Methodist Church. Bishop Trimble has the personal mission to encourage all people with the love of Jesus Christ to rise to their highest potential. It is his commitment to his personal mission that led Bishop Trimble to create the “To Be Encouraged” Podcast along with co-host Rev.Dr. Brad MIller. Bishop Trimble says, “I am compelled by Jesus to share with you an encouraging word or two about Jesus, theology, the Bible, the pandemic, the environment, racism, voting rights, human sexuality, and the state of the United Methodist Church.” To Be Encouraged with Bishop Julius C. Trimble is to be published weekly and is available at www.tobeencouraged.com and all the podcast directories. https://www.inumc.org/bishop/office-of-the-bishop/ (https://www.inumc.org/bishop/office-of-the-bishop/) Rev. Dr. Will Willimon https://divinity.duke.edu/faculty/william-willimon (https://divinity.duke.edu/faculty/william-willimon) The Reverend Dr. William H. Willimon is Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at the Divinity School, Duke University. He served eight years as Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church, where he led the 157,000 Methodists and 792 pastors in North Alabama. For twenty years prior to the episcopacy, he was Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. He is the author of "DON'T LOOK BACK Methodist Hope for What Comes Next" to be released in September 2022 and is available at: https://www.abingdonpress.com/catalog/search?term=don%27t+look+backhttps://www.cokesbury.com/Dont-Look-Back-2?select=879126 (https://www.abingdonpress.com/catalog/search?term=don%27t+look+back) https://www.abingdonpress.com/catalog/search?term=don%27t+look+backhttps://www.cokesbury.com/Dont-Look-Back-2?select=879126 (https://www.cokesbury.com/Dont-Look-Back-2?select=879126)

Turning 60 has been really hard for me. I feel swept along by a torrent of emotions, all the while wondering if there is an angry waterfall ahead of me or calm, tepid waters." (Pastor Dan) This weekend's worship will include a message about getting ready for the LORD, whatever stage of life you're in. “The Christian is commissioned to give testimony throughout the entire life cycle—including retirement, aging, sickness, and death—that God is faithful all the days of our lives.” (Will Willimon)

Dr. Somerville continues his "Building It as We Fly" sermon series today and poses this question to the church; "Who is Jesus to us?"  Listen if for a very thought provoking sermon.

Dr. Somerville continues his "Building It as We Fly" sermon series and today he asks the question as to whether Christians should stand out from from the surrounding culture in ways that make it obvious that we are part of God's kingdom?  Tune in for a very insightful answer.

Will Willimon from Duke Divinity School joins us to discuss his newest book!

Will Willimon is a Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School and joins us for our series, Bait & Switch: The State of Pastors and How Ministry Just Changed. Will discusses pastoral ministry and what our roles as pastors genuinely are. We discuss the need for our churches to recover a biblical understanding of pastoral ministry and the dangers of not doing so. In these talks, we can find and work on solutions to better the well-being of our churches and our pastors. Listen now!To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Twitter. You can connect with the EJC community in the Everything Just Changed Facebook Group and share with us what just changed for you. We'd love to hear from you! Don't forget to subscribe to the EJC Newsletter here.

Have you heard a good sermon lately?   83% of people surveyed who attended a Christian church service said that the top reason for choosing and remaining in a church is the sermon.   In this episode we talk with Rev. Dr. Will Willimon about sermons and listening to sermons. He is a pastor, bishop in the United Methodist Church and the author of, in his approximation, about 100 books. We have had the pleasure of speaking with Will about his writing on several occasions and were very happy to speak with him again about his most recent book, “Listeners Dare. ” It is an engaging examination of the role of the listener in the sermon. Will points out that any true hearing of a sermon requires divine assistance.   Here are a few notes from the book;   To preachers: “Beginning a sermon with a joke is nearly always a bad idea; including a sweet story about a child (particularly if the child is yours). It risks adulterating the gospel with maudlin sentimentality.” “Don't read your sermons; preaching is personal, bodily testimony to the gospel truth you have received, not a lecture about God.”   To listeners: When told by a listener about a sermon, “I didn't get anything out of it”, a reply should potentially be, “So how much did you put into it?” “God's word usually comes to us through others, those who dare to tell us truth we wouldn't tell ourselves.”

Our mentor and muse, Will Willimon, is back on the podcast. His new book is Listeners Dare. Discipleship and witness are not self-sustainable. Preaching equips God's people for the work of serving and building up the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11).The gospel is news that passes from the lips of one who has heard to the ears of one who has not yet heard, then (God willing) it burrows in the soul, energizing the hands in daring response to a word received. Preaching is instigated by an astounding claim: Good news; God has spoken to us. The Christian life is what you get when ordinary folk respond: I have heard.The book (a companion to Preachers Dare) is for anyone who listens to sermons―which includes preachers, since there's no way to preach without gaining skills as a listener. Listening is a human skill, but as God's word is proclaimed, the hearer experiences a vocal mix of preacher, listener, and God.

Show Notes:What does it take to imagine a world without war? How do we begin to believe that as a possibility? Eddie and Chris begin a series on war with guest Stanley Hauerwas, noted theologian and ethicist. Dr. Hauerwas asks us to contemplate the hard questions of war and nonviolence, but he knows the answers don't come easily.Dr. Hauerwas is a long-time professor at Duke Divinity School and Duke University School of Law. He served as chair of theological ethics at the University of Aberdeen and was named America's best theologian by Time magazine in 2001. Dr. Hauerwas has authored numerous books, including Resident Aliens, co-authored by Will Willimon, Living Gently in a Violent World, and 2011's War and the American Difference. Resources:Find out more about Dr. Hauerwas, his publications, and appearances at stanleyhauerwas.org.Buy War and the American Difference

Part 3 in a series on influential books. This episode discusses Resident Aliens by Will Willimon and Stanley Hauerwas. PBS documentary mentioned in episode.

In this episode we welcome Dr. Will Willimon -  Bishop Willimon is the Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry and Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Duke Divinity School. He is former Dean of the Chapel at Duke University and is considered by many as one of America's best-known and most influential preachers. Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry and Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Duke Divinity School. He is former Dean of the Chapel at Duke University and is considered by many as one of America's best-known and most influential preachers. He is has been surveyed to one of the two most frequently read writers by pastors in mainline Protestantism alongside the Roman Catholic writer Henri Nouwen. By his estimation, he's written 100 books. His latest book GOD TURNS TOWARD US: THE ABCs OF CHRISTIAN FAITH is organized by the words the church teaches us to use to talk about ordinary life apprehended by a God who is Jesus Christ. We discuss some of these short, meditative reflections and key concepts that guide new and longstanding Christians. this podcast was recorded on November 23rd, 2021.

The Gospel is a claim about who God is and what God is up to. The Church's role in embodying the Gospel means that we meet each other in community. Intergenerational community is one of the vital aspects of a healthy church environment. What does it mean to be part of a “church family?” How can the Church serve each generation within its community, bringing people together in unity?Chris and Eddie are joined by Reverend Dr. Will Willimon, Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School and former Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church. Willimon's experience as a professor has informed his perspective on the ongoing vocational questions we ask at many different stages of life. They talk about cultural idols, what the Gospel looks like in a college or university setting, and the problems and pressures that American Christianity faces.Follow Will Willimon on the web:https://willwillimon.comAging: Growing Old in the Church by Will WillimonCheck out Will Willimon's other books and publications here:https://willwillimon.com/writing/ Stanley Hauerwas and Will Willimon on the dangers of providing pastoral care Follow Will Willimon on social media:https://www.facebook.com/WillWillimonhttps://twitter.com/willimontweets 

Dr. William WillimonBestselling author, popular preacher and teacher, Will Willimon, has just published one of his liveliest books, God Turned Toward Us: The ABCs of the Christian Faith. “The challenge of the Christian life is learning to talk Christian. Somebody has got to tell us, give us the words that open the door to the faith called Christian,” says Will in his introduction.The book takes terms like Atonement, Christ, Incarnation, Justice, Creed and speaks about them in wonderfully accessible ways.The vocabulary begins with an essay on, Abortion, and runs all the way to Zacchaeus.Will's signature humor and mischievousness comes through, along with his truth-telling witness to the theological riches of the Christian faith. Bishop Kenneth Carder calls this a “sometimes jarring, always interesting, consistently insightful, and persistently provocative invitation to ‘talk the talk and walk the walk' of Christian discipleship.” Whether a new or longstanding Christian, God Turned Toward Us is sure to enliven your faith.Dr. William Willimon currently serves as Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School and oversees the Doctor of Ministry program there. Will has served as Bishop for the United Methodist Church in northern Alabama for eight years. A prolific author and preacher, Will continues to serve the Church by offering an unapologetic attempt to articulate the language of the Christian faith on the page and in various pulpits around the country.https://willwillimon.com/about/Web Site:http://www.RickLeeJames.comShine A Light In The Darkness - The Latest Single From Rick Lee James Get The Single: https://rickleejames.hearnow.com/shine-a-light-in-the-darknessOfficial Music Video: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rickleejames.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to episode thirty-three of New Creation Conversations. In today's conversation I am joined by well-known author and professor Dr. Will Willimon. Will served as the dean of Duke Chapel and professor of Christian ministry at Duke Divinity School for 20 years. He returned to Duke after serving as the bishop of the North Alabama Conference from 2004 to 2012. Will has written more than 70 books and has sold more than a million copies of them. He has written frequently for publications like Theology Today, Interpretation, Liturgy, and Christianity Today. He is editor-at-large for The Christian Century. One of the books we discuss – Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry is used in dozens of seminaries throughout North America and Asia. He has taught all over the world. In addition to his three earned degrees from Wofford College, Yale Divinity School, and Emory University, Will has been granted honorary Doctorates from 13 different educational institutions. I first got introduced to Will and his work 30 years ago through his life-changing collaboration with ethicist Stanley Hauerwas entitled Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony (first published in 1989). We talk about the impact of that book, as well as his writing on preaching and pastoral ministry. It is a great and thoughtful conversation. But mostly, Will just kept me laughing. So many times, since starting this podcast, I have grieved the absence of my father. He would have loved so many of these conversations. I think he would especially loved this one, and he would have had a hundred questions after it was over. This conversation with Will reminded me so much of sitting around a table listening to my dad and his ministry cronies tell funny stories, say provocative things they could only now say in the freedom of retirement, and come up with nuggets of wisdom gained the fire of decades leading a parish. Four or five times, in our conversation, Will says things I want to turn into a T-Shirt.I have cherished the chance to have conversations with leaders in my own tribe, but I have also grown to love the chance to speak to leaders from other denominations and traditions whose lives and ministries reflect the heartbeat of Jesus. This is one of those kinds of conversations. It was an honor to get to have this conversation, and it's an even greater privilege to get to offer it to you. Here's my New Creation Conversation with Dr. Will Willimon.

This week, we discuss a recent interview with Stanley Hauerwas and Will Willimon on the dangers of pastoral care. Spoiler Alert: Your pastor is not your therapist!https://www.christiancentury.org/article/interview/dangers-providing-pastoral-care

This could be the one that gets us canceled. Who'd have thought it would come to the point of defending a Will Willimon article? The article is presented as a conversation between Stanley Hauerwas and Will Willimon on the dangers of providing pastoral care and, honestly, they bring up some good points. 99% of seminarians expect to go out challenging people's theological beliefs and pushing boundaries, but when they get there they find that it's not what people want. On top of that, pastors are not trained as counsellors. Pastoral work should be the job of the whole church, and that shouldn't be a controversial thing to say. Maybe the reason people are upset is they feel like their cushy jobs are being exposed?Resources:Send questions to cancelbag@gmail.com to be part of our mailbag episodeStanley Hauerwas and Will Willimon on the dangers of providing pastoral careUntil We Get Canceled is a Crate Original from Crate Media

What does it mean to be called to something? What if that job wears you thin? What if you think you've aged out of your vocation? In this episode, Kate and the Reverend Dr. Will Willimon talk about what to do when the roles we play cost us more than we're willing to pay and how aging invites us to take a new look at our purpose. (Also, you'll hear about the time Kate offered Will a bit of necessary... perspective.)For show notes, transcript, and discussion questions: https://katebowler.com/podcasts/will-willimon-your-work-is-a-calling/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.