Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

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You are here: Home / Archives for Ministry

Letters to a Young Pastor: The Children’s Sermon — Is it Yours?

July 19, 2018 by Gary Neal Hansen 6 Comments

is it yours

Dear ______: My goodness, with the kids being out of school for summer the time gets swept away. Sorry to have not written for so long. You are kind to ask if there are other criteria for making sure your children’s sermon is on track. I mentioned checking what you prepare to make sure it […]

Filed Under: Bible, Ministry, Worship Tagged With: Children's Sermons, Letters to a Young Pastor, plagiarism

Monday Meditation: RCL Year B, 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Mark 6:1-13

July 2, 2018 by Gary Neal Hansen 2 Comments

This week’s text is one that always makes me smile. Mark 6:1-13 — Jesus Is Rejected in Nazareth In Mark 6:1-13, Jesus has come home for a visit, and when he teaches in the synagogue all his old family friends and neighbors are blown away. They just can’t believe that the kid they watched growing […]

Filed Under: Bible, Church Year, Ministry, Monday Meditation

Monday Meditation: RCL Year B, 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Mark 4:26-34

June 11, 2018 by Gary Neal Hansen 2 Comments

Mark 4:26-34

I have come to dearly love the parables of the kingdom — all those rich metaphors for how God works in the world, in us, through us, and despite us. I love them even when, like this week, the lectionary wrenches them from their context. Mark 4:26-34 This week’s little parables come in Jesus’ sermon […]

Filed Under: Bible, Ministry, Monday Meditation Tagged With: Kingdom parables, Mark 4:26-34, Mustard Seed, Sower

Letters to a Young Pastor: The Children’s Sermon — Is it Gospel?

June 7, 2018 by Gary Neal Hansen 3 Comments

is it gospel

Dear ______: Thanks for asking me to clarify. I said something about how children’s sermons often reveal a preacher’s real theology, for good or for ill. I suspect it is because pastors do not think of the children’s sermon as a sermon. They think of it more as a conversation. If they have a warm, […]

Filed Under: Ministry, Theology, Worship Tagged With: Children's Sermons, grace vs. works, Letters to a Young Pastor, Telling children the gospel

Letters to a Young Pastor: The Children’s Sermon — Is it True?

May 10, 2018 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Is it True?

Dear ______: I do think you’ll be well on your way to a solid children’s sermon if you take up my challenge to make it one salient point from the text you are preaching to the grown-ups. But that isn’t the whole journey. You still need to work hard at finding kid-friendly ways to get […]

Filed Under: Bible, Ministry, Theology Tagged With: Bible as user's manual, Children's Sermon, telling the truth

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Theology. It’s good for you.

I'm a Church historian by trade. My writing, speaking, and teaching explores the Christian past to equip today's disciples. Join me here for regular posts on the best of theology, spirituality, community, and ministry. read more…

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