THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: The Elements of Sermonizing Style

Today’s Wall Street Journal has an excellent “Houses of Worship” column by J. Perry Smith on The Elements of Sermonizing Style.  I particularly like, and completely agree with, his assessment on Pope Francis as one who knows how to preach:

 “One preacher who knows how to deliver a sermon like that is Pope Francis. He has captured the imagination of the world, in part because he lives the Gospel, but he also understands brevity and relevance. The most striking aspects of Francis are his genuineness and his ability to connect passionately with people. He clearly believes what he says and does what he believes. Every priest, every pastor could learn from him. Our preaching might improve, and maybe, just maybe, we might become better Christians.”

You can read the whole column here (subscription may be required).