Yale University Library Research Guides: African American Religious History: Preaching: Case Studies

Case Studies in Preaching I

Blue Note Preaching in a Post-Soul World (Online) by Otis Moss III Preacher Otis Moss III helps preachers effectively communicate hope in a desperate and difficult world in this new work based on his 2014 Yale Lyman Beecher Lectures.
The Hum: Call and Response in African American Preaching by Evans Crawford An analysis of the call/response tension in black preaching (derived from a West African tradition) that drives the musicality of speech in black churches.
I Got the Word in Me and I Can Sing It, You Know: A Study of the Performed African-American Sermon by Gerald L. Davis
They Like to Never Quit Praisin' God: The Role of Celebration in Preaching by Frank A. Thomas Through the lens of African American preaching, Frank Thomas sheds light on what "good" preaching is and what methods can be employed to achieve it.

Our Sufficiency Is of God: Essays on Preaching in Honor of Gardner C. Taylor by Timothy George; James Earl Massey; Robert Smith The chapters focus on the preaching ministry of Gardner Calvin Taylor, in whose honor the volume was prepared.
Preaching Liberation by James H. Harris James Harris advocates the salient features of liberation preaching, especially as exemplified in black-church settings. For all preachers who take seriously the church's role as a catalyst of social and spiritual transformation.
Strangers and Pilgrims: Female Preaching in America, 1740-1845 by Catherine A. Brekus Examines the lives of more than a hundred female preachers--both white and African American--who crisscrossed the country between 1740 and 1845.
Weary Throats and New Songs: Black Women Proclaiming God's Word by Teresa L. Fry Brown Examines the rich heritage of African American women who have proclaimed--and still proclaim--God's word.

Sacred Anthropology: Prophetic Radicalism for Pulpit and Pew (Online) by Tyshawn Gardner Aims to inform and equip pastors in discipling the body of Christ to effect social transformation in times of social crisis. Tyshawn Gardner envisions the pastor as a "sacred anthropologist," as one who understands the cultures of other image-bearers for the sake of promoting the justice of God in the world.
Social Crisis Preaching by Kelly M. Smith Presented at The Lyman Beecher Lectureship on Preaching, also known as The Lyman Beecher Lectures, at Yale Divinity School.
Stewards of the Story: The Task of Preaching by James Earl Massey An expanded version of the Twelfth Annual William E. Conger, Jr. Lectures on Biblical Preaching that he delivered at Beeson Divinity School in February 2004. Considers four dimensions of the preacher as steward of the gospel story.
We Have This Ministry: The Heart of the Pastor's Vocation by Samuel D. Proctor; Gardner C. Taylor Proctor and Taylor address how to be a pastor who has integrity and character.
The Words of Gardner Taylor (6 vols.) by Gardner C. Taylor; Edward L. Taylor (Compiled by) The complete set includes notable sermons from various church events, meetings, and special occasions, as well as selected lectures, interviews, and articles spanning over forty years of ministry.