As an Anglican, I’ve always been fascinated with the familiar rapport between the Apostle Paul and his understudy, Timothy. Their friendship and partnership, forged through correspondence and cooperative missionary efforts, are familiar to me, as they are to most Anglican Christians. My title question, “Was St. Paul an Anglican?” is tongue-in-cheek, of course. But I…
David Roseberry is the founder of LeaderWorks and the LeaderWorks Trust, equipping churches and clergy for faithful and effective ministry. He writes regularly on Substack at The Anglican, where he reflects on faith, leadership, and the Anglican tradition.
David is the author of several books for Anglican pastors and leaders, including The Rector, the Vestry, and the Bishop.
10 Ways to Preach the Trinity Sunday Sermon
There is a standard joke about a church rector making up the calendar for preaching. He decides to preach all the easy Bible passages. Pentecost? It’s a piece of cake! The Transfiguration? Child’s play. Christ the King Sunday? Not a problem. But then he looks at the Bible readings for the Feast of the Holy…
10 Ways to Preach the Pentecost Sermon
The significance of Pentecost cannot be overstated. It is the most important event in the history of the church because, well, it started the history of the church. It marked the coming of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church, the empowerment of the apostles, the inception of their mission, and the expansion of…
10 Ways to Preach the Ascension Sermon
The Feast of the Ascension often finds itself eclipsed by other monumental events in the life of Christ. This is due primarily to its occurrence on a Thursday, unlike other momentous occasions such as the Baptism of Jesus, the Transfiguration, Easter, and Pentecost, all celebrated on Sundays. However, the Ascension is far from a secondary event,…
10 Ways to Preach the Good Friday Sermon
As a pastor, when I encouraged people to attend our Good Friday liturgy, I would say something like this: “On Good Friday, we gather to remember the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth and his death upon the Cross. If you’re wondering whether to attend, I ask you to consider one question. Would you…
The Rector, the Vestry, and the Bishop
Rectors, vestry members, and bishops will love having this essential and practical handbook and in-depth guide to leading an Anglican congregation. The Rev. Canon David Roseberry writes in an easy yet thorough style to address the needs, challenges, structures, canons, and other important issues facing every Anglican Church of any size. Roseberry carefully outlines the…
10 Ways to Preach the Transfiguration Sermon
Preaching the Transfiguration Sermon is indeed a high calling! (Get it?) Though the Feast of the Transfiguration is August 6th in the lectionary, we read the story at the end of Epiphany, on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. The Transfiguration serves both as a dramatic epiphany of Jesus’s identity and a fitting preparation for the…
My God, My God: An Invitation to Psalm 22
During his six hours on the cross, Jesus spoke only a few times. The four gospels record seven of these statements, sometimes called Jesus’ “Last Words.” And only one of these statements is recorded twice, in both the gospel of Matthew and the gospel of Mark: “Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani,” which means “My God, my…
10 Ways to Preach the Baptism of our Lord
In 2016, I led a tour of 30 adults through the Holy Land, and one of our stops was the newly renovated site on the Jordan River, commemorating John the Baptist’s baptism of our Lord. I led our group in the renewal of vows, sprinkling and praying over 29 of the 30 pilgrims. Then, one…
10 Ways to Preach the Christmas Eve Sermon
You Need a Sermon Elf Parish preachers are trying to balance lots of things right now. They have a sermon to prepare for Christmas Eve. That is enough to make most people start to sweat. But wait, there is more. Preachers have the rest of Advent to lead their congregation, being careful not to leap…
