Preaching in an age of anxiety

Williams, Roger Neil

Etd

Preaching in an age of anxiety

Public Deposited

MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Williams, Roger Neil. Preaching In an Age of Anxiety. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/0728f1bc-ac51-45c5-9de2-9f4b47197b96.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

W. R. Neil. Preaching in an age of anxiety. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/0728f1bc-ac51-45c5-9de2-9f4b47197b96

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Williams, Roger Neil. Preaching In an Age of Anxiety. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/0728f1bc-ac51-45c5-9de2-9f4b47197b96.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

Creator

Williams, Roger Neil

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Abstract

Anxiety today is rising and building, one crisis after another, and yet the church remains an important refuge for many, serving to mediate that anxiety. Preaching in particular, as a central function of the church, plays a significant mitigating role. The purpose of this study is to explore how senior pastors preach Christ-centered sermons to lower anxiety in congregational systems.The literature review focuses on four key areas: Jesus’ teaching on anxiety in Luke 12, anxiety in family systems perspective, the experience of anxiety in the person, and modern sources of anxiety.This study utilizes a qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with eight pastors who have served congregations for five years or longer in the role of senior pastor. Four research questions guided this qualitative study: 1. How do senior pastors describe the presence of anxiety in the congregational system? 2. How do senior pastors understand the impact of their presence on anxiety in the congregational system? 3. How do senior pastors negotiate their own anxiety as a part of the congregational system? 4. How do senior pastors describe sermons that lower anxiety in the congregational system?The findings of this study reveal four components required to preach Christ-centered sermons that lower anxiety in the congregational system: discerning systemic realities of the congregation, practicing a non-anxious presence, shaping interpretive frameworks, and communicating in a manner that is challenging yet not coercive. Several practices and attitudes are suggested that best contribute to preaching in a manner that lowers anxiety in the congregational system.

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