Coffee with Lisa Cressman

Rev. Dr. Lisa Cressman is the Founder and Steward of Backstory
Preaching. She is the Assisting Priest at Episcopal Church
of the Epiphany in Houston, Texas. Her Doctor of Ministry is
from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis,
Indiana, and her Master of Divinity is from Church
Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California. Lisa also
has her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University
of Wisconsin-Madison. 


"Let your life speak" is an old Quaker adage and the title Parker
Palmer has given to his popular book which is common reading at
every seminary. For any preacher, like Lisa Cressman, the
adage would become "let your life preach." Put better by Lisa
herself, you will hear her adieu at the end of our interview as
"be good news to preach good news." First we must
be the Good News. Then and only then we can
preach the Good News. If this is the life, promise and love you
want to preach then you have come to the right place to get all
the pieces in place that you will need to bring your preaching
life into one accord.


In my own mathematical, engineering undergraduate existence I
developed an understanding that none of us gets to be a
non-factor in life. While a lot of people try to effect nothing
and no one, attempt to do no damage or no harm. That is not an
available option. We are all a factor. If an equation of life
could be written, like "Life = 7R x 8Q(3T/4P) - 2B + 9D," then
what would you be? Yes, we get to choose. Of course, my job is to
be asking myself, "What will I be? Will I be a plus or minus in
the equation?" Even if I tried to be a zero, I'd fail. Try it
yourself and you'll see, you only end up hurting people (minus).
There's more. Multiplication is repeated addition, right? That's
an option. As is division. And while superscripts aren't an
option with my editor here, in life we can strive to have
exponential effects. 


Saving the world from one lousy sermon at a time


This mathematical construct may seem strange but it is what I was
reminded of when Lisa talked with me about everyone preaching all
of the time with the lives that they are living. When we
recognize that we're already being a factor - that we cannot be
otherwise - then we can choose to do it as well as possible.
You're already preaching with your life you might just as soon
preach well. Whatever we asses ourselves to be in life, with my
equation, why don't we improve our impact (our role in the
equation and in life, and, in this case, in our preaching)?
Somewhere I read that Backstory Preaching is saving the world
from one lousy sermon at a time!


Lisa says, "Anybody can preach in the pulpit! Absolutely
anybody can learn to do this." She gives us these critical
questions:


What does 'an effective sermon' mean?

How do you recognize one?

How do you produce one?



What do we do with those questions now? Did I mention that her
Doctor of Ministry is in PRACTICAL Theology? That means she won't
give you theory without praxis. Try these.


Craft An Effective Sermon By Friday (PDF e-course)

(Online) Summer Camp for Preachers



Now let's finish where we usually start, coffee. Lisa is also a
doctor of coffee and gave us these words: 


 
"Coffee is an event; it is not a beverage." Links:

Backstory Preaching


Sponsor: United Faith Leaders


Preaching Through Uncertain Times (instant access, self-paced
course)


Craft an Effective Sermon by Friday


1:1 Sermon Coaching


(Online) Summer Camp for Preachers


The Preacher's Trust (forthcoming book)


Free Range Priest


Father Cathie Caimano Coffeepot Fellowship Interview


Festival of Homiletics San Antonio, TX, May 15-19, 2017


Seminary of the Southwest


Church Divinity School of the Pacific


Christian Theological Seminary


Episcopal Church of the Epiphany


University of Wisconsin-Madison