Resources for Preaching in Crisis

Compiled by Ron Blake
director of Clergy Services, Church of the Nazarene.

Bible Texts of Comfort

Psalm 10, Psalm 119:50-61, Psalm 46, Psalm 119:76-77, Psalm 119:82, Isaiah 40:1-8, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7.

Bible Texts of Christian Identity

Romans 13, Ephesians 2:11-22, Ephesians 4:17-5:20, 1 Peter 1:13-21, 1 Peter 4:12-19.

Bible Texts of Apocalyptic Hope

Luke 21:10-19, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11, Revelation 21:1-7.

Books, Journals and Magazines

Books from Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City (available through Nazarene Publishing House, www.nph.com).

If God is God, Then Why? Letter from New York City by Al Truesdale. This is a revised edition of the book that was first published following the Oklahoma City bombing. An excellent treatment of theodicy that is very “readable.”

No More Front Porches by Linda Wilcox. Looks at communities, past and present, and examines what community life has become as defined by family, neighborhood, and church. Includes suggestions for nurturing authentic community.

Wesleyan Leadership in Troubled Times by David McKenna. In a world filled with fragments of faith and pieces of piety, Wesleyan leaders must again see the wholeness of holiness, offering grace-enabled optimism.

Other books from various publishers:

When Your People Are Grieving, Harold Ivan Smith; Time Bomb in the Church, Daniel Spaite; The Connecting Church by Randy Frazee; Helping the Traumatized Family, Charles Figley; Living Beyond Loss, Froma Walsh and Monica McGoldrick;
Preaching, November/December 2001. The issue is dedicated to “Preaching in the Shadow of Evil.” Order online at www.preaching.com.

Internet Resources

Preaching magazine (www.preaching.com) has a wonderful section called “The Pulpit Responds to a Nation in Crisis” with lots of solid and usable material for proclamation. Note especially the article by Dr. Rick Warren, “Why Does God Allow Evil?”

Lifeway has published a wonderful hymn text that can be set to several different well-known tunes. “God, Give Us Comfort” can be found at: www.lifeway.com/staff_mm.asp. Links to several other appropriate hymns are at the next site mentioned, The Text This Week.

The Text This Week is one of the better Internet preaching resources. They have a section on resources to help with response to crisis, specifically the attacks of 9-11. A wealth of resources can be found at: www.textweek.com/response.

Campus Crusade for Christ has a good site called “Fallen But Not Forgotten.” Several kinds of helps and materials are available. www.911recovery.com.

Other helpful sites: www.counselingforloss.com, www.kirstimd.com (follow link to 9-11 resources), www.gospelcom.net/rbc/ds/cb921.

Of course this issue of Preacher’s Magazine can be found online at www.preachersmagazine.org.