Reporting Period: August 20 – September 24, 2026
Submitted to: Lilly Endowment Inc.
Program Name: Narrative Preaching
Institution: World Mission University (Los Angeles, CA)
- Workshop Overview
The second Narrative Preaching Workshop of 2026 was conducted via Zoom every Thursday from August 20 through September 24, 2026. This six-week training program provided a meaningful opportunity for learning and growth for those seeking to deepen their understanding of Scripture and strengthen their preaching ministries.
A total of 26 preachers participated in the workshop. Despite the limitations of an online format, the program fostered an interactive and collaborative learning environment in which participants explored new possibilities for narrative preaching through mutual engagement and shared learning.
- Learning Objectives and Curriculum
The workshop focused on Narrative Preaching, with the goal of systematically addressing the entire process of narrative preaching, including an understanding of narrative, narrative approaches to reading Scripture, and the development and delivery of narrative sermons.
Participants received comprehensive training in the foundational concepts and historical development of narrative preaching, narrative reading of Scripture as a means of encountering God’s acts, the organization and development of sermons as events unfolding through time, and effective methods of sermon delivery.
Through this integrated approach, the workshop sought to equip participants with both a theological understanding of narrative preaching and the practical skills necessary to apply its principles in their preaching ministries.
- Key Outcomes
Through this program, participants strengthened their practical competencies in integrating the entire preaching process, from biblical interpretation to sermon development and delivery, moving beyond a merely theoretical understanding of narrative preaching. Significant outcomes were achieved in three key areas.
First, Biblical Text Analysis (Analysis): Participants developed their interpretive skills by carefully examining the chronological flow of biblical narratives, the progression of events, the actions and psychological development of characters, and the conflicts and turning points within the stories. This approach enabled them to identify the theological significance of biblical texts and recognize God’s redemptive activity within the narratives.
Second, Sermon Development (Development): Participants enhanced their ability to construct effective sermon structures by organically connecting the progression of biblical events with their theological messages. By applying various narrative preaching approaches, they learned to develop sermons that engage listeners’ attention and foster deeper understanding and empathy.
Third, Sermon Design and Delivery (Design & Delivery): Participants strengthened their ability to connect biblical narratives with the contemporary lives of their listeners. Through vivid storytelling and concrete expressions, they learned to communicate biblical messages in ways that encourage listeners not merely to hear the Word but to discover its meaning and actively participate in the unfolding story of God’s redemptive work.
Through these learning experiences, participants recognized the practical potential of narrative preaching to remain faithful to Scripture while engaging deeply with the lives of their listeners. The workshop also established a foundation for applying and further developing these competencies in their respective preaching ministries.
- Participant Feedback and Evaluation Results
A post-workshop survey revealed highly positive results. All 20 respondents indicated that the program was very beneficial to their preaching ministries, and all expressed a strong willingness to recommend it to other preachers. These findings demonstrate both the perceived practical effectiveness of the narrative preaching training and the high level of participant satisfaction.
The survey identified the following positive outcomes and recommendations for improvement.
Positive Outcomes
- Expanded perspectives on biblical interpretation: Participants gained a new understanding of narrative preaching, enabling them to move beyond conventional preaching approaches and interpret biblical texts more creatively and multidimensionally.
- Strengthened ability to develop theological messages: Participants improved their ability to identify the theological significance of biblical texts through their narrative structures and progression of events and to develop these insights into meaningful sermon messages.
- Enhanced practical understanding of sermon development: Through instruction on four approaches to narrative sermon development and the analysis of actual sermon examples, participants gained practical insights into sermon organization and writing.
- Greater awareness of audience engagement: Participants developed a deeper appreciation for preaching methods that connect biblical narratives with contemporary life, fostering empathy and encouraging active participation among listeners.
- Deeper understanding of pastoral spirituality and sensitivity: Through the instructor’s extensive pastoral experience and practical sermon illustrations, participants gained a greater appreciation for the importance of a preacher’s spiritual character and pastoral care.
Recommendations for Improvement
- Expand opportunities for hands-on practice and application, particularly in narrative sermon writing and presentation.
- Strengthen step-by-step training in analyzing specific biblical texts and developing them into narrative sermons.
- Provide more advanced instruction on various narrative sermon development approaches and expand the analysis of actual sermon examples.
- Establish a structured feedback system that incorporates instructor evaluations, peer reviews, and individualized coaching on participants’ sermon manuscripts.
- Consider extending the workshop duration and individual class sessions to allow sufficient time for practical exercises and discussion.
- Develop an advanced, participatory curriculum that progressively integrates theoretical understanding with actual sermon writing and delivery.
- Conclusion and Future Directions
The second Narrative Preaching Workshop of 2026 achieved meaningful educational outcomes by fostering new perspectives on narrative preaching and demonstrating its practical applicability, as reflected in the participant survey results. Participants developed a deeper appreciation for the importance of identifying God’s message through the narrative structure and progression of biblical events and connecting that message with the lives of contemporary listeners. In particular, exposure to various narrative preaching approaches and actual sermon examples provided fresh insights into sermon development and delivery. The instructor’s extensive pastoral experience also encouraged participants to reflect on the spiritual character and pastoral responsibilities of a preacher.
The survey findings also provide clear direction for future program development. Strong interest in narrative reading of Scripture and sermon development (16 respondents), sermon writing (14 respondents), and hands-on practice and application (12 respondents) indicates that participants desire more advanced training that moves beyond theoretical understanding toward practical sermon preparation and implementation. Accordingly, expanding opportunities for sermon writing and presentation, providing individualized coaching through instructor and peer feedback, and allocating sufficient time for practical exercises have emerged as key priorities for improving the educational effectiveness of future workshops.
Building on the outcomes of this workshop, World Mission University (WMU) plans to further systematize its narrative preaching education by strengthening a progressive training process that integrates biblical text reading, narrative structure analysis, sermon development, sermon writing, presentation, and feedback. Particular emphasis will be placed on expanding advanced, practice-oriented training in which participants can develop complete sermons based on specific biblical texts and engage in meaningful evaluation and revision.
Through these continued efforts, WMU seeks to equip preachers who remain faithful to the theological message of Scripture while effectively engaging the hearts and minds of their listeners. The university will continue to advance practical preaching education that responds to the evolving needs of contemporary ministry and prepares preachers to communicate God’s Word with biblical integrity, pastoral sensitivity, and transformative impact.
