Current Events

First Conference

The World Mission University Preaching Center held the 2025 First Conference on Monday, March 10, at New York Queens Presbyterian Church. This annual conference focused on “Immigrant Ministry and Mission in a Changing Era” and was organized as a conference for pastors in the New York area. The conference, which lasted until 4:00 PM, included sessions on the following topics:

  • Preaching and Ministry (Rev. Young Gil Kim)

  • Spirituality in Ministry (Prof. Jongsung Nam)

  • Wisdom in Ministry (Rev. Young Gil Kim)

  • Ministry and Family (Prof. Yoon Jung Choi)

  • Ministry and Small Groups (Prof. Seon Mook Shin)

  • Practical Preaching (President Sung Jin Im)

Research Activities

Research activities are a key component, with two preaching scholars selected each year to publish a total of ten academic papers on preaching over five years.

In 2024, the following scholars authored research papers:

  • Kang San Kim: Preaching Theology for Peripheral Self-Deconstruction

  • Jongsung Nam: Biblical Interpretation from a Homiletical Perspective

  • Jae Hyun Jung: Context and the Word

  • Sung Woo Cho: A Study on Effective Preaching Styles

For 2025, the planned research topics include:

  • Sung Wook Shin: Strategies for Pulpit Transitions in the Post-COVID Era

  • Soo Young Kim: Expository Preaching Using the Five Ws and One H Method

The university librarian will continuously search for articles and project materials related to preaching.

In the second year of research (2025), the Preaching Project will focus on how to connect the core ideas of biblical texts with sermon outlines, emphasizing the rhetorical structure of the New Testament as a foundation for preaching.

Resource Sharing

Research findings, journal articles, and discoveries will be presented at conferences, workshops, and meetings and made available through the existing newsletter and the Preaching Blog (preaching.wmu.edu).

First Workshop

The first workshop, an extension of the conference, will take place online for eight weeks from Thursday, March 20 (6:00–7:30 PM) to May 8. Each session will consist of a 45-minute lecture and a 45-minute discussion.

The workshop will cover:

  • Trends in homiletics,

  • Various theoretical concepts,

  • Training by preachers and scholars,

  • Preaching guidelines reflecting key conference themes, and

  • An additional focus on text-centered preaching styles.

This workshop will include educational content and preaching practice. Upon completion, participants will develop sermons that are:

  1. Faithful to the biblical text,

  2. Logically clear and well-structured,

  3. Engaging for listeners, and

  4. Relevant to the needs of the audience.

Participants will receive a “Preaching Competency Intermediate Certificate.”

Latino Conference

The Latino Conference will be held on Saturday, August 9 (10:00 AM–2:00 PM) in the 6th-floor Chapel.

Second Conference

An introductory session for the Second Workshop will be held on Thursday, August 14 (6:00–7:00 PM) via Zoom (ID: 213-388-1100). The conference will feature Professor Sooyoung Kim as the main speaker, along with a guest speaker who is an exemplary preacher.

This conference will be held under the theme “Narrative Preaching Using the Six W’s and One H” and will focus on introducing the process of exegesis, exposition, and application specifically for narrative texts.

The main goals of the conference are to encourage preachers from various regions to participate in the preaching workshop, expand the network and resources available to preachers, and provide them with practical support. The conference will present how the key elements of sermon preparation—exegesis, exposition, and application—can be effectively applied to narrative passages.

Latino Workshop

The Latino Workshop will be held for eight weeks from Monday, August 18 (10:00–11:30 AM) to October 6.

Second Workshop

The Korean Second Workshop will be held online over eight weeks, from Thursday, August 21 (6:00–7:30 PM) to October 9. Each session consists of a 45-minute lecture followed by a 45-minute time of sharing. This workshop is designed for those who have completed the First Workshop and aims to build on their understanding of imperative texts by strengthening their ability to work with narrative (story-based) texts.

Through this course, participants will practice how to preach from narrative passages and how to prepare sermons. They will study the process of observing (exegesis), interpreting (exposition), and applying (application) the text. Building on the Six W’s and One H framework learned in the First Workshop, participants will practice reconstructing texts using clues from the flow of the narrative. In addition, they will analyze the text based on time, place, events, thoughts, and psychology, and will create an exegetical outline accordingly.

After completing these steps, participants will identify the central themes emphasized in the passage (a review of previously practiced skills) and draw out the main teachings to form an expositional outline. Finally, they will develop a sermon outline and flesh it out into a complete message. The course will also explore different structural approaches, including deductive, inductive, and mixed methods. From textual study to sermon development, this course covers the entire process.

Upon completion, participants will receive a “Certificate of Completion for the Advanced Course on Preaching Competency.”

Retreat

The retreat will take place on October 16 and will invite participants of the second workshop.

This gathering aims to enhance preaching competency and spiritual growth by:

  • Exchanging ideas on preaching among pastors and church leaders,

  • Discussing challenges, and

  • Sharing experiences to foster mutual development and effective gospel communication.

Preaching Center Sponsorship Program

The World Mission University Preaching Center is seeking partners who wish to support pastoral preaching development.

Churches and pastors can participate by:

  • Engaging in prayer support,

  • Attending various events, and

  • Contributing to the mission of strengthening pastoral preaching competency.

This ongoing effort will equip pastors and positively impact churches. A sponsor appreciation event will be held in November.