Meet-n-Greet: Effective Preachers Edition

You may have seen that yesterday, Baylor announced a new list of the 12 “most effective” preachers in the English speaking world.

You may also have seen that the list included just one woman, and she is indeed amazing but also is no longer a regular preacher. And just three people of colour…who are, again, awesome, but surely there are far more Black, AAPI, Indigenous, Latinx, and other non-white preachers who deserve a spot on the list?

I mean…one person named on the list has been dead for nine months.
Granted, if he’s still preaching from the grave that is actually pretty impressive. But still.

Many of us have been wondering just how this list was compiled, and what the criteria for determining a preacher’s “effectiveness” are. It seems that the list was made from nominations sent in by a community of homileticians, and then narrowed down by a committee, focusing on the ones who got the most repeat nominations from the two homiletics societies that were surveyed.

Well….for thirteen years, RevGalBlogPals has been a community of preachers, pastors, chaplains, lay leaders, and friends. We have a wide range of denominations, views, styles, and church settings. And so on this first Thursday of the month, when normally we introduce new members of the blogging community, we would like YOU to introduce someone you think belongs on a list of Most Effective Preachers. Our homiletical community is larger than that polled for the Baylor list, and more diverse, and we know there are some kick-a$$ preachers among us. Who do you think needs to be known as an effective preacher of the gospel in the 21st century English-speaking world? And what makes them effective?

Over the years I have had the privilege of hearing many members of RevGals preach, in a variety of contexts. These women, and our BlogPals who might be men, are incredible conveyers of good news. And week in, week out, they are making a difference in the lives of people, and communities, around the world. Let’s get them some of the recognition they deserve!

We’ll be making a list, so leave your nominations, and your criteria for “effective preaching” in the comments!

Teri Peterson is a minister in the Church of Scotland, a nearly-original RevGal, a cat-mom, and a stickler about language—which is why lists that never define “effective preacher” drive her a little bit batty.

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