You read correctly. Not me: but 36 young preachers will deliver sermons in September 2013 at the New York Festival of Young Preachers.
That is what came out of my recent conversation with leaders from Union Seminary in New York City and the Lord’s Day Alliance in Atlanta.
The Lord’s Day Alliance (LDA) is a Founding Partner with the Academy of Preachers and a donor to the work of the AoP. Last year young preachers Chris Hughes, AoP ’11, and Jamie McCallum, AoP ’11, won substantial prizes after they entered their National Festival sermons in the LDA’s Lowndes Sermon Competition.
In 2013, the LDA will celebrate their 125th year of mission and ministry. They want us to help them commemorate this occasion by hosting a Regional Festival of Young Preachers in conjunction with their anniversary event, in New York City.
Guess who else wants to help? The Odyssey Networks, the nationa’s largest multi-faith coalition dedicated to producing and distributing faith-based media, and a National Partner with the AoP. In January, the Odyssey Networks awarded us a grant to produce a short video about the role of preachers in shaping Christian responses to the challenges of city living. During my recent trip to New York, they expressed an interest in co-sponsoring the New York Festival of Young Preachers.
I suspect before it is all over, all of our New York partners will be on board, and the resultant energy will, in fact, generate another dozen Partners comprised of businesses, denominations, donors, institutions and organizations that endorse our mission and invest in our programs. These existing and future organizations will play a tremendous role in furthering the mission of the AoP.
As we speak, we are seeking ways to support the Young Preachers in our program and connect them with mentors, benefactors, teachers, scholarships, and employers. These young people need opportunities; they need cheerleaders; they need coaches; they need friends; they need peers.
The Academy of Preachers is here to “Identify, Network, Support, and Inspire” these young people in their call to gospel preaching. What to join us in this mission? You can do so by becoming a National Partner, by providing financial support, or by seeking out and mentoring a Young Preacher.
