Academy of Preachers, Festivals, and Moving Forward
In late 2019, the Academy of Preachers moved to Belmont University to begin a new chapter. No one could have foreseen our two years of COVID related pandemic experiences and the ways those experiences have transformed almost every element of life. It has been especially challenging to hold large group activities like our festivals.
We held an online festival in the fall of 2020 which went very well with nearly forty young preachers and we held a masked, in-person festival in the fall 2021 at Morehouse College with a little more than twenty young preachers. We hoped to hold an in-person event at Belmont this spring, but, sadly, needed to postpone the event due to low registrations. A little more than a week out we did not have sufficient registrations to hold the event.
We believe inspiring young people in their call of gospel preaching is a good and holy thing. We are committed to continuing to hold festivals, to provide resources, and to encourage young preachers. We believe we will be holding festivals in the future and reestablishing the Academy of Preachers as a place for young preachers to discover their call to gospel preaching. We hope you will join us in the future.
We appreciate your support, your prayers, and your love for preaching as we move forward with the work of the Academy of Preachers!
Recent News
Belmont Serves as New Home for Academy of Preachers Organization
NASHVILLE, September 24, 2019 – The Academy of Preachers (AoP), an initiative launched in 2009 that seeks to identify, network, inspire and support young men and women in their call to gospel preaching, will now be a part of Belmont University and the College of...
Every Sermon Counts: A Reflection on the Preaching Room
I find that there are a few things in life that paradoxically both encourage and terrify me. Knowing how much pizza I can eat in one sitting gives me a childish pride, but it also makes me anxious about stepping on the scale. Knowing that my wife loves me fills me...
Thanksgiving, Remembering, and Preaching – Elizabeth Grasham, AoP ’13
My Wednesday Night Bible Study group has been slowly working our way through the book of Deuteronomy, and we’ve reached the part of the narrative where we are all tired of the repetitions. You know how we all seem to have that family member (or friend) who tells the...
Preaching at Advent: Living the Questions – Mary Alice Birdwhistell, AoP ’10
Dwight Moody taught me that every good sermon asks a question. Last Advent, I took Dr. Moody’s advice a step further. I created a sermon series called “Advent: Living the Questions.” For many of us, the more we grow in our faith, the more questions we seem to have....
Making People Whole – 2019 Master Class with Dr. Joe Daniels
Dr. Joe Daniels wants people to be whole. Dr. Daniels, longtime pastor of Emory United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., will lead a Master Class, sponsored by Wesley Theological Seminary, at the 2019 National Festival of Young Preachers in Atlanta, GA. Click here...
2019 Master Class: The Research Side of Sermon Prep
Dr. Sarah Bogue, Head of Research and Access Services at the Pitts Theology Library, will lead a Master Class, sponsored by the American Theological Library Association, at the 2019 National Festival of Young Preachers titled; "The Research Side of Sermon Prep."...