I am called to bring people into a meaningful relationship with God and preaching is one of the most effective ways for me to live into that call. It is also one of the most rewarding because preaching allows me the opportunity to share my love for God and my passion for Scripture. It was through Scripture that I came to know God and His will for me. I want others to know Him in this way.
I entered the Doctor of Ministry Program in Preaching because it was important to me to preach meaningful sermons, both on their own and as part of our overall wor-ship. I want people to be engaged and enlightened by the Word and to connect it to their lives and to our world.
At the heart of this program is the intent to improve my practice of preaching and to serve the church through what I have learned. It has made me a practical theologian and to that end, I have incorporated my studies into my ministry and have reflected on it theologically with the help of my parishioners, advisor, professors and peers. What I of-fer the church is this thesis on how to develop sermons that address the spiritual needs of my congregation (older Americans) in order to bring them into a closer relationship with God.
I chose this topic because I serve a congregation of older adults and I want to understand their spiritual needs so that I can address them in a meaningful way through my preaching, but first I had to learn how to preach effectively. Then I researched the subject of aging and spirituality: spiritual dimensions of aging theory, research, practice and policy. This thesis summarizes my findings and gives me a blueprint to go forward in my ministry. It is my hope that it will help others to do the same.
