This research explores how preachers can assess their community and preach justice in ways that diminish resistance and increase celebration, making relevant the justice issue to the whole congregation, despite their differences. Understanding justice preaching as a sermon that promotes action to correct a social injustice, the focus of this thesis is about how to best preach justice, in a manner that casts a vision that is inclusive of a diverse community. In this research an urban, multi-cultural church that is diverse not only in ethnicity, but also in worldview, was part of a month-long experiment. For four consecutive Sundays, the pastor preached justice-sermons and then surveyed the congregation after the worship service. Results show that the majority of the church is supportive of the pastor preaching justice and including illustrations that can be perceived as political. However, a significant population of the church community does not want sermons that can be perceived as political, even if they are relevant. This significant population of the church contained members from all political parties: Republicans, Democrats and Independents. The implications of this study are relevant to preachers who serve vibrant, urban churches that are diverse.
