Listening preacher: making room in the pulpit for children and teenagers

This thesis explores the impact that children and youth can have on preaching. It comes from a congregation working to train children and teenagers as worship leaders and ensure that preaching speaks to their lives. Drawing upon the theories and practices of conversational preaching, best articulated by John S. McClure and O. Wesley Allen, the author presents the benefits and challenges of preparing to preach with children and teenagers. Different means for listening are explored as well as receiving the witness of children through art. Both verbal and written sermon feedback are used as tools for gauging impact.