Preaching possesses the power to assist in shaping a Christian congregation's identity, and there are few times in the life of a congregation more critical for its shaping than in the aftermath of clergy betrayals of trust. Given the prevalence of clergy misconduct, it is significant that very little material is available for guidance in the specific act to which most pastors are called most frequently and most publicly in its aftermath: preaching. By following the narrative of one congregation after a significant betrayal of trust by its pastor and drawing on the experiences of clergy colleagues called to serve in similarly traumatized settings, this thesis project offers guidance to pastors called to preach to congregations in the aftermath of clergy betrayals of trust. Homiletical directions for utilizing Nancy Myer Hopkin's five components of healing after betrayal are explored. These five components are: truth telling, sharing and the validation of feelings, education, spiritual reflection, and answering the question, "Where do we go from here?" Pastors who skillfully acknowledge the congregation's trauma in their preaching begin to rebuild trust in the pastoral office more quickly and effectively.
