Logo courtesy of Steve Knight
Greetings denizens of the internet. My name is Rob and I’m performing an experiment. Can the collective intelligence of the net produce a preachable sermon? Maybe the digital age is incompatible with such an ancient format. Then again, maybe the lurker will join hands with the hacker and usher in an age of peace and enlightenment. Maybe I’m just lazy and want some free content and editing.
Here’s the rundown.
- Project: Craft the world’s first open-source sermon.
- Deadline: Sept. 28th.
- Principles: Biblically based, Christocentric. (not that all contributors must be, only that the final product must be)
The Process:
- Select a topic: Anyone may suggest sermon topics in a comment to this post. Please submit as often you like and comment on other’s suggestions. I’ll choose the winner with consideration both to the principles of the project and the general consensus of contributors. Deadline Aug 9, Noon, Central Standard Time (GMT-6).
- Select a text: I’ll post the topic, and perhaps some initial thoughts, and we’ll open up the comments for suggestions. This time we’ll be searching for Biblical and non-biblical texts that speak insightfully to the topic. I’ll choose a primary Biblical text, and perhaps some secondary ones (Biblical or otherwise) using the same criteria as before. Deadline Aug 23.
- Write and Edit: I’m thinking a wiki is the best option for this step. I’ll post a link here, and then it’s off to the races. The only promise I can make is that your edits will be edited, by me and by others. If you want credit for your contribution, add your name (real names only, please) to the bottom of the document. Deadline is Sept. 20 when I will close the wiki to public edits. I will then present the final result to my senior minister (a former rhetoric and homiletics instructor). If he agrees the sermon is worthy of the pulpit, then the experiment is a success and we move to the next step. If not, I’ve still got a week to write something from scratch.
- Final edit and polish: I’ll take the last week to add finishing touches, modify phrasing to fit my style, and of course practice. Deadline Sept. 28, 9:45 A.M.
- Preach: All contributors will be recognized from the pulpit or in the bulletin. Everyone is of course invited to come listen live. Sept. 28, 10:00 A.M.
- Distribute: We’ll put the sermon text, audio, and video up on this blog under a non-commercial, share-alike Creative Commons license.
Thanks to Idan for the pointing me in a cool new direction!
