Inquiry Café on Preaching in the 21st Century

This story about one of the Impact Cafés held during the Impact Jamboree has been submitted by Marsha Foster Boyd. Attached, you find a harvest poem.

Hosts:

Marsha Foster Boyd and Ashley Cooper

Hosting Organization/Sponsor:

Women In Leadership International LLC

Location:

Hillside International Truth Center, Atlanta, Georgia

Who Was The Café For?

multi-generational, multi-racial, cis, LGBTQI, lay and clergy

Purpose:

To explore the impact and purpose of preaching in the 21st century

Number of People Attending (approx):
50

Questions Used:

1. How has preaching shown up in you, your life or your practice? And what difference has it made?

2. In the stories you’ve just heard and other experiences you’ve had – how has preaching moved you or others to action? What are some of the common threads you heard at your table?

3. Given the challenges and opportunities we face, how can preaching impact the ways you individually and we collectively move forward?

4. Group Discussion:
- Action ideas
- Reflections on the conversations
- New insights that came to you because of being in this cafe today

Impact:
The café provided an opportunity to radically analyze the impact of preaching and ministry and how to integrate missing voices and perspectives that are central to living in inclusive ways in the present day. The café was also an opportunity for people who look at preaching in very different ways to learn from and with each other. Because it was an inter-generational café, there was a sharing of wisdom across generations as many elder trailblazing women who opened doors in the realm of preaching were able to share their historical impact while also learning from younger leaders that are trailblazing new approaches today.