Blog Posts by Frank A. Thomas

• Chaplains for the common good: An essay on the social significance of preaching

  Posted Nov 03, 2014 | Academy of Preaching and Celebration
  

  By Frank A. Thomas | In his book, Singing the Lord’s Song in a Strange Land, the Reverend Doctor Joseph E. Lowery published a sermon entitled, “Chaplains for the Common Good,” from which I take the title of this article. In 1998, after his retirement from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Lowery joined with other activists and formed the Coalition for the People’s Agenda (CPA)—a coalition of advocacy groups on civil rights, peace, labor, women’s issues, justice, youth, human rights, etc.

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• A requiem for Vincent Gordon Harding

  Posted Aug 11, 2014 | Academy of Preaching and Celebration
  

  By Frank A. Thomas | I was a very young seminarian in 1979 when I first heard that there was such a thing as the Black Seminarians Conference. My classmate, Leroy Sanders, and I wanted to attend this event in Atlanta, Georgia, so we approached our president, Dr. Charles Shelby Rooks, to request financial support.

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• Dr. Frank A. Thomas speaks to new pastors at the Pastoral Excellence Network Transitions into Ministry event

  Posted Jul 14, 2014 | Academy of Preaching and Celebration
  

  By Frank A. Thomas | I offer insight and wisdom to new pastors and congregations in this interview at the Pastoral Excellence Network (PEN) Transition Into Ministry (TiM) gathering.

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• An intimate relationship with Flunk, Part Two

  Posted Jun 16, 2014 | Academy of Preaching and Celebration
  

  By Frank A. Thomas | Every preaching assignment is a big occasion, and therefore has the potential for Flunk, but some sermons, lectures, etc. are bigger and more important occasions. For example, when we Flunk at home, redemption is always readily available. Our members love us and they say things like, “Pastor cannot hit a home run every week. Even professional baseball players strike out one out of every three times at bat.”

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• An intimate relationship with Flunk, Part One

  Posted May 19, 2014 | Academy of Preaching and Celebration
  

  By Frank A. Thomas | I first heard the word “Flunk” years ago from one of my mentors. I was in seminary, and did not have much of a preaching calendar, but he was schooling me in some of the basics of preaching. I remember him saying about one of his preaching experiences something to the effect of, "Flunk came in and sat on the last row and would not leave."

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