Preaching Institute

Ruling Elder Preaching Institute

The Ruling Elder Preaching Institute is designed to enable PC(USA) Ruling Elders to prepare and preach a sermon that gives an exposition of a text from the Bible based on the skills of exegesis, preparing and preaching a sermon under the guidance of the spiritual disciplines of Christianity.

REPI is an introduction to the principles of preparing and preaching sermons. The institute uses an apprenticeship model for learning to preach, supported by reading, lectures, and other exercises. The aim is to help Ruling Elders understand what is essential for effective preaching and to take significant steps towards preparing and delivering such sermons.

As a result of participation in the Presbytery of Cincinnati REPI, a Ruling Elder should be able to deliver a sermon derived from a biblical text. In order to accomplish this, the Ruling Elder student will:

• Engage in daily spiritual practices that enable one to interpret God’s presence and purposes and to suggest appropriate responses
• Develop a basic pattern of moving from the biblical text to a sermon
• Understand the basic elements in sermon construction and what they should accomplish – introduction, central idea, pattern of movement for the sermon, transitions, illustrations and conclusion
• Begin to develop a skill in preparing a sermon manuscript geared to the way listeners listen.
• Attend the seven sessions (one absence permitted if necessary)
• Read all assigned texts and articles
• Complete the assigned work, including preaching opportunities incorporated into class time
• Measure her/his ability to engage with the course materials by preaching in a congregation in the Presbytery of Cincinnati as assigned