What's Happening with Cultivating the Gift of Preaching?
- Matt Aragon Bruce
- Sep 23
- 2 min read
We are busy with a host of matters this month!
The bittersweet news is that our inaugural group of participants are nearing the end of their CGPI experience! They will complete the program this November. This month they will discussing how preaching is an act of worship and that its natural place is in the Christian worship service as part of our worship of the Triune God. Many of our first group of participants have expressed a desire for there to be an alumni program to continue their formation as preachers. We are working on the possibility of alumni track in which they would come to the Alma Conference and attend the lectures with new participants, have opportunities to workshop sermons, and more.
Our new participants are not so new anymore as they entering their fourth month in the program. They will be focusing on different sermon formats, such as the narrative (or story) format, sermons structured around an image, the problem-resolution format, involving the congregation actively, and more.
Finally, the main focus of our staff just now is on recruiting mentors for our third program year. Serving as a CGPI mentor is an 18-month commitment that begins, this cycle, in June 2026 and concludes in November 2027. Mentors should expect to give 15-20 hours per month for preparation and meeting with their mentees. During this time, they will meet online monthly with their cohort group of 6-8 to emerging preachers, attend the annual preaching conference in Alma Conference each June (in 2026 the conference is June 3-8), and meet with your cohort groups in person twice (tentatively in January and November of 2027).
Mentors are paid $12,000 over six quarterly payments. In addition, all travel, lodging, and food expenses are reimbursed, and mentors are given the assigned books and other resources.
To be eligible to serve as a mentor, you must:
Be an ordained Teaching Elder in the PCUSA (or comparable ordination in an ecumenical partner of the PCUSA), and serving within the bounds of the Synod of the Covenant
Have expertise in the following:
o Reformed Theology
o Biblical Exegesis
o Rhetoric for preaching
o Worship planning
Have strong gifts and experience in preaching and worship leadership.
Engage in regular spiritual practices and prayer.
Be able and willing to give a reasonable amount of pastoral care to your cohort participants.
Be an effective and inspirational coach.
Be willing to build and maintain mentor relationships with cohort group.
Be able to engage and facilitate group participation within your cohort.
You can apply here. The soft deadline for mentor applications is November 15th, but we will keep accepting applications on a rolling basis if necessary to secure qualified candidates.
If you have any further questions, please contact the CGPI program director Dr. Matt Aragon Bruce
Grace and peace,
Matt
Matt Aragon Bruce, Ph.D.
Director, Cultivating the Gift of Preaching Initiative
609-712-4258
Comments