Ephphatha

I have been thinking a little lately about the ministry of preaching, and specifically what is the purpose of preaching in my setting here at Advent. I was in Chicago at the ELCA offices this Monday for a conversation with nine other preachers from across the ELCA, a couple of Worship Staff from the ELCA office, and the Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson. Apparently, Bishop Hanson hopes that a Churchwide conversation regarding preaching can begin to take place- frankly he stated that there is a lot of bad preaching in the church. I was quite humbled to be there, and still not entirely sure why/how etc. I was recommended. The day was great and I took a lot back with me, but I continue to wonder what is "supposed" to happen in the event of preaching.

Today in Bible Study I asked those gathered to help me think about this a little more- and we had a wonderful conversation. Answers ranged from "make the Bible make sense to me and my life" to "challenge us to look deeper at our life and how we live out our faith with the Word as our foundation". Good stuff-and all part of it...but what else? Or is there nothing else? Anyone out there have any thoughts on this?????