Presbyterian Mission Agency valley of dry bones Archives

The Rev. Dr. Luke Powery tells a Synod of the Covenant gathering that dealing with death is central to preaching that’s alive

Posted December 9th, 2022

The Rev. Dr. Luke Powery, Dean at the Chapel at Duke University and an associate professor at the Duke Divinity School, recently used the account of the Valley of Dry Bones found in Ezekiel 37:1–14 to remind preachers that sermons about resurrection must first encounter death in a real way.

Spirit-inspired worship requires breathing life into dry bones

Posted June 16th, 2020

Using Ezekiel’s stark vision of the Valley of Dry Bones, the Rev. Dr. David Gambrell elicited any number of innovative ideas from about 70 pastors and other church leaders during a recent videoconference on Spirit-inspired worship, one of the Seven Marks of Vital Congregations.

‘Every passage of Scripture sounds different now’

Posted May 21st, 2020

When a pandemic hits a preacher, “every passage of Scripture sounds different now,” the Rev. Dr. Anna Carter Florence said. “It’s like you never read them before.”

Spirit-inspired worship requires breathing life into dry bones

Posted April 9th, 2020

Using Ezekiel’s stark vision of the Valley of Dry Bones, the Rev. Dr. David Gambrell elicited any number of innovative ideas from about 70 pastors and other church leaders during Wednesday’s videoconference on Spirit-inspired worship, one of the Seven Marks of Vital Congregations.