For decades, millions of Christians have been leaving church behind. Among those who have stayed, not only individuals, but entire congregations are rejecting traditions that fail to address the challenges of our contemporary world. They yearn, instead, for a profound relationship with the ever-present God who is loving, inclusive, persuasive, and uncontrolling.

This rich and diverse collection of sermons, essays, and worship elements explores how to preach, teach, and practice Open, Relational, and Process theological perspectives in local faith communities. It is a powerful resource for pastors, ministers of worship arts, lay church leaders, professors of preaching, worship, and practical theology, and anyone seeking a deep understanding of God that aligns with the Bible, science, and inclusive love and justice for all life on Earth.

Endorsements for Preaching the Uncontrolling Love of God

Just about everyone knows that large numbers of people-especially younger and more educated people-are dropping out of church. To stop this trend, some focus on hot music or cool graphics or casual dress or catering to what people want politically. But more and more of us are coming to the conclusion that many people are leaving because they see deep and significant problems in what most Christians believe and preach. This book could help tens of thousands of churches and pastors imagine a better way forward...real-life sermons from the fresh and needed perspective of open, relational, and process theology. Enthusiastically recommended!  

- Brian D. McLaren, author of Do I Stay Christian?

Anyone who ventures behind a pulpit is taking a risk, wagering there's good news left in our ancient texts. Too often, the goodness of God is hidden under the bushel of Almighty dogma and a controlling tradition. In this timely and needed volume, you hear from a staggeringly diverse collection of proclaimers who haven't escaped the call to preach but insist the goodness of God should not be compromised because the power of God is love. I'm thrilled to have a preaching book to recommend without hesitation!

- Tripp Fuller, host of Homebrewed Christianity

For far too long, classic Christianity has held to a view of God as unchanging and the nature of God's interaction with the world as controlling. Scripture presents God as creative and responsive, however, intentional, initiating, and influenceable-a God who works in partnership with humans. This book demonstrates through the preaching of Scripture that God's good, loving, dynamic power operates in process with the freedom of others. God takes risks that may lead to evil and suffering, as well as to the righteous work of cooperative partners. 

- Karen Strand Winslow, author of Imagining Equity: The Gifts of Christian Feminist Theology

Partial Table of Contents

Foreword - John B. Cobb, Jr.

Introduction - Jeff Wells

Sermons from Open, Relational, and Process Perspectives

1. A Different Kind of Revelation - Chris S. Baker

2. Confession-A Homily in Missive Form - John Ballenger

3. "Palo dado ni Dios lo quita": My Mother the Process Theologian - Ignacio Castuera

4. On Being Jesus's Disciple - John B. Cobb Jr.

5. The Personal Experience of Discipleship - John B. Cobb Jr.

6. An Evolving Sense of the Holy - Frances Dearman

7. Whose Light is it, Anyway? - Teri L. Ditslear

8. The Earthquake of Easter - Patricia Adams Farmer

9. On Rendering to Caesar and to God - Ronald L. Farmer

10. The Psst! of God - Mark Feldmeir

11. Deep Withness - Jonathan J. Foster

12. When God Is a Baby - Ricardo Gouvea

13. Everything Happens for a Reason? - Adam Hamilton

14. The Underbelly of Novelty - Beth Hayward

15. Generosity on Tap - Fred Herron

16. God Who Never Lets Her Children Go - Chris Jorgensen

17. God's Seedy Power - Catherine Keller

18. God Is Not in Control-Thank Goodness! - Thomas Jay Oord

...and 22 more

Essays on Preaching, Teaching, and Practicing Open, Relational, and Process Theologies

43. The Most Liberating Aspect of Preaching from a Process Perspective for Me - Ronald J. Allen

44. What's in a Name? - Gabrie'l J. Atchison

45. Preaching as Relationship - Tim Bowman

46. Collective Responsibility for the Common Good - Joseph A. Bracken, S.J.

47. An Immanent God for our Immanent Frame - Vince Brackett

48. Open Table, Open God - Brandon Brown

49. Praying and Singing in the Language of Love - Gayle Hansen Browne

50. Meeting Jesus at the Open Table - Bob Cornwall

51. Small Deeds, Great Changes: Embracing the Hobbit Spirit - Ulrick Dam

52. I Invented Process Theology - Russ Dean

53. That'll Preach: Preaching the Process and Open and Relational Perspective - Bruce G. Epperly

...and 20 more.

Worship Elements Expressing Open, Relational, and Process Theologies

73. Worship in Process: An Offering of Prayers and Hymns - John Ballenger

74. Queers and Dears, Liturgies just for US - Monica Corsaro

75. Prayers - Beth Hayward

76. Re-tuning Religion in a Process-Relational Key - Sheri D. Kling