Special to United Methodist Insight
As a local pastor, I write 54 sermons a year. Like many, I write sermon series, though I have also worked from the Revised Common Lectionary. In each season of ministry, I find things that will be important for the community to experience through my preaching. Crafting impactful and relevant sermons requires thoughtful consideration of the key themes that resonate with the spiritual needs and challenges of congregations. Looking ahead to 2024 and the particular challenges the Church is facing, I have created a list of four important sermon topics I believe are "must preach" topics in 2024 along with scripture references that can serve as a foundation.
Hope and Trust in God
We are seeing a new season of the Church, with elevating levels of uncertainty and transition. Encouraging your congregation to place their hope and trust in God, especially now, can provide much needed strength and comfort. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, while Romans 15:13 highlights the importance of trusting in God's promises to fill us with joy and peace. Preach trust and hope through the transition instead of resistance opposing transition and your church will be more likely to find peace.
Faith in Action
Exploring the relationship between faith and works can challenge congregants to live out their faith through tangible acts of love and service. Sermons about the new and exciting ways we can live our faith out in our modern contexts can help to drive excitement around innovation, discernment, and reaching new people. Living our faith should always be a focus, but as we begin to battle scarcity mentality and inward-facing tendencies, it will be even more important to be the hands and feet of Jesus in all the spaces we find ourselves. James 2:14-26 underscores the importance of faith expressed through deeds, while Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen.
Justice and Mercy
We should always feel a call to preach on justice and mercy, but in our contemporary world torn by war and conflict, it seems even more important. Sermons focusing on the biblical principles of justice and mercy can inspire congregants to advocate for righteousness and compassion in the world and highlight our needs for peace locally. Christians should be on the forefront of social justice and advocacy, not on the sidelines. Micah 6:8 underscores the importance of acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God, while Matthew 23:23 emphasizes the weightier matters of the law, including justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
Unity in Christ
Encouraging believers to pursue unity in Christ and strive for peace and harmony within the body of believers can foster a sense of community and fellowship. Election years are always divisive, and it is already feeling worse in 2024! Let us write a message in the spirit of John Wesley’s quote, “'Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion?” Let us encourage our congregations to see past the rhetoric and come together with Jesus’ principles of love and acceptance as our guide. Ephesians 4:3 highlights the call to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, while John 17:20-23 records Jesus' prayer for unity among believers for the sake of bearing witness to the world.
By exploring these important sermon topics and incorporating relevant scripture references, you can deliver messages that speak to the hearts and minds of your congregation, guiding them in their spiritual growth, fostering deeper relationships with God and others, and empowering them to live out their faith in meaningful ways throughout the year 2024. Though there are countless themes that bring our churches wisdom, these themes specifically can help to carry us through together in this new and often confusing season and lead to a bright new future in the Church.
Kellen Roggenbuck
Licensed Local Pastor Kellen Roggenbuck serves Stoughton UMC and teaches Evangelism and Discipleship at the Iowa Conference Licensing School.