Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Homiletics professor and preacher Fred Craddock dies

One of the outstanding homiletics professors and preachers of the twentieth and early twenty-first century, Fred Craddock, has recently died at 86 years of age. 
   He was a creative teacher and preacher, who emphasized what became known as “inductive preaching.” This form of preaching involved the listeners to make their own conclusions concerning the ending of the sermon, which Craddock often left open-ended. Craddock was a master at story-telling—I highly recommend his book of anecdotes called Craddock Stories. Since he often told stories and parables, he was also regarded as an inspirational model of "narrative preaching." 
   I never had the privilege of meeting him in person or studying under him. However, I have viewed a couple of videos of him available online—you can Google his name to find them. What I like about him is his folksy, down-to-earth style, and his southern U.S. drawl. He truly was a servant of God who blessed and inspired many a preacher and parishioner. LORD rest eternal grant your servant Fred Craddock. 
   Perhaps the following video will inspire you in your preaching (if you’re a preacher), as well as encourage you in your faith journey. 


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