Spirit Speech

That the Holy Spirit is present in preaching is something we take for granted. How the Spirit is present is a question we seldom ask. Luke Powery suggests that we fail to ask that question to the detriment of our preaching. Drawing on the tradition of African American preaching he locates the Spirits activity in the sermon in two primary places; First in celebration the joyous acceptance of Gods gifts to the church and to the world. But equally as powerful is the expression of lament the lifting up of our sorrow grief and suffering. In these two experiences the Spirit plays the decisive role enabling the preacher to lay the congregations joys and sorrows at the feet of the living God and announcing Gods presence in both our celebration and our lament.