Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 1-1-2018 A Study in Worship: Blending the African American Style of Preaching with Epic Preaching Jamale D. Kempt [email protected] This research is a product of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at George Fox University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Kempt, Jamale D., "A Study in Worship: Blending the African American Style of Preaching with Epic Preaching" (2018). Doctor of Ministry. 266. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/266 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Ministry by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY A STUDY IN WORSHIP: BLENDING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN STYLE OF PREACHING WITH EPIC PREACHING A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY JAMALE D. KEMPT PORTLAND, OREGON FEBRUARY 2018 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Jamale Kempt has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 19, 2018 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Preaching as Story. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Dottie Escobedo-Frank, DMin Secondary Advisor: Kurtley Knight, DMin Lead Mentor: Leonard I. Sweet, PhD DEDICATION To my extended family who cheered me on, encouraged me, and prayed for me while I was writing. To my ancestors, a great cloud of witnesses: Nathan Davis Sr., Odessa Horton Davis, James Matthews Sr., Sam Kempt and Vivian Kempt, Ella Sayles and Odessa Sayles. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will call on the name of the Lord our God. —Psalm 20:7 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: STORYTELLING FROM SHORE TO SHORE ........................................ 1 Problem Statement .......................................................................................................... 1 Significance of the Study ................................................................................................ 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 The History of the Art of Storytelling ............................................................................. 2 Storytelling for Connecting ............................................................................................. 9 Storytelling for Coping ................................................................................................. 10 Storytelling for Conspiring ........................................................................................... 12 Why We Love Stories ................................................................................................... 13 CHAPTER 2: JOURNEY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN PREACHING .......................... 18 The Negro Preacher ....................................................................................................... 24 Songs in Preaching ........................................................................................................ 29 CHAPTER 3: THEOLOGICAL WORSHIP IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN PULPIT36 The Traditional Sermon of Europeans .......................................................................... 37 The African American Sermon ..................................................................................... 39 Engaging the Congregation with Song ......................................................................... 46 Engaging the Congregation with Scripture ................................................................... 50 The Call and Response .................................................................................................. 52 The Whoop .................................................................................................................... 53 CHAPTER 4: THE IDEA OF IMAGE IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH .... 55 The History of Images ................................................................................................... 55 Modern Day Images ...................................................................................................... 61 The Absence of Image in the African American Church .............................................. 64 The African American Spiritual Art Work ................................................................... 66 Efforts in Bringing Images Back ................................................................................... 69 CHAPTER 5: THE ART OF AFRICAN AMERICAN PREACHING ........................... 72 The Art of Black Preaching ........................................................................................... 72 Gleaning from Preachers from Afar .............................................................................. 93 CHAPTER 6: THE NEW EPIC: A LOOK AT A NEW PARADIGM FOR PREACHING .......................................................................................................................................... 94 Semiotic Preaching ........................................................................................................ 95 Narraphor ................................................................................................................... 99 iii Metaphor .................................................................................................................. 102 EPIC Preaching ........................................................................................................... 104 Participatory ............................................................................................................ 106 Image Rich ............................................................................................................... 107 Connective ............................................................................................................... 108 CHAPTER 7: THE NEW EPIC – A BLENDING OF THE TWO PARADIAGMS ..... 112 Randomness ................................................................................................................ 112 The Books of the Cohort ............................................................................................. 114 Sound Track ................................................................................................................ 115 EPIC Preaching as Developed by Dr. Len Sweet ....................................................... 117 Experiential .............................................................................................................. 118 Participatory ............................................................................................................ 119 Image Rich ............................................................................................................... 121 Connective ............................................................................................................... 122 CHAPTER 8: THE WRAP UP ....................................................................................... 125 Impact on the Calvary Christian Church Congregation .............................................. 125 Reflections of EPIC Sermons by Calvary Christian Church Members ...................... 132 Why This Is Important ................................................................................................ 141 Personal Reflection ..................................................................................................... 143 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................... 144 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank the following for the support in completing this dissertation. Dr. Dottie Escobedo-Frank, who has moved from advisor to friend. Your caring words, expertise, and prayers kept me on the path to completion, and for that I am grateful. To my second reader, Dr. Kurtley Knight, I thank you for your diligence in technique and professionalism which brought about a product of which I am proud. To Trenton Covington, who called me and asked if I applied; and encouraged me to complete the application for the doctoral program. Your pleasant demeanor and kind words were a breath of fresh air and will never be forgotten. To Dr. Loren Kern and Clifford Berger your administration leading a distance learning program are to be replicated all over the world. The consistency in your work brought about a thoroughness that yielded a product that is to be commended. To Heather Rainey thank you for your professionalism and quick responses which allowed me not to fall behind. To Dr. David McDonald, your creativity and openness to the preachers of the gospel in every tribe are priceless. Thank you for the opportunity to have a collection of sermons, sermon vignettes on video, and The Story Lectionary as a precursor to this dissertation and thank you for your team who worked tirelessly to produce the entries in the Lectionary. To Dr. Leonard Sweet, thank you for welcoming me into your home, welcoming me to your table, your heart, your knowledge, and understanding of the Scriptures. Your sharing forever changes me and