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Wayne Brouwer

Wayne Brouwer is a pastor of the Christian Reformed Church in North America and is an Associate Professor of Religion at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, as well as a member of the faculty of Western Theological Seminary. Brouwer has been the lead pastor in three different congregations. He is a graduate of Dordt College and holds degrees from Calvin Theological Seminary and McMaster University. Over 700 of his articles have been published as well as over a dozen books. Previous CSS Publishing titles by Pastor Bouwer include Political Christianity and Humming Till the Music Returns. He has been a consistent contributor to Emphasis: A Preaching Journal since 2004 and is one of several authors featured in Navigating the Sermon. Pastor Brouwer resides in Holland, Michigan, with his wife Brenda and they are the parents of three daughters.
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Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Hanging onto hope -- Jeremiah 33:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-36 -- Wayne Brouwer -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2012
Advent is, for the church, a solid hook in the vast, uncharted, chaotic voids of space, allowing us
Time after time -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Revelation 21:1-6a, Matthew 25:31-46 -- Wayne Brouwer -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2012
Time is the news of the day. Yesterday was yesteryear.
Wedding day -- Isaiah 62:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 2:1-11 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2012
The bride was obviously nervous. She could hardly get through the wedding rehearsal.
Tears -- Genesis 15:1-12 (17-18), Philippians 3:17--4:1, Luke 13:31-35 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2012
"As luck would have it, providence was on my side!" wrote Samuel Butler. But what does that mean?
Glow-in-the-dark -- Exodus 34:29-35, 2 Corinthians 3:12--4:2, Luke 9:28-36 (37-43a) -- Wayne Brouwer -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 2012
The story of Madame Curie is more fascinating than most fictional novels.
Looking for a king in a democratic age -- Micah 5:2-5a, Hebrews 10:5-10, Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- Wayne Brouwer -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2012
One morning in 1872, David Livingstone wrote this in his diary: “March 19, my birthday.
When everything old becomes new -- Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 5:5-10, John 12:20-33 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2012
Here's a parable: a man is convicted of a criminal act.
Seeing the world through Abraham's eyes -- Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16, Romans 4:13-25, Mark 8:31-38 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 2012
Scott Camp told of a university student who was working on a doctorate investigating the social cult
It's all about Jesus -- Isaiah 52:13--53:12, Hebrews 10:16-25, John 18:1--19:42 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Good Friday - B -- 2012
The story of God's love in the Bible focuses on Jesus. But Jesus did not appear in a vacuum.
Somebody with skin on -- Acts 10:44-48, 1 John 5:1-6, John 15:9-17 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2012
It was a dark and stormy night. Lightning flashed and thunder crashed.
Harvest hope -- Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:22-27, John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2012
An ancient Jewish writing declares, "Pentecost is the day on which Torah was given." According to th
What kind of kingdom? -- 1 Samuel 15:34--16:13, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17, Mark 4:26-34 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2012
When I was in high school a new music teacher came to town.
Home -- 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2012
One day in l748, the hymn writer Charles Wesley was in a dark and somber frame of mind.
Character -- 2 Samuel 11:1-15, Ephesians 3:14-21, John 6:1-21 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 2012
Every parent of young children can identify with this: a little boy was asked his name, and he repli
Meandering -- 2 Samuel 11:26--12:13a, Ephesians 4:1-16, John 6:24-35 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 2012
Wanderers meander.
Wisdom -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14, Ephesians 5:15-20, John 6:51-58 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2012
Ibn Saud was the first modern king of Saudi Arabia.
Human price tags -- Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, James 2:1-10 (11-13) 14-17, Mark 7:24-37 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 2012
Soren Kierkegaard once wrote of a strange break-in at a large store in his native Denmark where the
Hindsight, foresight, and insight -- Proverbs 1:20-33, James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-38 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2012
A boy in first grade came home from school and told his mother that his class had had a substitute t
Religion and politics -- Exodus 33:12-23, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Matthew 22:15-22 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 2011
"Politics are almost as exciting as war and quite as dangerous!" said Winston Churchill.
Testimonies -- Deuteronomy 34:1-12, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Matthew 22:34-46 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2011
In Susan Howatch's novel Absolute Truths, the main character is a rather perfect man.
Only the grateful believe -- Deuteronomy 8:7-18, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Luke 17:11-19 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2011
A schoolteacher asked her students to make a list of the things for which they were thankful.
Greatness finding itself -- Revelation 7:9-17, 1 John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12 -- Wayne Brouwer -- All Saints Day - A -- 2011
Erik Erikson's book about the early years of Martin Luther is called Greatness Finding Itself
Clothes make the man -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-10, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2011
Gottfried Keller's short story Kleider machen Leute was translated into English as Clothes
First family -- Isaiah 61:10--62:3, Galatians 4:4-7, Luke 2:22-40 -- Wayne Brouwer -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - B -- 2011
Whenever a new president is elected, tabloids and journals bump sales by profiling the arrival of th
Initiation -- Genesis 1:1-5, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11 -- Wayne Brouwer -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2011
Children are often naively honest, as a friend of mine found one day.

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UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For July 6, 2025:
  • Who Is My Neighbor? by Tom Willadsen based on 2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20; Psalm 30.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children.

Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
2 Kings 5:1-14
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Stan Purdum
Carlos Wilton
(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

April Yamasaki
A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

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