Let the Church Say Amen: Practicing a Black Communal Homiletic (PB) (2026)

Timothy Adkins-Jones argues that a contemporary world with decreased acceptance of institutional authority and shorter attention spans leaves preachers and congregations alike searching for ways to experience renewed engagement during the preaching moment. In response, Adkins-Jones explores a homiletical practice that expands on the history of communal preaching in the Black church tradition. He argues that exploring the depth of such communal approaches can help to quicken congregants' spiritual growth as they experience the process of co-creating the sermon with the preacher.

Let the Church Say Amen! traces ways congregational involvement in the Black preaching process can be witnessed historically before, during, and after the sermon. Through its theological examination of these patterns, the book explores how Black preachers cultivate congregational participation during the conception, performance, and evaluation of the sermon in contemporary contexts. Let the Church Say Amen! engages in a generative conversation regarding the future of Black communal homiletics, including possibilities in virtual spaces, and its potential impacts in other congregational contexts.