Prior to being called as bishop of the North/West Lower Michigan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Dr. Satterlee taught preaching as the Axel Jacob and Gerda Maria (Swanson) Carlson Professor of Homiletics at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Dean of the ACTS Doctor of Ministry in Preaching program, and adjunct professor in the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Satterlee continues to preach, teach, and lead workshops and events in synods, seminaries, and congregations across the country.
If you are interested in having Dr. Satterlee preach or speak at an event, please call the North/West Lower Michigan Synod Office (517-321-5066) or email Dr. Satterlee.
Reflecting on preaching, Dr. Satterlee writes:
Paraphrasing 1 Corinthians 1:22–24, we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to some and foolishness to others, “but to those who are the called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” At its best, proclaiming Christ crucified raises the dead; that is, through preaching Jesus, God brings people from death to new life. To proclaim Christ crucified is to interpret or provide a perspective on Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection that is relevant and meaningful good news for the faith community, church, and world at a specific moment in time. To proclaim Christ crucified is to participate in and facilitate an encounter with the risen Christ for preacher and assembly alike. This preaching helps people experience the real presence of Christ in, with, and under the words of the sermon spoken and heard. Preaching leads the community to name Christ’s gracious presence in their midst. Most important, to preach Christ crucified means proclaiming Christ as Savior before naming Jesus anything else. The most important ingredient in preaching, then, is the preacher’s relationship to Jesus.
To learn more about Dr. Satterlee’s pedagogy, read My Burden is Light: Making Room for Jesus in Preaching.
Learn more about Dr. Satterlee’s Method of Sermon Preparation.
Sermons and Lectures
Watch more of Dr. Satterlee’s sermons and lectures on his YouTube channel.
Books and Articles
An author of ten books and numerous articles, Dr. Satterlee connects preaching and areas of congregational life and mission, including worship, spirituality, stewardship, community engagement, and leadership. Learn more about Dr. Satterlee’s books.
A selection of Dr. Satterlee’s articles are available below:
- “Learning to Picture God from Those Who Cannot See,” Homiletic [Online] Vol. 36, No. 1 (13 June 2011).
- “How Baptism Doesn’t Form Us: Why We Seek Other Ways to Grow the Church,” 2018 Institute of Liturgical Studies, Valparaiso University, April 11, 2018.
- Craig’s Working Preacher page
- Craig’s The Christian Century page
- “Why Do You Sit Where You Do?” Alban Weekly, Issue 484 (November 4, 2013).
- “There’s Good News in Metro Chicago on the First Sunday in Advent!” Let’s Talk: Living Theology in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, 17.4 (Advent 2012).
- Preaching the Transition,” The Alban Weekly, Issue 1086 (October 8, 2012).
- “Preaching Is Not Fund-Raising From The Pulpit,” The Alban Weekly 400 (March 26, 2012).
- “Why Do We Give?” Alban Weekly, Issue 362 (July 4, 2011).
- “Celebrating Vocation in Worship,” The Alban Weekly, Issue 323 (October 4, 2010).
- “Maundy Thursday,” The Alban Weekly 245 (April 6, 2009).
- “Worship is Mission,” The Alban Weekly, No. 234 (January 19, 2009).
- “Characteristics of Christian Worship,” The Alban Weekly, No. 181 (January 7, 2008).
- “Holy and Active Listening,” Alban Weekly, No. 98 (June 5, 2006).
- “Living by the Word: Groping in Darkness,” The Christian Century, Vol. 123 No. 8 (April 18, 2006): 20.
- “Proclaim Jesus Christ: Lutheran Response to Crisis,” Journal of Lutheran Ethics, February 2002.