Resources • Training • Grants
ICHTHUS SUMMER 2022
Meet the Finalists
Find out who ’ ll be preaching in our Sermon of the Year 2022 final
Charmaine Joshua
Although raised in a Christian home , Charmaine only came to saving faith ten years ago . With her conversion came a hunger for the Bible , a book she had previously found dull and impenetrable . Charmaine has seen her life transformed by God ’ s Word and now has a passion to make Jesus known through gospel proclamation . She loves the timeless relevance of the Bible and its application to constantly evolving social issues , particularly those relating to justice and equality .
Charmaine has no preaching experience to date but draws her inspiration from her paternal great grand-mother who , as a widow with two young daughters , was transported from India to work as an indentured servant in South Africa and taught the Bible in her native Telegu to fellow labourers . Charmaine is 52 years old and lives in Bromley .
What inspired you to enter SOTY and what would you say to those thinking about entering next year ?
If it wasn ’ t for Sermon of the Year , I ’ d never have dreamed of writing a sermon ! Not only is this event a wonderful opportunity for preachers of different experience ( or none ) to get valuable feedback from seasoned judges , it ’ s also a great launching pad for fledgling or aspiring preachers like me . Thanks to all at Preach Magazine for running it .
Last year I wrote my first sermon and it was placed among the top ten entrants , so this year I wanted to enter again but wasn ’ t sure about the text . A wise friend advised me to take a piece of scripture and pray into it for a few days . It was amazing to see how the Holy Spirit opened the text to me and showed me its riches and relevance to the topic .
I would say to those thinking about entering next year , especially all the aspiring preachers out there , to be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit and go for it ! Ultimately , it ’ s not about us preachers ; it ’ s about what God can accomplish through us . My prayer is that the Spirit glorifies Jesus and makes Him real to people through the sermons in this event .
Ian Lister
Ian is forty years old and lives in Paignton in Devon , the town where he grew up , although he was actually born in Blackpool . He studied at the University of Sussex and soon after graduating moved to cont .../
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