How to Preach the Lectionary: A Pastor’s Guide

Many churches are discovering the practice of reading from a lectionary. Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican churches have historically used formal lectionaries, but the practice is growing in other Protestant church bodies. I’d like to help you make the most of the lectionary by understanding what it is, how it works, and how you can use it in your church today, particularly by helping ministers preach the lectionary. Table of contentsWhat is a lectionary?A brief history of lectionariesHow to understand your lectionaryHow to preach from a lectionaryConclusion What is a lectionary? In its essence, a lectionary is an orderly arrangement of readings from Holy Scripture, mainly intended for public worship services. There have been a variety of lectionaries throughout church history. Lectionaries can be a basic consecutive reading plan, or they can be arranged according to theological or liturgical themes. Some are daily lectionaries, while others are based around Sundays and other holidays throughout the year. Many lectionaries today are arranged for a three-year cycle. Older lectionaries were annual. There are even Psalter readings that repeat monthly. For some C...