Coming Together for Compelling Preaching at the Lilly annual gathering
Summary: The Lilly Endowment, Inc. invited the Institute for Homiletics to its Compelling Preaching Initiative annual gathering March 23-25, 2026, in Indianapolis for the third year.
Presenter: Dr. Karla Bellinger was one of the presenters for the plenary session
“Learning Reimagined:
Pedagogies of Preaching for a Changing World.”
Leaders from many Christian denominations share a common mission: to renew the art of preaching so that the Gospel may be proclaimed in more engaging and effective ways. More than 300 people gathered in Indianapolis on March 23-25 to talk about compelling preaching. Dr. Karla Bellinger (Executive Director) and Emily Lugo (Coordinator of Lay Programming) represented the Institute for Homiletics at the gathering.
The Lilly Endowment’s Compelling Preaching Initiative annual gathering provided days that were rich with opportunity. Plenary sessions blended ecumenical worship with thoughtful presentations and lively discussion, creating space to reflect together on how God is at work through this initiative. Everyone recognized that we are forming preachers for more and more diverse communities. Interactive elements, including live polling, invited real-time reflection and fostered a spirit of active engagement throughout the gathering.
One live poll revealed that “Community” was the key word of the gathering. Participants sat at round tables and talked and laughed. They came together not simply as colleagues, but as fellow laborers in the vineyard. For some, like us, it was the third year of the grant. We saw old friends. Others were new to their grant process. They made new friends. We shared joys and hopes, struggles and challenges. Each was seeking new and faithful ways to invite people into a deeper encounter with Christ through the preached Word.
For us, the gathering was also a time of meaningful connection with fellow Catholic grantees. We came together to celebrate Mass together on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord. Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, presided. Deacon Frank Agnoli of Davenport, IA preached a powerful reminder of our shared call to proclaim Christ with humility and courage, echoing Mary’s own “yes” to God’s Word.
We were especially honored that Dr. Karla Bellinger was invited to contribute to a plenary panel, “Learning Reimagined: Pedagogies of Preaching for a Changing World.” The framework for the panel was to speak to the three components of teaching – the relational, the content, and the fruit of the teaching. The question asked of each of the panelists was “What is unique about your program?” Bellinger shared that the Preaching for Encounter Program at our institute builds on the four-fold relationality of 1) clergy peer groups, 2) personal coaching, 3) lay support groups, and 4) large group teaching retreats. From this relational foundation, our unique strength is our content: compelling preaching is preaching that brings the community (both hearer and preacher) into an encounter with the living God. That is our focus for all that we teach. From that shared encounter, the community “goes out” to make a difference in the world. She shared insights into the Institute’s distinctive approach to forming preachers – one that emphasizes not only homiletic skill, but deep spiritual attentiveness and listening.
We returned from this gathering filled with gratitude and renewed hope. It is a blessing to witness the many ways the Holy Spirit is moving through this initiative, and to celebrate the fruits already emerging from this work. We remain committed and true to our mission of renewing liturgical preaching, especially in ways that speak to and inspire young Catholics.
(Link to Lilly page at the bottom?)
