Preaching Funerals (McDonald)

Preorder today! 

How do you preach meaningfully at the funeral of someone you didn't know well?

How do you honor their life with prophetic proclamation?

How do you uplift the gospel for the mourning, who you might not know?

With the help of Preaching Funerals, you will never again begin a eulogy with: "I did not know the deceased..."

Preaching in a Critical Moment

In Preaching Funerals, the Rev. Dr. Nicole D. McDonald provides essential guidance for this common ministry challenge: eulogizing the life of someone not well known by the preacher.

McDonald contextualizes the funeral sermon and its purpose in order to identify best practices for preachers. Each chapter considers scholarship, theologies, and lived experiences, with analysis of sample eulogies. Her research for Preaching Funerals includes:

• attending hundreds of funerals, both as preacher and congregant;
• observing funeral rituals and liturgies across Christian denominations;
• interviewing funeral preachers, including pastors and chaplains;
• studying famous eulogies, such as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1963 eulogy of three girls killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing; 
• and much more.

With its breadth of insight and example, Preaching Funerals is an essential resource for pastors, chaplains, and clergy.

"Every preacher needs this book on their shelves."
~Frank A. Thomas, author of They Like to Never Quit Praisin' God, in his foreword to Preaching Funerals 

Preorder today, ships in early September.

About the Author

The Rev. Dr. Nicole D. McDonald teaches Queer Womanist Preaching as an adjunct professor at Chicago Theological Seminary. She writes at the intersection of homiletics and pastoral care. Dr. McDonald's PhD dissertation studied the homiletic method and theory of Bishop Yvette A. Flunder. 

Paperback: 92 pages
978-0-8298-0841-4
October 1, 2026