The Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment has announced the launch of a $75 million initiative to help Christian pastors strengthen their preaching abilities.

The Compelling Preaching initiative aims to foster preaching that better inspires, encourages, and guides people in their Christian faith in more engaging and effective ways. Organizations may submit proposals for up to $1.25 million over as many as five years to design and implement programs that will help pastors enhance their preaching practices to reach individuals both within and beyond congregations, including efforts to assist pastors in utilizing different forms of communication to share their message more effectively.

The initiative builds on grants the endowment awarded earlier this year to implement creative and innovative programs and help pastors make their preaching more effective by better understanding how individuals hear and respond to messages today.

“At many points in history, Christian preachers have needed to adapt their preaching practices to engage new generations of hearers more effectively,” said Lilly Endowment vice president for religion Christopher L. Coble. “They have taken the gospel message into fields and homes and used print, radio, television, and other new technologies and media to expand the reach of their ministries. Many religious leaders believe that churches may now be at another inflection point when preachers may again need to adapt to changing communication practices and forms of media to ensure that the gospel message is accessible for all audiences. With this new initiative we ask, ‘What needs to be done today?’”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Digitalvision)