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The Word Made Fresh: Preaching God's Love for Every Body
How can Christianity continue to bring good news into the world? That's the inspiring message readers will find in The Word Made Fresh. In recommending the Rev. Dr. George A. Mason's new book to readers, the best-selling Christian author and theologian Brian McLaren says, "In the struggle for the future of Christianity in America, George Mason embodies great courage and graciousness as he continues to preach that we must welcome the most vulnerable among us." For three decades, Mason's weekly messages have inspired those who attend Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, as well as George's followers nationwide. Now, this unique multimedia book collects 80 of George's most memorable and thought-provoking sermons along with links to videos of many of them. This collection covers timely themes ranging from the welcoming love of God and the basics of the Christian faith to such vital issues as the stewardship of our planet, the importance of interfaith relationships, the need to include the most vulnerable in our community life, and the importance of peacemaking. Greg Garrett, another best-selling Christian author, writes in his preface, "George Mason is one of the Christian world's most accomplished preachers and pastors. A writer, teacher, activist, and media figure, during thirty-plus years as senior pastor at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, he modeled a Christian love of and advocacy for the marginalized, the disdained, the set aside, that feels absolutely like the Jesus I know, love, and serve." In these pages "you'll see a master at work, a preacher weaving together some teaching, some storytelling, some pushing the limits to make us think," writes Amy Butler, founder of Invested Faith and author of Beautiful and Terrible Things. Half of the sermons in this collection include QR codes so readers can opt to view and listen to videos of Mason's original delivery of these messages. Readers and viewers will be glad they encountered Mason's mastery, writes Allen Walworth, Teaching Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs, Florida. "George carefully selects words like jewels, and then polishes and sets them in sentences designed to reflect light into the secret places of the heart. Sometimes his words of invitation to faith are a warm embrace, and at other times they are a poke in the ribs." "Week after week, year after year, George's sermons proclaim our sacred interdependence," writes Nancy Kasten, Reform rabbi and Jewish Mindfulness Meditation teacher. In his introduction, George asks readers the simple question that he asks himself as he approaches "Can you find the good news in each sermon?" His goal is to engage all of us in spreading hope throughout our communities. As you read these pages and watch these videos, please consider passing along that potent message of hope by recommending this book to friends.
- GenresChristianity
432 pages, Hardcover
Published June 27, 2023
11 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
George A. Mason
4 books4 followersThe Rev. Dr. George A. Mason is the Founder and President of Faith Commons and Senior Pastor Emeritus of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. He is a nationally recognized religious leader whose legacy includes innovations in clergy apprenticeship, interfaith initiatives and community service. For many years, George has served as an op-ed contributor to the Dallas Morning News and has written for publications nationwide. He is a co-founder of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and teaches at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University.
Wilshire Baptist Church is Christian by conviction, Baptist by tradition and ecumenical in spirit—an inclusive Christian community that welcomes every body. Faith Commons is an interfaith nonprofit organization that amplifies diverse faith voices for the common good. Its programs include George’s podcast Good God, featuring conversations about faith and public life.
George was born in New York City and has lived in Texas for many years. He and his wife Kim enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren. More information and additional multimedia resources are at GeorgeAMason.com.
Wilshire Baptist Church is Christian by conviction, Baptist by tradition and ecumenical in spirit—an inclusive Christian community that welcomes every body. Faith Commons is an interfaith nonprofit organization that amplifies diverse faith voices for the common good. Its programs include George’s podcast Good God, featuring conversations about faith and public life.
George was born in New York City and has lived in Texas for many years. He and his wife Kim enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren. More information and additional multimedia resources are at GeorgeAMason.com.
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May 14, 2024
Prophetic Preaching at Its Best
Earlier today, I posted a review of Christa Brown's Baptistland, which is a vivid account of how what she describes as a "male-dominated, high-control church" can connect with "male-dominated, high-control families" until an entire community-culture leaves women oppressed and, at worst, abused and then further harassed if they speak up about these injustices. And, then, I also felt moved to share my deep appreciation for George A. Mason's collection of sermons—because this is an example of a vastly different kind of Christian community in which, in George's words, "every body" is valued and lifted up.
If you happened to read my Baptistland review and felt moved to read that book, then I hope you also will consider reading George's book that vividly illustrates what the complete opposite of the claustrophobic, predatory world that Christa describes.
In fact, like Christa, George and his entire congregation left the Southern Baptist Convention years ago because of the damage of that "high-control" blanket that conservatives had wrapped around the denomination. And, it was primarily two women—Ann Bell Worley and Gail S. Brookshire—who created this book with George's permission. He was retiring and taking "emeritus" status at his church in Dallas and both Ann and Gail along with some of their friends were determined that some of George's most powerful messages should be available nationwide.
This volume represents truly prophetic preaching: Taking biblical wisdom and the Christian tradition and applying it to what is happening in our world.
As I read Christa Brown's tragic—and eventually triumphant—life story, I found myself wishing that more church leaders could take to heart the spiritual lessons that have shaped George's life and ministry and thousands of people who follow George's work to this day.
Even though this book came out a year ago, both Ann and Gail and George himself continue to highlight and spread across social media the many columns, public talks and podcasts George continues to produce. He may be "retired" from his Dallas church, but George actually moved up into a much higher pulpit over the past year.
As a journalist covering religious diversity, I keep running across other writers and church leaders nationwide who are quoting something from George's body of preaching and teaching.
While I am 100 percent committed to reporting on abuse and injustice, I also am aware that millions of men and women find their lives shaped by healthy religious communities. So, I thought, today, I also ought to post this review, lifting up a vision of Christianity as a way of love and compassion for, as George puts it, "every body."
As he opens this book, George asks a simple question: As people read this book, he asks, "Can you find the good news in each sermon?"
And that's my final reason for recommending this book to all of you on Goodreads. Yes, indeed, there is "good news" in each of George's messages. And that's a wonderful way to live one's life. I'm thankful for George's commitment to living his life that way and, as a journalist, I can only hope to do the same.
Earlier today, I posted a review of Christa Brown's Baptistland, which is a vivid account of how what she describes as a "male-dominated, high-control church" can connect with "male-dominated, high-control families" until an entire community-culture leaves women oppressed and, at worst, abused and then further harassed if they speak up about these injustices. And, then, I also felt moved to share my deep appreciation for George A. Mason's collection of sermons—because this is an example of a vastly different kind of Christian community in which, in George's words, "every body" is valued and lifted up.
If you happened to read my Baptistland review and felt moved to read that book, then I hope you also will consider reading George's book that vividly illustrates what the complete opposite of the claustrophobic, predatory world that Christa describes.
In fact, like Christa, George and his entire congregation left the Southern Baptist Convention years ago because of the damage of that "high-control" blanket that conservatives had wrapped around the denomination. And, it was primarily two women—Ann Bell Worley and Gail S. Brookshire—who created this book with George's permission. He was retiring and taking "emeritus" status at his church in Dallas and both Ann and Gail along with some of their friends were determined that some of George's most powerful messages should be available nationwide.
This volume represents truly prophetic preaching: Taking biblical wisdom and the Christian tradition and applying it to what is happening in our world.
As I read Christa Brown's tragic—and eventually triumphant—life story, I found myself wishing that more church leaders could take to heart the spiritual lessons that have shaped George's life and ministry and thousands of people who follow George's work to this day.
Even though this book came out a year ago, both Ann and Gail and George himself continue to highlight and spread across social media the many columns, public talks and podcasts George continues to produce. He may be "retired" from his Dallas church, but George actually moved up into a much higher pulpit over the past year.
As a journalist covering religious diversity, I keep running across other writers and church leaders nationwide who are quoting something from George's body of preaching and teaching.
While I am 100 percent committed to reporting on abuse and injustice, I also am aware that millions of men and women find their lives shaped by healthy religious communities. So, I thought, today, I also ought to post this review, lifting up a vision of Christianity as a way of love and compassion for, as George puts it, "every body."
As he opens this book, George asks a simple question: As people read this book, he asks, "Can you find the good news in each sermon?"
And that's my final reason for recommending this book to all of you on Goodreads. Yes, indeed, there is "good news" in each of George's messages. And that's a wonderful way to live one's life. I'm thankful for George's commitment to living his life that way and, as a journalist, I can only hope to do the same.
June 30, 2023
All Baptists are not alike, which is a good thing since there are a lot of Baptists out there. There are conservative Baptists, such as the Southern Baptist Convention, which recently decided to expel all member churches with women pastors, whether lead pastors or not. There are Baptists who are committed to taking dominion over the government and there are Baptists who continue to hold fast to the principles of people like Roger Williams and John Leland who argued for a full separation of church and state. One who fits the latter category is George A. Mason, the recently retired pastor of Dallas' Wilshire Baptist Church.
The Word Made Flesh is a collection of sermons preached by George Mason during his thirty-year career at Wilshire Baptist. The book was produced by his church to honor his career and to provide a witness to the broader church, especially among Baptists, of a more progressive vision.
Sermon collections were once very common. Well-known preachers such as Harry Emerson Fosdick and Edgar DeWitt Jones (my predecessor many years back at Central Woodward Christian Church) published collections. They were once considered attractive devotional books. That is less true today, in large part because sermons are so localized. So, if sermons are published they are, as in the case of several of my books, repackaged to speak to a larger, more generalized audience.
This collection will be most attractive to Mason's fellow Baptists, especially within the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. He is an important figure in that movement, but might not be as well known outside that circle (I didn't know his name before receiving a review copy from the publisher). However, even if not well known outside Baptist circles, Mason does offer readers a vision of Christian faith that is deeply rooted in Scripture and Christian tradition but is open to new currents present in the world, including the full inclusion of LGBTQ folks in the church. In fact, several sermons address the difficult decision of his congregation to make the church fully inclusive. Interestingly, that vote coincided with the very divisive 2016 elections.
The editors of the volume, who hail from the congregation, note in their preface that "at its best, preaching delivers a prophetic word to a congregation at a specific place and time, taking into account not only the scriptural passage at hand but also current events in the local community, the nation, and the world" (p. xv). There is much truth in that assessment, such that this volume might serve newly ordained clergy or seminary students as a source of exemplary sermons.
The collection is divided into twelve parts (the book is nearly 400 pages in length). Each section is introduced by a friend and colleague. The sermons cover matters of theology, Christian formation, mission, Christian Civility, Calling, pastoral care, stewardship (Mason isn't afraid to talk about money), the Baptist free church roots, ecumenism, and interfaith (he is open to dialogue and friendship, but he also stands firm in his Christian faith), peacemaking and nonviolence, and faith in the public square. In Part 11, focusing on bearing witness in the public square, he addresses marriage equality, the capitol insurrection, and the invasion of Ukraine. Part 12 brings to our attention Mason's last two sermons. As one who said goodbye, these sermons are ones that are often difficult to deliver but are important discourses.
This isn't the kind of book one sits down and reads cover to cover, word for word, but it is a collection that can be utilized in many ways, including as a devotional. It needs to be understood, however, that these sermons were penned/prepared and delivered at a particular time and place. Some of what is present here won't carry forward, but much of the material in these sermons will speak presently and beyond.
The Word Made Flesh is a collection of sermons preached by George Mason during his thirty-year career at Wilshire Baptist. The book was produced by his church to honor his career and to provide a witness to the broader church, especially among Baptists, of a more progressive vision.
Sermon collections were once very common. Well-known preachers such as Harry Emerson Fosdick and Edgar DeWitt Jones (my predecessor many years back at Central Woodward Christian Church) published collections. They were once considered attractive devotional books. That is less true today, in large part because sermons are so localized. So, if sermons are published they are, as in the case of several of my books, repackaged to speak to a larger, more generalized audience.
This collection will be most attractive to Mason's fellow Baptists, especially within the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. He is an important figure in that movement, but might not be as well known outside that circle (I didn't know his name before receiving a review copy from the publisher). However, even if not well known outside Baptist circles, Mason does offer readers a vision of Christian faith that is deeply rooted in Scripture and Christian tradition but is open to new currents present in the world, including the full inclusion of LGBTQ folks in the church. In fact, several sermons address the difficult decision of his congregation to make the church fully inclusive. Interestingly, that vote coincided with the very divisive 2016 elections.
The editors of the volume, who hail from the congregation, note in their preface that "at its best, preaching delivers a prophetic word to a congregation at a specific place and time, taking into account not only the scriptural passage at hand but also current events in the local community, the nation, and the world" (p. xv). There is much truth in that assessment, such that this volume might serve newly ordained clergy or seminary students as a source of exemplary sermons.
The collection is divided into twelve parts (the book is nearly 400 pages in length). Each section is introduced by a friend and colleague. The sermons cover matters of theology, Christian formation, mission, Christian Civility, Calling, pastoral care, stewardship (Mason isn't afraid to talk about money), the Baptist free church roots, ecumenism, and interfaith (he is open to dialogue and friendship, but he also stands firm in his Christian faith), peacemaking and nonviolence, and faith in the public square. In Part 11, focusing on bearing witness in the public square, he addresses marriage equality, the capitol insurrection, and the invasion of Ukraine. Part 12 brings to our attention Mason's last two sermons. As one who said goodbye, these sermons are ones that are often difficult to deliver but are important discourses.
This isn't the kind of book one sits down and reads cover to cover, word for word, but it is a collection that can be utilized in many ways, including as a devotional. It needs to be understood, however, that these sermons were penned/prepared and delivered at a particular time and place. Some of what is present here won't carry forward, but much of the material in these sermons will speak presently and beyond.
June 11, 2023
After reading a few of Pastor George A. Mason’s sermons, I thought, “He’s a Baptist Fulton Sheen!”
Now, mind you, I was just two months old in April 1957, a newly baptized infant, when ABC-TV stopped broadcasting Roman Catholic Bishop Sheen’s weekly show, “Life Is Worth Living.” By then, he had already reached some 10 million people a week for years, and his broadcast continued in other forms on other networks until 1968.
Over the years, I’d seen and heard recordings of Bishop Sheen during my Catholic Christian faith journey. I always found him profoundly welcoming. His legacy is a strong, living spirit of ecumenism and social unity. And that is the same, powerful vibe of Pastor Mason in his new book, “The Word Made Fresh — Preaching God’s Love for Every Body.”
As I turned the pages, I felt no friction, nothing to obstruct my Catholic perspective. In fact, there’s a warmth in each message and the comfort of friendly names like St. Augustine, Mother Teresa, and Athanasius of Alexandria, a doctor of the Church. More importantly, I feel the aura of Jesus Christ and a Baptist pastor who knows him well. This book is a compilation of Mason’s thirty-plus years of preaching at Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas. The community’s website proclaims it's “Always Open to All.” Their many service and care ministries help them walk the talk, preaching with words and deeds.
Wilshire Baptist created this book as a gift to commemorate the dedicated service of Mason, their beloved Senior Pastor Emeritus. Now, most books are a gift. “The Word Made Fresh” is a privilege to read. I have been savoring a sermon a day and relishing the journey through time. I can only imagine what it was like to listen to this moving preacher, Sunday after Sunday. Only, I didn’t have to imagine too hard. The book features QR codes on many of the 80 sermons that link readers to YouTube videos of Pastor Mason preaching. In fact, you can experience the whole Sunday service if you wish.
Like Bishop Sheen, Pastor Mason frequently incorporates current events and relates the 2000-year-old Gospel to modern life. He keeps it fresh. I learned so much in these deep and compelling, three-to-four-page takes. Characters include modern-day heroes and good Samaritans. But this is not just a feel-good massage for the soul. It’s a spiritual trip to the gym. Pastor Mason confronts our lukewarm tendencies and our sinful desires to judge others, including those of other denominations or people who are different in other ways — or disagree with our worldview. He pushes us to reach for the margins with open arms.
I had to jump forward to page 287 to read “The Catholic Church: Baptists and the Universal Church.” It did not disappoint, prodding all believers to realize we are kin in the faith — in the catholic (small “c”) Church. Mason even takes time to teach his congregation about what Catholics and other faith traditions truly believe.
What was it that Jesus said when his apostles wanted to stop an outsider casting out demons in the Lord’s name? “Jesus said … ‘Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.” (Luke 9:50)
I wonder why we don’t remember that more often when we look at each other across our denominations and interfaith communities, as well as other social divides? Thank God for shepherds like Bishop Sheen and Pastor Mason. Peace.
Review by Chris Stepien, Author
Now, mind you, I was just two months old in April 1957, a newly baptized infant, when ABC-TV stopped broadcasting Roman Catholic Bishop Sheen’s weekly show, “Life Is Worth Living.” By then, he had already reached some 10 million people a week for years, and his broadcast continued in other forms on other networks until 1968.
Over the years, I’d seen and heard recordings of Bishop Sheen during my Catholic Christian faith journey. I always found him profoundly welcoming. His legacy is a strong, living spirit of ecumenism and social unity. And that is the same, powerful vibe of Pastor Mason in his new book, “The Word Made Fresh — Preaching God’s Love for Every Body.”
As I turned the pages, I felt no friction, nothing to obstruct my Catholic perspective. In fact, there’s a warmth in each message and the comfort of friendly names like St. Augustine, Mother Teresa, and Athanasius of Alexandria, a doctor of the Church. More importantly, I feel the aura of Jesus Christ and a Baptist pastor who knows him well. This book is a compilation of Mason’s thirty-plus years of preaching at Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas. The community’s website proclaims it's “Always Open to All.” Their many service and care ministries help them walk the talk, preaching with words and deeds.
Wilshire Baptist created this book as a gift to commemorate the dedicated service of Mason, their beloved Senior Pastor Emeritus. Now, most books are a gift. “The Word Made Fresh” is a privilege to read. I have been savoring a sermon a day and relishing the journey through time. I can only imagine what it was like to listen to this moving preacher, Sunday after Sunday. Only, I didn’t have to imagine too hard. The book features QR codes on many of the 80 sermons that link readers to YouTube videos of Pastor Mason preaching. In fact, you can experience the whole Sunday service if you wish.
Like Bishop Sheen, Pastor Mason frequently incorporates current events and relates the 2000-year-old Gospel to modern life. He keeps it fresh. I learned so much in these deep and compelling, three-to-four-page takes. Characters include modern-day heroes and good Samaritans. But this is not just a feel-good massage for the soul. It’s a spiritual trip to the gym. Pastor Mason confronts our lukewarm tendencies and our sinful desires to judge others, including those of other denominations or people who are different in other ways — or disagree with our worldview. He pushes us to reach for the margins with open arms.
I had to jump forward to page 287 to read “The Catholic Church: Baptists and the Universal Church.” It did not disappoint, prodding all believers to realize we are kin in the faith — in the catholic (small “c”) Church. Mason even takes time to teach his congregation about what Catholics and other faith traditions truly believe.
What was it that Jesus said when his apostles wanted to stop an outsider casting out demons in the Lord’s name? “Jesus said … ‘Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.” (Luke 9:50)
I wonder why we don’t remember that more often when we look at each other across our denominations and interfaith communities, as well as other social divides? Thank God for shepherds like Bishop Sheen and Pastor Mason. Peace.
Review by Chris Stepien, Author
July 11, 2023
This collection of eighty (eighty in one book!) sermons by George A. Mason over the course of more than thirty years’ ministry at one church provides savory nourishment for the soul. The sermons deal with real issues and real needs in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. They show the greatness and wonder of God’s good news. If you preach or are learning to preach, you will want this book and be glad you have it to read and consult often after you have read it. If you use the lectionary, each sermon is identified with a Sunday in the lectionary. Whether you use the lectionary or you don't, there’s an index to help in finding a sermon on a specific text. If you are seeking spiritual nourishment, you will find it in the carefully-chosen words in these pages. The Word Made Fresh can be used well in your daily devotions even if you don’t have the official role of preacher. As a creative bit of lagniappe (an extra gift), you can watch and listen to George preach some of the sermons. The book belongs in the highest echelon of published sermons, and so do the sermons themselves. I highly recommend this book.
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