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Oct. 31, 2011
 A man who has been called one of the most effective preachers in the world will present the annual Morningside College Wright Lecture at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, at Grace United Methodist Church, 1735 Morningside Ave.
The Rev. Dr. William H. Willimon will present a lecture called “The Unexpected Jesus” that will address themes from his book “Why Jesus?” The event is free and open to the public.
Willimon was a professor and dean of the chapel at Duke University in Durham, N.C., for 20 years. He now leads 157,000 Methodists and 792 pastors as bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church.
A survey conducted by Baylor University listed Willimon as one of the 12 Most Effective Preachers in the English-speaking world. He is the author of 60 books, and over a million copies of his books have been sold. He has written articles for numerous publications, and curriculum materials for young people and adults. His Pulpit Resource is used each week by over 8,000 pastors in the United States, Canada and Australia. A study by the Pulpit and Pew Research Center has found him to be the second most widely read author by mainline Protestant pastors.
Willimon holds a bachelor’s degree from Wofford College, a master’s degree from Yale Divinity School, a doctorate from Emory University, and honorary degrees from a dozen colleges and universities. He was named the first Distinguished Alumnus of Yale Divinity School in 1992.
The Wright Lecture series, which started in 1981, brings outstanding preachers, religious leaders, and prominent religious studies scholars to speak to the Morningside College community. The lectures are funded by an endowment established by Dr. and Mrs. Ernest Wright.
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