Edwin J. Omark Preaching Awards

This year's theme is "What is the Gospel?".

Christians frequently speak about the gospel and emphasize its vital importance to the life of faith. But what exactly do we mean when we use the word "gospel"? Is it simply the message that Jesus died for our sins so that we might be forgiven and spared from eternal separation from God? Or does the gospel encompass something larger and more far-reaching—something that shapes every part of life and reveals the fullness of God’s redemptive plan for the world?

This year’s Omark Preaching Competition invites participants to explore these very questions. Each sermon will focus on the meaning of the gospel, probing its depth, its implications, and its transforming power. Together, the sermons will not only seek to define what the gospel truly is but also articulate why it remains at the very heart of the Christian message and mission today.

Awards and benefits

First award: $2000—Edwin J. Omark Preaching Award and the opportunity to preach at the annual Seminary Preaching Showcase on May 4, 2026.

Second award: $1500—Robert A. Featherstone Memorial Scholarship and an invitation to the Seminary Preaching Showcase.

Third award: $1000—Emily A. VanAntwerp Memorial Preaching Scholarship and an invitation to the Seminary Preaching Showcase.

Fourth place: $500—Gordon and Alta Johnson Expository Preaching Scholarship and an invitation to the Seminary Preaching Showcase.

Benefits to all participants

Sermon preparation support, constructive feedback on submitted sermons, and a video recorded sermon you can use in your search for ministry placement.

Eligibility

All Bethel Seminary students (online or face-to-face) currently enrolled in a master’s level program are eligible to enter. Also, all Ministry Scholars in the College of Arts & Sciences are eligible.

Questions? Email seminary@bethel.edu.