Guest Preaching & Speaking
Invite Sally to Preach
"Do not ask people to shrink to fit the sanctuary. Ask how the sanctuary must stretch."
Sally Steele preaches prophetic truth with pastoral warmth. Churches that book Sally get a preacher who reads scripture with fresh eyes and sends people home with wisdom they can carry into Monday.
Whether your congregation needs a voice for Advent, Black History Month, Pride, or an ordinary Sunday that needs to be extraordinary—Sally meets your community where you are.
Sermon Themes
Speaking Topics
Sally's sermons are grounded in specific biblical texts and theological depth. Below are some topics and texts she has preached on.
Sacred Spaces and Belonging
Acts 15, John 17, Luke 10
Who gets to belong here? Sally explores how the church can become a place where no one is asked to shrink to fit. Where everyone can "breathe with both lungs."
Liberation and Freedom
Exodus 1-2, Leviticus 25, Habakkuk 3
What does it mean to birth freedom in impossible circumstances? Sally reads scripture through liberation theology, asking what texts demand of us in a world still groaning for justice.
Moral Courage for Today
Luke 4, Romans 12, Mark 11
We don't need unlimited courage. Just enough for today's choices. Sally helps congregations speak truth even when it costs, grounded in the prophetic tradition from Jesus to MLK.
Women's Voices in Scripture
Hagar, Bathsheba, Mary & Elizabeth, Moses's Mother
A signature Advent or sermon series centering women who have been pushed to the margins of their own stories. Fresh readings that challenge patriarchal interpretations.
Grace Over Performance
Ephesians 1, Jeremiah 18, 1 John 3
We are not perfect clay, but we are clay that God refuses to throw away. Sally preaches the good news that God acts first and invites us to receive before we perform.
Transformation and Wilderness
Ezekiel 37, Jeremiah 18, Habakkuk 3
The bones that look bleached and beyond hope might just not be. Sally explores how God shapes us through seasons of difficulty and moves us toward love.
Justice and Worship
Isaiah 58, James 5, Leviticus 25
How we treat people reflects our relationship with God. Sally refuses to separate Sunday worship from Monday justice.
Community and Presence
John 17, Luke 1, Philippians 1
Nobody wants to be alone on the journey. Sally explores what it means to show up for one another consistently, vulnerably, without agenda—the slow work of building trust.
Her Preaching Style
What to Expect When Sally Preaches
Scripture read with fresh eyes.
Sally approaches familiar texts from liberation and womanist perspectives, asking: Who has been pushed to the margins? Whose story have we been telling wrong? Expect your congregation to see familiar passages differently.
Challenge with invitation.
Sally names hard truths about racism, exclusion, economic injustice while maintaining an invitational tone. Prophetic truth held in pastoral warmth.
Portable wisdom to carry.
Sally's sermons clearly articulate truths your congregation can take with them: "We don't need unlimited courage. We just need enough for today's choices." Expect people to remember what they heard.
Authentic presence.
Sally preaches from her own experience—as a biracial Black woman, mother of four, urban minister, and founder. She models the vulnerability she invites.
Where Sally Has Preached
Sally preaching at City Church San Francisco
Sally has preached at First Presbyterian Oakland, Noe Valley Presbyterian, Oakland City Church, City Church San Francisco, City Church Long Beach, All Souls Boulder, Miriam's Song Church, and Bethel Community Church. She returns to several of these pulpits regularly, and enjoys building deeper relationships over time.
Churches Where Sally Has Preached
Education & Ordination
- •M.Div., Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
- •Ordained Minister, Reformed Church in America (RCA)
- •B.A., University of Virginia
Experience & Leadership
- •Louisville Institute Pastoral Study Grant (2025)
- •Faith and Justice Network Speaker
- •15+ years ministry and nonprofit leadership experience
Invite Sally to Your Congregation
Ready to bring Sally to your congregation? Share a bit about your church, the occasion you have in mind, and preferred dates. Sally will respond personally to explore whether this is a good fit for your community.