Digital Logos Edition
The Baker Studies on Preaching Collection assembles 41 volumes filled with practical advice, strategies, and tips for preaching accurate, engaging, and impactful sermons. Learn how to effectively minister to both genders in your congregation; discover approaches to preaching the Old Testament; and gain insight into the use of narrative exposition. This collection also includes numerous sermon preparation tools, such as tips for preaching without notes, collections of illustrations for biblical preaching, guides for preparing a preaching plan, and ideas for special services. Beginners and experienced preachers alike will find this collection useful in making God’s Word come alive.
In From Exegesis to Exposition, Dr. Robert Chisholm shows seminarians and seminary-trained pastors how to “preach accurate, informative, and even exciting sermons that are solidly rooted in the Hebrew text and do not require an inordinate amount of time to prepare.” He reminds pastors and seminarians that it is never too late to renew their commitment to the importance of using Hebrew in ministry, regain a knowledge of the essentials of the language, and learn how to use the Hebrew Bible effectively.
From Exegesis to Exposition is an excellent resource for intermediate students learning Hebrew because, according to Chisholm, too many seminary courses neglect teaching students how to make the transfer from parsing verbs to crafting relevant text-based sermons. This practical guide provides a comprehensive corrective, moving readers from the beginning stages of exegesis to the finished sermon. Chisholm’s approach to the exegesis process is to ground the text in its historical-cultural context. It is important to know what the text meant to the original audience. He focuses on the mechanics of the Hebrew language, emphasizing syntax, verbs and pronouns, as well as the linguistic aspects of the language—narrative, poetry, anthropomorphisms, etc. What Chisholm has accomplished is to help bridge the gap between the study of Hebrew and applying it to preaching and teaching.
Teachers, students, and preachers interested in sound scholarship combined with practical effect when studying and teaching the Hebrew Scriptures will be glad to see this book.
—Dorian Coover-Cox, Bibliotheca Sacra
Robert Chisholm received his ThD at Dallas Theological Seminary and is professor and chair of the Department of Old Testament Studies at the seminary. He has served as a member of the faculty since 1981 and his expertise includes Old Testament exegesis, Old Testament narrative, Old Testament prophetic literature, and Hebrew language. In addition to several scholarly articles, he has written Interpreting the Minor Prophets and A Workbook for Intermediate Hebrew. He is senior Old Testament editor for the NET Bible
It’s a dangerous mission to preach to a king. It’s even more dangerous to preach to a king nursing a guilty conscience. It is most dangerous to preach to a king with a guilty conscience who has already murdered a man as a cover-up for his sin. When Nathan, a prophet, confronted David, his king, about adultery, he thought about the dynamics of the situation—and he told David a story. Actually, the story itself was the sermon. Like the sword in the umbrella, it had a sharp point. And David, with all his defenses up, could not avoid its penetration. When preachers stand up in the pulpit, they face audiences with their guard up. A few in the congregation wait eagerly for the sermon to begin. Most wait eagerly for the sermon to conclude. Like Nathan before them, the preachers have to smash through barricades erected by indifference, confusion, comfort, and guilt. Preachers must turn ears into eyes and free listeners to think with pictures in their heads. Appropriate illustrations do that. They do everything a sermon must do to communicate—explain, prove or apply a truth. Effective preachers stalk and store illustrations to tell the truth in fresh ways. The anecdotes, quotes, poems and observations in this book are the best on the market today.
Illustrations for Biblical Preaching is full of short yet profound stories, poems, and anecdotes on hundreds of topics ranging from Adoption to Zeal. The resource also includes illustrations of Biblical passages with large sections on both the Old and New Testaments.
Michael Green has spent his life working as a church leader, lecturer, writer, and an evangelist. He is currently corector of an emerging Anglican Church in North Carolina.
Haddon Robinson has influenced generations of students and preachers through his widely used classic text, Biblical Preaching, in which he shows preachers how to communicate the Bible’s big ideas with precision. But does Robinson’s “big-idea” approach to expository preaching still work in today’s diverse cultures and fast-paced world?
The Big Idea of Biblical Preaching presents a strong defense of the ongoing relevance of this approach to expository preaching. An experienced and skilled group of contributors to this volume includes:
Keith Willhite teaches preaching serves as professor of pastoral ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary. He is a former pastor and the founder and president of the popular ministry-consulting firm, Strategenuity.
Scott M. Gibson is the Haddon W. Robinson Professor of Preaching and Ministry, director of the Center for Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and one of the founders of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. He is the author or coauthor of several books on preaching and lives in Massachusetts.
Effective speaking is key in reaching people with the Gospel and growing our churches. And delivering powerful messages without being tied to manuscripts, outlines, or notes is the key to effective speaking. A classic that has stood the test of time, How to Preach without Notes shows you how to do just that.
Among the topics discussed are the biblical conception of preaching, the advantages of preaching without notes, homiletical devices, the importance of structure, and the systematic filing of materials. For almost 50 years, pastors and seminary students have benefited from the principles found in this book. Now you can too!
Charles W. Koller taught ministerial students at Northern Seminary for more than 20 years, in addition to serving as its president. An influential preacher and a popular conference speaker, Koller earned his ThD from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Have you become bored with a faithful, yet predictable, style of preaching the Bible? If so, you may be robbing your audience, and yourself, of the joyful surprises offered by fresh, innovative preaching.
With this clear and comprehensive guide, you can learn to make God’s Word come alive through story and drama. Haddon and Torrey Robinson reveal ways to get inside the minds of biblical characters, shift the camera angles on familiar scenes of Scripture, and present a first-person expository message that will capture the attention of contemporary listeners—and energize your preaching as well.
Haddon Robinson has done it again—given us a book that combines his deep commitments to both expository and culturally sensitive preaching. This book significantly advances our understanding and practice of the first-person narrative sermon. Preachers who put this book into practice will not only broaden their preaching repertoire but will experience all over again the power of Robinson’s expository preaching method.
—Duane K. Kelderman, associate professor of preaching, Calvin Theological Seminary
Haddon W. Robinson is Harold John Ockenga Distinguished Professor of Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. His book, Biblical Preaching, has sold more than 200,000 copies and has been used extensively in Bible colleges and seminaries since 1980.
Torrey W. Robinson has pastored churches in Wisconsin and New Jersey and is currently the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Tarrytown, New York.
This volume takes a unique approach by examining the role of performance in preaching. The contributors bring a variety of theological and denominational perspectives to the subject, but they are united in their concern for the importance of the performance of the sermon—not in a shallow or theatrical sense but as an essential aspect of bringing God’s Word to life for the congregation. To that end, these wide-ranging studies examine theological, artistic, and music aspects of a compelling performance.
Two of our finest teachers of preaching here collaborate on an invigorating book for preachers. Jesus doesn’t mean for us to think about the Gospel, even to understand the Gospel. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is meant to be enacted, embodied, and performed. Childers and Schmit show us how we preachers can better enable our listeners to not only hear but also perform the Gospel. One of the best books on the craft of preaching that we’ve had in a long time.
—Will Willimon, bishop, North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church
Jana Childers is professor of homiletics and speech communication at San Francisco Theological Seminary. She is the author of Performing the Word: Preaching as Theatre.
Clayton J. Schmit is provost of the School of Theology at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. An ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, he is the author of Too Deep for Words: A Theology of Liturgical Expression.
The challenge of contemporary preaching is packaging a message that holds the attention and touches the hearts of those who listen—while offering biblical substance in the process. Many preachers long to bring exposition and narrative together in a style that leads to transcendent moments. Calvin Miller has preached and equipped preachers for decades. In Preaching, he offers a volume of helpful insights for pastors and homiletics students to deliver the heart of the Gospel via the Jesus-approved vessel of compelling storytelling.
[This book] can change your preaching for a lifetime.
—Haddon Robinson, Harold John Ockenga Professor of Preaching, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Calvin Miller was research professor and distinguished writer in residence at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, and the author of more than 40 books. He was a regular contributor to many Christian magazines and publications.
A pastor’s role in shaping worship is vital. But what if preaching isn’t just one part of worship? What if preaching is worship? In Preaching as Worship, veteran preacher Michael Quicke encourages those who preach to open their eyes afresh to glorious big-picture worship—grounded in Trinitarian theology and focused on the pivotal role of Scripture as it directs gathered worship for community formation—urging them to restore worship as an encounter with God. This unique and insightful book offers a clear call for preachers to rethink their worship responsibilities and the importance of preaching—for the sake of their church members and their God.
Michael Quicke’s winsome and insightful exploration of preaching as an integral component and reflection of Trinitarian worship is a welcome contribution to thoughtful literature on both preaching and worship. For too long, one has been viewed as simply a prelude or culmination of the other. Quicke helps us understand how worship and preaching function organically and holistically to honor the persons of the Godhead who also comes to us as one.
—Bryan Chapell, chancellor, Covenant Theological Seminary
Michael J. Quicke is the C. W. Koller Professor of Preaching and Communication at Northern Seminary and preaches and lectures across the world. He is the author of 360-Degree Preaching and 360-Degree Leadership.
A pastor must be able to step with ease into a number of different speaking venues. In addition to a regular preaching schedule, you, as a pastor, face an endless parade of special occasions at which you are asked to speak. Some occasions are planned, others are unexpected, but for all occasions you must be ready to communicate the Word of God in a way that complements the liturgy and worship.
Preaching for Special Services gives you practical guidance on how to develop and deliver clear, listener-sensitive sermons for special occasions such as weddings, baptisms, and funerals. Each chapter examines the history and theology of preaching for a particular occasion and then centers on the development of the sermon for that event. Scott M. Gibson’s approach to sermon construction is based on Haddon W. Robinson’s central-idea preaching described in his Biblical Preaching.
Preaching for Special Services also offers an extensive list of resources for each special occasion and specific exercises to help you put the principles in this book into practice.
Scott M. Gibson is the Haddon W. Robinson Professor of Preaching and Ministry, director of the Center for Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and one of the founders of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. He is the author or coauthor of several books on preaching and lives in Massachusetts.
Elizabeth Achtemeier has carefully chosen 31 Old Testament passages that are difficult to understand and more difficult still to preach. The sacrifice of Isaac, God’s command for Hosea to marry a harlot, Moses’ use of the bronze serpent to heal snake-bitten Israelites—these and many other passages are illumined for the preacher who no longer wants to fear these texts. In each chapter, Achtemeier discusses the text and then offers suggestions for forming a sermon based on that text. In treating specific unsettling passages, Achtemeier also addresses thematic difficulties found throughout the Old Testament, such as the frequent militaristic portrayals of God, the often perplexing behavior of Old Testament prophets, and the many anthropomorphic descriptions of God.
Achtemeier launches out on a campaign to stir preachers to preach the toughest texts of the Old Testament with courage and conviction. Her book is a delight and a challenge. She never fails to provoke, enlighten, encourage.
—Will Willimon, bishop, North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church
Elizabeth Achtemeier taught Bible and homiletics at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. She was an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA), a preacher, and the author of a number of books, including Nature, God and Pulpit, Minor Prophets, vol. 1 in the Understanding the Bible Commentary Series, and Preaching from the Minor Prophets.
In most twenty-first-century congregations, women outnumber men. Unfortunately, masculine anecdotes still dominate many sermons and many church leaders don’t understand the differences in the ways women and men listen, learn, and perceive ideas of leadership and power. The result is that many women feel detached from the messages conveyed from the pulpit.
How can a pastor effectively minister to both men and women? Preaching That Speaks to Women invites preachers to consider how gender affects the way sermons are understood and calls them to preaching that relates to the entire congregation.
Drawing on her many years of speaking to women, men, and preachers, Alice Mathews explores both the myths and the realities of women as listeners. She considers the ways women think about themselves, make ethical decisions, handle stress, learn, and view leadership and power, and applies the results to the task of preaching. Mathews urges preachers to be mindful of language and advocates the use of anecdotes that do not ignore women or merely typecast women in narrowly defined roles.
Preaching That Speaks to Women is an important guide for seminary students preparing for ministry and pastors who want to reach the entire congregation.
Alice Mathews breaks new ground. . . . This book opens the eyes of men and women preachers alike, and it will begin to revolutionize how preachers view listeners in their pews.
—Journal of the Evangelical Homiletics Society
What a book! Anyone who stands in the pulpit to preach God’s truth needs to read this book. I found it both enlightening and convicting. Thank you, Alice.
—Edward G. Dobson, senior pastor, Calvary Church, Grand Rapids, MI
Alice P. Mathews is Lois W. Bennett Distinguished Associate Professor of Educational Ministries and Women’s Ministries at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Previously, Alice served as a missionary in Europe for 17 years, taught at Denver Seminary, and was dean of the Seminary of the East (Philadelphia Center). She is widely known as cohost (with Haddon Robinson) of the daily Bible-teaching radio program Discover the Word.
Preaching the Old Testament, which can seem harsh and foreign to modern listeners, can be a challenge. In fact, many preachers abandon it altogether because of the difficulties in making it understandable and relevant to those in the pews. But to appreciate the full depth and beauty of New Testament teaching we must build our foundation on an understanding of the Old Testament. The insights of the Hebrew language, poetry, historical narratives, and prophetic offerings were important to the writers of the New Testament, and they should be to us as well.
Preaching the Old Testament equips pastors to keep up on the Hebrew language, prepare to preach the various sections of the Old Testament, and see how it can be interpreted in light of its context and of our world today.
Preaching the Old Testament is an outstanding collection of insights for preaching from the two-thirds of Scripture that compose our Old Testament. Gibson has assembled a remarkable team of contributors whose work will be helpful to any preacher. This is a valuable resource that deserves a place on every preacher’s bookshelf.
—Michael Duduit, editor, Preaching magazine
Scott M. Gibson is Haddon W. Robinson Professor of Preaching and Ministry, director of the Center for Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and one of the founders of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. He is the author or coauthor of several books on preaching and lives in Massachusetts.
The church in America is part of a changing culture and today’s preachers must be prepared to engage the unique issues of our postmodern age.
Editor Scott M. Gibson has skillfully combined the works of many well-known preachers, including Haddon Robinson and Bryan Chapell, into one practical guide written for present and future church leaders. Including questions for reflection and suggestions for further reading, this helpful resource addresses important topics such as preaching to a postmodern audience, pluralism, and the intersection of preaching and psychology.
A stimulating potpourri of evangelical insights for changing times. A spirited group of essays. It’s like listening to friends in round-table conversation with each providing good questions to help you interact in an important debate.
—Michael Quicke, C. W. Koller Professor of Preaching and Communication, Northern Seminary
Timely and relevant, this collection of essays thoughtfully explores the issues facing today’s preacher and calls today’s preacher to thoughtfully face the issues. Its chapters are filled with the wisdom of well known preachers and teachers who practically apply their understanding of biblical preaching through the use of solid and helpful examples. The discussion questions and suggested reading list found at the end of every chapter assist students and pastors to delve deeper into the topic. Scott Gibson’s book is a must read for any responsible, biblical preacher and student.
—Patricia Batten, adjunct assistant professor of preaching, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Scott M. Gibson is Haddon W. Robinson Professor of Preaching and Ministry, director of the Center for Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and one of the founders of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. He is the author or coauthor of several books on preaching and lives in Massachusetts.
Do you think a postmodern audience may render your preaching post-relevant? Think again. Zack Eswine takes you through the nuts and bolts—and the heart and soul—of engaging today’s multicultural society with compelling messages from the pulpit. Such preaching, however, requires more than just contextualizing the message.
Using this comprehensive and practical guide will help you to preach God’s truth without compromising doctrine or ignoring the faithful. Eswine shows how God’s own interactions with humanity model relevant preaching and offers fresh, field-tested insights into the application of homiletics. Valuable appendixes detail steps to an effective sermon and provide questions for assessing cultural developments with spiritual discernment.
Whether a new or experienced speaker, in church leadership or in parachurch ministry, you can make an impact on the rising global village—starting now.
Zack Eswine moves the Christ-centered preaching movement forward with this volume. He not only calls us to carefully contextualize our message to various cultures, sensibilities, and habits of heart, but he also gives us a host of practical tools, inventories, and guidelines for doing so. All the while he assumes and strengthens the foundational commitment to preaching Christ and his restoring grace from every text. A great contribution.
—Tim Keller, senior pastor, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City
Zack Eswine serves as senior pastor of Riverside Church in Webster Groves, MO. He is the author of Kindled Fire: How the Methods of C. H. Spurgeon Can Help Your Preaching.
To communicate God’s Word effectively in the twenty-first century, you need to know how to connect with and confront an audience of postmodern listeners. With this book, you’ll learn how to change your style of preaching without compromising the substance, take advantage of new opportunities provided by the cultural shift, and show an inattentive society the relevance of God’s truth.
The world has gone through a major shift in thinking and communication into a postmodern mode, yet much preaching is still ‘pre-modern’ and very out of touch. Graham Johnston has done a significant contribution in his book, showing how preaching can be thoroughly biblical, opening up the text of the Bible but also concerned with the openings in the minds of contemporary people. I plan to recommend it to young preachers in our leadership programs.
—Leighton Ford, president, Leighton Ford Ministries
Graham MacPherson Johnston was senior pastor of Subiaco Church of Christ in Western Australia and an adjunct lecturer in homiletics at Perth Bible College. He held degrees from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Dallas Theological Seminary.
How does one preach to a congregation immersed in a postmodern culture outside the church, but often finding itself in another culture within its walls? Do the postmodern criticisms offer any opportunities to the preacher for addressing the great truths of Scripture in new and fresh ways? Robert Kysar and Joseph M. Webb, both scholar-preachers, believe that they do.
Preaching to Postmoderns: New Perspectives for Proclaiming the Message seeks to inform and encourage pastors who want to expand their horizons. Webb and Kysar have addressed the need for pastors to understand the staggering numbers of new approaches to biblical interpretation and the bewildering choices for sermon preparation that they represent. In this book, they offer introductions to each of the major types of interpretive methods and point out the implications for each in preparing a sermon. They successfully move the theories of biblical interpretation out of the ivory tower and into the pastor’s study. To exemplify how each of the major methods impacts the preaching task, they offer a sample sermon for each method.
This is a book that will bring pastors up to date in biblical interpretation while demonstrating what difference it makes for preachers as they seek to use the various methods.
Robert Kysar is Emeritus Bandy Professor of Preaching and New Testament at Emory University and the author of numerous works on preaching, including Opening the Bible: What It Is, Where It Came From, What It Means to You and Stumbling in the Light: New Testament Images for a Changing Church.
Joseph M. Webb is professor of global media and communication and dean of the School of Communication and Media at Palm Beach Atlantic University. He is the author of Preaching without Notes and Comedy and Preaching, and is coauthor with Robert Kysar of Greek for Preachers.
If you want to develop mature believers in your church, you need a plan.
The spiritual lives of your church members are driven largely by what you choose to preach about on Sunday morning. If your messages are scattered, unrelated to one another, or haphazardly prepared, it can be difficult for people to make connections to aid their spiritual growth.
Preaching with a Plan shows you a step-by-step process on how to develop a cohesive preaching plan to guide your choice of Scripture, topics, and concepts to use in worship services. It answers these critical questions:
Moving quickly from theory to practice, Preaching with a Plan will help you develop an entire year’s worth of sermons designed to educate, enrich, and nurture mature believers in your congregation.
Some preachers preach because it’s 11:00 a.m. on Sunday and they have to say something. Others preach because they have something to say. Scott Gibson argues that the Sunday morning sermon can be the most important event in the life of a church, and he describes in detail what it takes for us to make the most of it.
—Haddon Robinson, Harold John Ockenga Professor of Preaching, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Scott M. Gibson is Haddon W. Robinson Professor of Preaching and Ministry, director of the Center for Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and one of the founders of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. He is the author or coauthor of several books on preaching and lives in Massachusetts.
Insights and advice from leaders in the field! Preaching with Power brings together powerful personal interviews with dynamic preachers and those who influence preaching today. Discover here how these top communicators prepare and plan for sermons, what role culture plays in shaping their messages, who influenced their ministries, and what they have to say to you. Drawn from the best of the last decade of Preaching magazine, this book provides an insider’s look at the life and vocation of leaders such as: Bryan Chapell, Jerry Falwell, Jack Graham, O. S. Hawkins, Jim Henry, T. D. Jakes, David Jeremiah, Dan Kimball, Erwin Lutzer, John MacArthur, Brian McLaren, John Maxwell, Lloyd John Ogilvie, Haddon Robinson, Adrian Rogers, Andy Stanley, Jerry Vines, Rick Warren, James Emery White, and Ed Young Jr.
Michael Duduit is the founding publisher and editor of Preaching magazine and PreachingNow, a weekly email newsletter that reaches more than 12,500 pastors nationwide. He is also the author or editor of several books and has served on the administrative staffs at Southern Baptist Seminary and Samford, Palm Beach Atlantic, and Union universities. He resides in Franklin, Tennessee.
Want a proven method for effective evangelistic sermons? Look no further.
“When it comes to evangelism, converting the sinner is God’s role,” says author Ramesh Richard. “Communicating the Gospel is the role of the evangelist.” But how is that done effectively?
Preparing Evangelistic Sermons is a simple do-it-yourself resource for evangelistic preaching. Using principles rooted in his seven-step Scripture sculpture method, Dr. Ramesh Richard guides you through the foundation, framework, method, and special issues of preaching salvation. He discusses:
This practical guide also includes helpful appendices, outlines, and checklists for pastors, seminarians, and church leaders. Anyone desiring deeper training in evangelistic sermons will find this book to be a valuable, life-changing guide.
Ramesh Richard rightly observes that evangelistic preaching is driven by an internal conviction, a ‘sacred oughtness’ born of God’s unique work in an individual’s life. Yet how quickly we may forget our calling in the face of struggles, opposition, and yes, even success. Thankfully, readers will find genuine help and biblical insight from a seasoned preacher who has walked these steps before. This is a theme very dear to my heart addressed by one who has demonstrated this gift and calling all over the world.
—Ravi Zacharias, author and speaker
Ramesh Richard leads Ramesh Richard Evangelism and Church Helps (RREACH) International and serves as a professor of global theological engagement and pastoral ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary.
“The Bible is what God has made. Sermons are what we make with what God has made.” This is the foundation for developing expository messages, according to Ramesh Richard. His method, explained in this book, has been field-tested in training seminars for thousands of pastors and preachers around the world, and it will be invaluable to you as well.
Preparing Expository Sermons is a simple do-it-yourself resource for developing and preaching expository sermons. It guides you through a seven-step process, with many practical suggestions and illustrative charts along the way. In addition, there are 13 appendixes that include information on:
A comprehensive sermon evaluation questionnaire is included.
Dr. Ramesh Richard is one of the premier preachers of our day. Because the Lord’s hand is so obviously on this gifted man, his ministry is reaching, literally, around the world. The insights, techniques, and suggestions he offers are reliable and relevant. This book is ‘must reading’ for all who desire to preach the word.
—Charles R. Swindoll, senior pastor, Stonebriar Community Church, Dallas, Texas
Ramesh Richard leads Ramesh Richard Evangelism and Church Helps (RREACH) International and serves as a professor of global theological engagement and pastoral ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary.
Many pastors are just too busy to follow the latest theories on preaching and sermon form. In The Shape of Preaching, Dennis M. Cahill seeks both to educate the working pastor on the current issues of sermon design and enable them to use this design in a way that can change their preaching.
After first laying the theoretical groundwork with discussions of the theological, cultural, and literary roots of the new approaches to sermon design, Cahill expertly guides the preacher through a practical process for designing sermons that speak to people in the world today.
Dennis Cahill has mined the gold from the homiletical field and gathered it with clarity and discernment. He has the scholar’s openness to the big questions and the working preacher’s hunger for answers that are useful in creating engaging and faithful sermons today.
—Thomas G. Long, Bandy Professor of Preaching, Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Dennis M. Cahill has been in the pastorate for more than 20 years. He is the founding pastor of Christ Community Church, a Bible Fellowship Church in New Jersey, and is active in the Evangelical Homiletical Society.
John Piper contends that preaching is not simply an exercise in motivational speaking. The goal of preaching is to worship God, and proclaim Him as Supreme. It is God’s desire to be glorified through the preacher, and the aim of the preacher is to respond accordingly. The Supremacy of God in Preaching is not another “how-to” guide for the pulpit ministry, but is a challenge issued toward every preacher to elevate the God of the Bible through sound Biblical preaching.
Calls us back to a biblical standard for preaching, as standard exemplified by many of the pulpit giants of the past, especially Jonathan Edwards and Charles Spurgeon.
—Warren W. Wiersbe, noted scholar and theologian
John Piper, (DTheol, University of Munich) is the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis and founder of Desiring God Ministries.
Illustrations do not replace good preaching founded on God’s Word, but they add to its presentation, sometimes striking deep into a hearer’s heart. The right illustration can explain, clarify, and apply truth to your sermon. Dr. Green has carefully selected, developed and edited these illustrations for use by pastors, Bible study teachers and those who preach the Word of God. The illustrations are arranged alphabetically by topic, covering subjects from abortion, drugs, and divorce to faith, commitment, and Christian living. The book also includes a section of illustrations from selected Scriptures.
Michael Green received his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and his PhD from the University of North Texas. He has taught systematic and practical theology at Moody Bible Institute, Dallas Theological Seminary and at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is an ordained minister and speaks regularly in churches, at mission and Bible conferences, and at retreats.
Previously published in 3 separate volumes, this user-friendly, portable one-volume resource of over 750 illustrations and stories will make your preaching, teaching, and writing more effective and relevant to today’s media-saturated listeners. These are wonderful stories taken right out of ordinary life, on such topics as faith, giving, and persistence. Included are alternate subject listings to help you adapt selections for use with many topics; a Scripture index and easy-to-use topical index; and permission to copy entries.
Craig Brian Larson is editor of PreachingToday.com and worked as a contributing editor of Leadership Journal. Besides pastoring a church in Chicago, he is also a freelance writer and speaker. He is the author of Preaching That Connects and Hang in There . . . to the Better End.
This book of humor offers speakers, preachers, teachers, and writers a collection of funny stories and one-liners that will refresh their message and drive home their point. The anthology also includes favorite humorous cartoons from Leadership Journal and Christian Reader. The selections are arranged alphabetically by topic; there’s an easy-to-use index; and readers have permission to copy entries for personal and ministry use.
Edward K. Rowell is the author of six books, including Preaching with Spiritual Passion. He was associate editor of Leadership and editor of Preaching Today and is currently the editor of Proclaim, Growing Churches, and Let’s Worship magazines.
Bonne L. Steffen writes articles for ChristianityToday.com.
Haddon Robinson’s method as presented in Biblical Sermons is employed in twelve expository messages with accompanying comments on each by the editor and interviews with each preacher.
Biblical Sermons provides greater substance and meaning to an appropriate approach to expository preaching.
—Gerald Mathisen, Moody Bible Institute
This volume is the flesh and blood which brings life to the skeleton in Biblical Preaching. Its clear and constructive content is both an intellectual and devotional experience.
—William McRae, Ontario Theological Seminary
Haddon W. Robinson, PhD, is the Harold John Ockenga Distinguished Professor of Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. His book, Biblical Preaching, has sold more than 200,000 copies and has been used extensively in Bible colleges and seminaries since 1980.
Many in ministry see preaching and church leadership as separate responsibilities. “Most writing on Christian leadership omits preaching, and most books on preaching leave out leadership,” observes Michael Quicke. But effective Christian ministry requires preachers to rediscover leadership through preaching. By adapting a workable and realistic leadership model, Quicke shows how preaching is the main vehicle for leading congregational change.
If you feel your preaching responsibilities get in the way of your leadership, prepare to be challenged. If you feel your leadership responsibilities get in the way of your preaching, prepare to be challenged. 360-Degree Leadership argues persuasively that leadership and preaching are two sides of the same gold coin.
—Craig Brian Larson, editor, PreachingToday.com
Michael J. Quicke is C. W. Koller Professor of Preaching and Communication at Northern Seminary in Lombard, Illinois, and preaches and lectures across the world.
Making a Difference in Preaching offers a collection of Haddon Robinson’s shorter writings on preaching, providing a helpful understanding of his preaching theory, method, and practice, and illuminating the key differences between good preaching and poor preaching. Here the reader can compare and contrast Robinson’s perspective of the preacher as theologian and evangelist. The section entitled The Preacher and the People consists of chapters urging the preacher to think intentionally about the people to whom he or she preaches. Each chapter contains discussion/reflection questions and a list of books for further reading. The book is well-suited for pastors looking for refreshing insights into their preaching, as well as seminary students or lay speakers.
Scott Gibson is assistant dean and associate professor of ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also teaches homiletics. He received an MDiv from Gordon-Conwell, a ThM in homiletics from Princeton Theological Seminary, an MTh in Church history from the University of Toronto, and a DPhil in Church History from the University of Oxford. He is one of the founders of the Evangelical Homiletics Society.
This complete guide to expository preaching teaches the basics of preparation, organization, and delivery—the trademarks of great preaching. With the help of charts and creative learning exercises, Chapell shows how expository preaching can reveal the redemptive aims of Scripture and offers a comprehensive approach to the theory and practice of preaching. He also provides help for special preaching situations.
This is the best book on expository preaching I have read since Haddon Robinson’s Biblical Preaching. . . . [It] will be in the classrooms and on the desks of preachers for years to come.
—Timothy S. Warren, Bibliotheca Sacra
Bryan Chapell is distinguished professor of preaching at Knox Theological Seminary and preaches and lectures across the world.
Dive into the 3rd and updated edition of Haddon Robinson’s bestselling text, and find a wealth of knowledge on preparing and preaching expository sermons. Biblical Preaching has sold over 300,000 copies and remains a contemporary classic in the field. Regarded by many as the “teacher of preachers,” Robinson deftly guides students, pastors, and Bible teachers in developing and delivering biblical sermons. This latest edition has been updated throughout to include helpful exercises, and sample sermon with evaluation.
Robinson’s book offers a bracing and yet enjoyable whirlwind tour of homiletical theory. If you are looking for a book to challenge you and to enrich how you go about the privileged work of preaching the gospel, this book won’t disappoint. . . . Biblical Preaching can be a helpful resource in polishing some of the most basic homiletical skills that we place into the service of the proclamation of the gospel.
—Richard Gurgel, Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly
Haddon Robinson is the Harold John Ockenga Distinguished Professor of Preaching and President at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He received his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary, an MA from Southern Methodist University, and a PhD from the University of Illinois. Robinson served as director of the Dallas Youth for Christ, associate pastor of the First Baptist Church in Medford, Oregon, and an instructor of speech at the University of Illinois. He was president of Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary and taught homiletics at Dallas Theological Seminary for 19 years. Dr. Robinson has done extensive work in radio and television, serving as one of the hosts for Discover the Word, a daily radio program in Grand Rapids, MI. He is the author of What Jesus Said About Successful Living.
Craig Blomberg demonstrates how the structure of a parable is key to its interpretation and thus to its exposition. He shows how a parable, when properly contemporized, can be a powerful rhetorical device. He also illustrates how recognizing the elements of the parable that were atypical to everyday life can lead to key insights that will be of significance to contemporary parishioners. Each of the 15 exemplary sermons is accompanied by an analysis that points out key interpretive decisions.
Craig Blomberg is a superb teacher and expert on the parables. Here he effectively combines both gifts. This book discusses how to preach the parables and gives a wonderful sample of sermons with explanations about how to proceed. I can’t imagine a more helpful pastoral and homiletical guide to the perplexing world of parables. Highly recommended.
—Darrell Bock, research professor of New Testament studies, Dallas Theological Seminary
Craig L. Blomberg (PhD, Aberdeen University) is distinguished professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary.
According to Walter Kaiser, a gap exists in the academic preparation of ministers. It is the gap between the study of the biblical text (most frequently in the original languages) and the actual delivery of messages to God’s people. Very few centers of biblical and homiletical training have ever taken the time or effort to show the student how one moves from analyzing the text to constructing a sermon that reflects and is dependent on that analysis. The author intends to bridge this gap with Toward an Exegetical Theology. He proposes a syntactical-theological method of exegesis consisting of the following steps: (1) contextual analysis, (2) syntactical analysis, (3) verbal analysis, (4) theological analysis, and (5) homiletical analysis.
Kaiser finds no fault with the time-honored grammatical-historical method except that it failed to go far enough in describing the main job of exegesis. In the syntactical-theological method the accent falls on syntactical analysis of the text and on biblical theology. Syntactical analysis systematically operates from three basic building blocks: (1) the concept, (2) the proposition, and (3) the paragraph. It is the precise way in which these three units are organized and arranged that provides the exegete all the data necessary to begin the journey of moving from the text to the destination of using that text in a teaching and preaching situation.
Walter C. Kaiser (PhD, Brandeis University) is president emeritus and Colman Mockler Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the author of more than 30 books, including Mission in the Old Testament and Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament.
Mathewson guides students and preachers through a ten-step process from text selection to sermon delivery. Mathewson then provides sample sermons and interviews of five individuals, including Alice Mathews and Haddon Robinson.
The Old Testament houses a wealth of powerful preaching material for those who know how to mine its depths and communicate its truth in an effective, relevant way. Steven D. Mathewson has provided the serious preacher and teacher of Old Testament narrative literature with an awesome guide in how to communicate the truths from the Old Testament to our contemporary generation.
—Tony Evans, president, Urban Alternative
Steve Mathewson knows why we don’t preach Old Testament narratives; he tells us why we should; and he describes how we can. His method is clear and inviting. He displays the highest standards of Biblical scholarship without a hint of smugness. Steve pastors a rural church bursting at the seams and short on staff, yet he refuses to skimp on sermon preparation—which may be precisely why his church is bursting at the seams.
—David Hansen, senior pastor, Kenwood Baptist Church
Steven D. Mathewson (DMin, Gordon-Cronwell Theological Seminary) has taught at Montana Bible College and currently serves as senior pastor of Dry Creek Bible Church, Belgrade, Montana.
Developed out of tried and tested teaching material, Kaiser exhibits a straightforward and accessible writing style. The opening chapters deal with the value, problem, and task of preaching from the Old Testament. Kaiser then provides a practical focus by examining preaching and teaching from the texts of various genres (proverbs, prophecy, Torah, etc.). A final chapter examines the relevance of the Old Testament in speaking to a contemporary audience. Pedagogical features include a glossary, a suggested outline/worksheet for expository preaching, and three indices.
Walter Kaiser gives a solid defense for preaching from the Old Testament and provides helpful insights on Old Testament backgrounds and interpretation. His hints for preaching the genres of the Old Testament will be of value to any preacher.
—Scott M. Gibson, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Walter C. Kaiser (PhD, Brandeis University) is president emeritus and Colman Mockler Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the author of more than 30 books, including Mission in the Old Testament.
In The Majesty of God in the Old Testament, Walter Kaiser demonstrates how God’s unsurpassed majesty and greatness can be captured in contemporary teaching and preaching. Kaiser accomplishes this goal by walking through an exposition of ten great Old Testament passages that are rife with evidence of God’s majesty. He also demonstrates how various types of preparatory studies—word, historical/archaeological, thematic, Bible background, and theological—can be used to help pastors make the Old Testament more relevant to their congregations. In addition, he addresses potential problems peculiar to the preaching of the Old Testament.
Those who preach about the greatness of God do business in deep waters. This book will help all of us who read, teach, or preach to navigate those waters.
—Haddon Robinson, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Hats off to Walt Kaiser for demonstrating again that, in the end, the Scriptures are about the greatness of God. Using passage after passage of the Old Testament, Kaiser reminds us that the real subject of the Bible is God himself: his marvelous person, his wisdom-filled ways, his loving will. This book will serve as a bracing theocentric tonic for all who are determined to avoid those anthropocentric treatments of Scripture that seem so prevalent today.
—Duane Litfin, president, Wheaton College
Walter C. Kaiser (PhD, Brandeis University) is president emeritus and Colman Mockler Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the author of more than 30 books, including Mission in the Old Testament and Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament.
Many in ministry see preaching and church leadership as separate responsibilities. “Most writing on Christian leadership omits preaching, and most books on preaching leave out leadership,” observes Michael Quicke. But effective Christian ministry requires preachers to rediscover leadership through preaching. By adapting a workable and realistic leadership model, Quicke shows how preaching is the main vehicle for leading congregational change.
With 360-Degree Preaching, veteran preacher Michael Quicke brings expository preaching to a postmodern world. As someone who preaches every Sunday, he has witnessed the transforming power of preaching first hand for over thirty years. As he teaches students and pastors the art of preaching, his goal is to encourage preachers and those who train to be preachers.
[Quicke] challenges a popular metaphor for preaching, suggests a better alternative, and encourages preachers. The result is a book that takes seriously the challenges of preaching in the 21st century but faces them with a hopefulness rooted in God’s character and activity.
—Evangelical Homiletics Society
Michael Quicke has written a comprehensive and practical guide to developing sermons. Throughout, his clear voice, engaging personality, honest mind, and deep passion for the gospel are present.
—Thomas G. Long, Brandy Professor of Preaching, Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Michael J. Quicke is C. W. Koller Professor of Preaching and Communication at Northern Seminary in Lombard, Illinois, and preaches and lectures across the world.
There are four distinct voices that preachers gravitate toward in their efforts to persuade, according to Reid. These include the teaching voice (explaining through argument); encouraging voice (facilitating an encounter with God); sage voice (critical reflection or analysis that invites exploration); and testifying voice (engaging listeners and seeking to build community). Reid’s book provides sample sermons grounded in each voice.
Readers will come away from this book better able to identify their own primary voice while being able to speak in other voices when needed. Few books on preaching combine so deftly important theoretical ideas with practical implications. This book will be a welcome companion in the classroom and would be an excellent resource for clergy colleague groups and for a preacher’s own reading.
—Ronald J. Allen, Christian Theological Seminary
Robert Stephen Reid (PhD, University of Washington) is director of the masters of arts in communications program and chair of the communications department at the University of Dubuque.
Highly regarded preacher and teacher Bryan Chapell shows readers how he has prepared expository sermons according to the principles he developed in his bestselling Christ-Centered Preaching. This companion volume provides concrete examples of Chapell’s approach in various types of sermons and genres of the Bible. Not only do the example sermons demonstrate different approaches—they’re also analyzed for pedagogical purposes, helping readers move from theory to practice. In essence, the book allows students and preachers to look over Chapell’s shoulder as he prepares these messages to learn how to construct their own expository sermons that communicate grace and truth from both the Old and New Testaments.
Bryan Chapell earned his PhD from Southern Illinois University and is now senior pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria, Illinois. He previously served as chancellor, president, and professor of practical theology at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a widely traveled speaker and the author of numerous books, including the bestseller Christ-Centered Preaching, Christ-Centered Worship, and Holiness by Grace.
Making the Old Testament accessible to modern audiences can prove especially challenging. This companion volume to the bestselling Biblical Preaching provides model sermons which demonstrate biblical preaching on Old Testament texts. These helpful examples allow preachers to see the theory of Haddon Robinson’s classic work fleshed out in actual sermons from exemplary preachers. Following each sermon, Robinson offers a brief commentary and interviews the preacher, providing students with practical insight into ministry life and sermon preparation.
Patricia Batten teaches homiletics at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. She has also served various churches in pastoral or preaching roles. She earned a MTh at University of Edinburgh as well as a DMin and MDiv at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Haddon Robinson is the Harold John Ockenga Distinguished Professor of Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He received his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary, an MA from Southern Methodist University, and a PhD from the University of Illinois. Robinson served as director of the Dallas Youth for Christ (1952–55), associate pastor of the First Baptist Church in Medford, Oregon (1956–58), and an instructor of speech at the University of Illinois (1960–62). He was president of Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary and taught homiletics at Dallas Theological Seminary for nineteen years. He is also the editor of Biblical Sermons: How Twelve Preachers Apply the Principles of Biblical Preaching.
Situational ethics, made popular in the 1960s, teaches that “all we need is love.” Loving is how we should be, but it does not tell us what to do. A biblical ethic, which can provide real guidance, begins with the light of Scripture. But how applicable is the Bible’s moral standard to the complex issues we face today, such as stem cell research, euthanasia, racism, gambling, and environmental care? And how does a person use Scripture in making or evaluating ethical decisions?
Trusted Bible scholar and teacher Walter Kaiser answers these questions by connecting 18 tough ethical issues with 18 key teaching Scriptures—including, for example, poverty with Isaiah 58, genetic engineering with Genesis 1:26–30 and 2:15–25, substance abuse with Proverbs 23:29–35, cohabitation with 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8, and war with Deuteronomy 20:1–20 and Romans 13:1–7. Through authoritative teaching from Scripture, suggested expositional outlines, and insights from years of teaching this material at Gordon-Conwell and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Kaiser demonstrates how to connect Scripture to ethical issues and train congregations to think biblically about ethics. The result is a vital text for teaching pastors, a stimulating resource and guide for preaching, and a foundation for developing Bible studies.
This series of studies will prove an invaluable tool to any Christian leader and will leave every thinking believer, even if not in agreement with all Dr. Kaiser’s conclusions on every issue, sharing the Jubilee Centre’s desire to explore further the continued relevance of biblical principles to the social, economic, and political questions facing modern society.
—John Hayward, executive director, Jubilee Centre, Cambridge, England
Walter C. Kaiser Jr. is emeritus president and distinguished professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. He previously taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Wheaton College. Kaiser earned his AB from Wheaton College, BD from Wheaton Graduate School, and MA and PhD from Brandeis University. Active as a preacher, speaker, researcher, and writer, he is the author of more than 40 books, including The Majesty of God in the Old Testament: A Guide for Preaching and Teaching and Toward an Exegetical Theology: Biblical Exegesis for Preaching and Teaching.
Distinguished Old Testament scholar Walter Kaiser believes that the Old Testament is sorely neglected today in teaching and preaching—and that it’s even more neglected when it comes to setting forth the hope that Christians have for the future. Firmly believing that the Old Testament offers important insights into biblical eschatology and the Christian life, he provides guidance for preachers, teachers, and Bible students on expositing 15 key Old Testament eschatological passages. Each chapter focuses on a single biblical text. Kaiser introduces the topic, examines the issues, notes who has contributed to some of the solutions, and shows how this sets up the text to be exegeted and prepared for exposition.
What can we know about eschatology from Scripture, especially the Old Testament? Walter Kaiser’s Preaching and Teaching the Last Things shows us that we can know quite a lot. This is a helpful work for those who wonder how to preach or teach about the end with balance and clarity.
—Darrell L. Bock, senior research professor of New Testament studies, Dallas Theological Seminary
Walter C. Kaiser Jr. is emeritus president and distinguished professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. He previously taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Wheaton College. Kaiser earned his AB from Wheaton College, BD from Wheaton Graduate School, and MA and PhD from Brandeis University. Active as a preacher, speaker, researcher, and writer, he is the author of more than 40 books, including The Majesty of God in the Old Testament: A Guide for Preaching and Teaching and Toward an Exegetical Theology: Biblical Exegesis for Preaching and Teaching.