Biblical Preaching - Book Review

There are two forms of preaching:

 

1) Topical - The Pastor teaches on various subjects such as salvation, sexual conduct, the life of Christ, etc.

 

2) Expository - The Pastor moves his way through the Bible, book by book hitting on each and every verse along the way.

 

Both forms are necessary for the growth and maturation of the Church, but the Pastor must never forget that he is not just bringing a message from God to you, but also from God to him.

 

Everything from preparation to a finished product is found within this book. Pastor Robinson gives practical steps for how to become an effective communicator and a powerful preacher. Illustrating the theory and concepts behind this kind of preaching he even includes practical exercises at the end of most chapters.

 

Something that I am continually reminded of is the fact that communication, specifically preaching, is not just what you say or what you do. It can be how you say it, at what time you say it and where you say it. It involves eye contact, hand gestures, facial expression, intonation, pausing, praying, delegation and confrontation. In every sermon the pastor ever gives he must do it in humility, grace and reverence for the holy God.

 

Passion and emotion stir hearts. Illustrations captivate the mind. Depth of Scripture will stun the audience. Set before the people a rich banquet feast of divine truth so that they will hunger and thirst for more. God's Word should never be boring. Rather, we should preach the Gospel of Christ with power and authority.

 

Capture the senses like Charles H. Spurgeon did using a simile that referred to a past era "when the great universe lay in the mind of God like unborn forests in the acorn's cup."

 

When figures enter into a sermon, they should be as simple as possible without sacrificing accuracy. Make your facts meaningful and vivid by comparing them to things within the experience of the audience. For example:

"If an electron were increased in size till it became as large as an apple, and a human being grew larger in the same proportion, that person could hold the entire solar system in the palm of their hand and would have to use a magnifying glass in order to see it."

Above all, never forsake the fact that God's Word is the foundation stone for which we are to live our lives. Everyone else's word has and will fail, but God's Word stands the tests of time and will remain forever true!