Customer Reviews

Learn to Preach Before Next Weekend

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm always skeptical of books with time in the title: Learn to Program Computers in 24 hours, Teach College in 10 minutes. . . but this book actually delivers. It's short enough to conceivably read in a week. And, it's packed with content.

The author introduces three elements that should be in every sermon: a life question, a biblical answer, and an application. Then he goes step by step through the process of building such a sermon. It's not just a one-size-fits-all approach. In many cases James presents alternate approaches and explains how each can be used to fit your particular text, subject or audience.

Before I close I must say a few words on style. The ideas are clearly presented and most of the key concepts are neatly packaged by illustrations that make them easy to recall when the book is set down. The author clearly mastered the subject before setting out to capture the essence in a book. That is truly a breath of fresh air after seeing so books apparently written by authors who "wanted to write a book" rather than authors who wished to fill a book with content!

As the quote attributed to Antonie de Saint-Exupery, "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." This small tome captures a tremendous amount of content, organizes it well, and presents it clearly. 5 stars!

Learn to Preach writes more simply and clearly than any other book I have seen regarding the topic of preaching. A layman can understand it. Its information has helped me, a preacher of over 20 years sharpen my deliveries. My purpose in choosing this book was to serve as a textbook for my laymen in a preaching class I offered. The book helped them to do great jobs in the pulpit.

To get a quick grasp of functional sermon writing then this is the book you need...