Preparing Expository Sermons: A Seven-Step Method for Biblical Preaching [Paperback]

Ramesh Richard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2001

This do-it-yourself handbook on expository preaching provides a seven-step sermon-shaping process, with many practical suggestions and illustrative charts. "'Must reading' for all who desire to preach the word."-Dr. Charles R. Swindoll, president, Dallas Theological Seminary; chairman, Insight for Living

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"The insights, techniques, and suggestions Dr. Ramesh Richard offers are reliable and relevant. This book is 'must reading' for all who desire to preach the word."
--Dr. Charles R. Swindoll, president, Dallas Theological Seminary; chairman, Insight for Living

"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 thirteen appendixes that include information on:

o how to choose a text
o preaching narratives
o understanding your audience
o elements of a competent sermon outline
o forms of sermon introduction

A comprehensive sermon evaluation questionnaire is included.

Ramesh Richard, Th.D., Ph.D., leads Ramesh Richard Evangelism and Church Helps (RREACH) International and teaches expository preaching at Dallas Theological Seminary.

Previously published as Scripture Sculpture. Revised and expanded.

About the Author

Ramesh Richard, Th.D., Ph.D., leads Ramesh Richard Evangelism and Church Helps (RREACH) International and teaches expository preaching at Dallas Theological Seminary. He lives in Richardson, Texas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Baker Books; Reprinted edition (November 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801091195
• ISBN-13: 978-0801091193
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #100,681 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #87 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Evangelism > Preaching

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple, Straight-Forward, Easy to Understand, March 15, 2008

By 

Marc Axelrod (Potter, Wi USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Preparing Expository Sermons: A Seven-Step Method for Biblical Preaching (Paperback)

This is one of the clearest and easiest to understand books about preaching. Ramesh Richard believes in verse by verse expository preaching (though he does acknowledge the occasional value of a topical expository message). He presents his Scripture Sculpture method, where we can sculpt a beautiful sermon out of a text of scripture.

There are seven steps: Study the text (looking for key nouns and verbs and important prepositions and conjunctions), structure the text, find the central theme of the text, make a purpose statement, rewording the central theme of the text in a contemporary way, structuring the sermon (usually in the order of the text), and preaching the sermon.

The book also has several examples from Ephesians to show us how to work through this seven step process (there are also examples from Matthew 18:21-35 and Revelation 4:1-12).

I do wish that Dr. Richard would have had some clear examples of how to preach Old Testament narrative, but he does have an appendix dealing with narrative.

The appendices deal with questions that are often raised by students at Scripture Sculpture seminars. For a future edition (this is already the second edition), maybe Dr. Richard could discuss the average length of time it takes to prepare a sermon and how to squeeze sermon preparation time into a busy schedule, especially when the preacher has several services a week.

But the book was great, one of the best preaching texts I have read.

9 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good and very practical, December 19, 2002

By 

AlexForrest (Greenville, South Carolina United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Preparing Expository Sermons: A Seven-Step Method for Biblical Preaching (Paperback)

Ramesh Richard teaches preaching at Dalls Theological Seminary and teaches numerous seminars each year around the world, especially in India. In this book, formerly titled Scripture Sculpture, Richard presents a basic model for expository preaching of the Word that is easily adaptable and transferable to different situations. The book is eminently practical yet well grounded.

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy - Reliable - Biblical, August 20, 2011

By 

C. Lewton "CSL" (USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Preparing Expository Sermons: A Seven-Step Method for Biblical Preaching (Paperback)

The book is a quick read and easy to apply and understand. The author who is distinguished and from Dallas T has made a book that can remain as a textbook by the sermon prep desk to develop biblical authentic messages geared to chiseling the human heart where the will can respond to God's Voice. Many preaching textbooks even Broadus sometimes get way too techy while this is a gifted teacher sitting over your shoulder.

CSL