Telling God's Story: Narrative Preaching for Christian Formation (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

John W. Wright presents a new model of preaching that aims to connect the biblical text with a congregation so that they are formed into a true Christian community. Such formation calls for interpretative engagement with both the biblical narrative and the cultural narrative that shapes our society. Wright critically surveys current theories of preaching and the variety of hermeneutical practices, providing clear guidance and practical direction for faithful preaching.

Market/Audience

• Pastors
• Seminary students and professors

Features and Benefits

• A new text for preachers and preaching classes
• A fresh approach that surveys the options and gives concrete direction
• An integrative approach that takes the biblical text seriously, the task of communicating the gospel and aims for the formation of authentically Christian congregations

Product Details

• Paperback: 166 pages
• Publisher: IVP Academic (May 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830827404
• ISBN-13: 978-0830827404
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #437,217 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Takes Aim at Contemporary Preaching & Offers an Alternative Approach, September 17, 2008

By	C. Stephans - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Professor John Wright's book takes aim at Christian preaching in America. He diagnoses today's preaching as placating to the culture and as merely contributing toward a "value-added" culture rather than building the kingdom of God.

Wright states the problem with contemporary preaching: "Preaching has largely ceased to incorporate individuals into the concerns created by the Christian Scriptures. Instead, preaching has become the application of an individualistic, therapeutic biblical language to contemporary concerns or disembodied calls to social justice." (19)

He elaborates on the problem that he sees catering to a consumer-driven need for a therapeutic climate in church and the desire for preaching that affirms the individualistic self-actualization that our culture cherishes and pursues. He indicts pastors who weave the Biblical narrative into this false gospel of American culture. He writes about what he sees as a divorce between theology and preaching fueled by a mindset that diminishes the power of the gospel and seeks the approval of congregations more than the approval of God. Wright is no fan of American pastors, contemporary or past.

He calls contemporary preaching "comedic" in that it seeks to fuse the horizon of the biblical text into the preexisting horizon of the congregation. He contrasts this with what he prescribes and calls "tragic" preaching that demolishes the preexisting worldview of the congregation and its culturally-inspired spirituality and replaces it with a countercultural, truly Christian narrative that inspires repentance and conversion and leads to the development of a "peculiar people."

His book's goal is to help preachers learn how to develop a "tragic" homiletic that leads congregations into the Biblical narrative rather than affirming the cultural norms.

The two stories that have characterized American preaching since the founding of the country, according to Wright, have been an individualistic narrative and a narrative that exalts the nation as its object. Wright picks out a few preachers in American history to accuse of either emphasizing the individual at the expense of God's whole people or he accuses them of preaching a gospel that promotes the nation of America as the biblical "city on a hill" at the expense of God's kingdom. Both of these I think are over-generalized stereotypes that focus on an issue while dismissing the work of the Holy Spirit in these ministries. One person so labeled as what one would infer as a heretic is George Whitfield. He is accused by Wright of shifting the whole location of salvation "from God's action in Christ to the personal experience of the individual." (59) Wright disregards any fruit that Whitfield's ministry produce and does not consider that the Spirit may have been at work in his ministry that others have lauded over the ages. It also seems that Wright is ignoring the context in which Whitfield preached--mainly to those who were unchurched and unwelcome in existing churches. I wonder if Wright's indictment of Whitfield also carries over to Wesley--guilt by association. The treatment of Whitfield is indicative of a tone in this book that chastises all who have come before and all who have not adopted Wrights manner of preaching.

Similarly, Wright strongly opposes all notions that God might have inspired and honored the early Americans who longed and strived for America to be a place of God's Spirit and church. Sure they may have esteemed the new land too highly and become too nationalistic, but one cannot deny that God has used their efforts and prayers to advance the gospel both in and through America. Again Wright seems to imply that the Spirit has been absent from the continent and has finally come to him with this new revelation for how to preach.

This may sound harsh, so let me state that the positive writing of this book outweighs the negative. I think Wright is correct in his criticism of some preaching in America. Undoubtedly, the errors in preaching he cites are temptations for all pastors who become influenced by the culture and allow it to direct Biblical interpretation and hermeneutics. His exhortations are well suited for any who preach in America.

He provides several examples of sermons to illustrate the style and content of preaching he espouses in the book. These serve their purpose; however, they did not strike me as being in such contrast to much of the preaching I hear in the churches I attend; although, that is subjective on my part.

He promotes three congregational practices to support the biblical narrative and worldview. These are the Lord's Supper, forgiveness and reconciliation and caring for the needs of saints and hospitality offered to strangers. These he writes are appropriate and necessary for the church to become the people God desires. These unarguably are essential elements in any church and provide a larger context for the "tragic" preaching he suggests.

I think Wright makes some profound and striking points about preaching today. He leads readers back to an emphasis on leading people not necessarily to comfort and affirmation but to repentance and conversion for the purpose of growing up into Christ as a community of saints. I think he undermines his focus by taking historical jabs at preachers in the past who I think have done lasting service to the Body of Christ. His generalizations and stereotypes are also unhelpful and discount the work of God's Spirit in the church today. The good points make this book worth reading for preachers.