Text Message: The Centrality of Scripture in Preaching

by Ian Stackhouse (editor), Oliver D. Crisp (Editor), Thomas G. Long (Foreword)

Preaching has fallen on hard times with many questioning its relevance and even its validity as a New Testament practice. This symposium of specially commissioned essays draws together an international team of thirteen scholars and pastors to address the importance of textual preaching in the history and life of the early church, the historic church, and the contemporary church. Contributions include essays on Old Testament preaching, preaching in Hebrews, gender-sensitive preaching, preaching in the theology of Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and in Eastern Orthodoxy. It also includes essays on a range of homiletical challenges that textual preaching raises for the contemporary preacher, including genre, preaching without notes, inhabiting the text, and preaching without platitudes. A final reflection by Dave Hansen on the state of textual preaching rounds out the collection.The preaching of the gospel stands at the heart of Christian praxis. These essays make a vital contribution to the recovery of the importance of preaching, focused on the text of Scripture. Written with an eye to the pastor and practitioner as well as those in the pews and in the classroom, this is a book that should appeal to a wide range of readers."This book provides a rich contribution to the field of homiletics. The authors compose well-written chapters on various angles of preaching that results in a book that demonstrates that the message of the text matters."--Scott M. Gibson, Haddon W. Robinson Professor of Preaching and Ministry, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Massachusetts"This is an invigorating and courageous set of essays. Ignoring easy and fashionable platitudes, the authors dare to ask what preaching might be if we believe that God has spoken in Scripture and speaks still in its exposition. The vision is enriched by historical study and sharpened by contemporary application. Every preacher will be encouraged and challenged in equal measure by this text, and will be better at his/her calling for reading it."--Stephen R. Holmes, Senior Lecturer in Theology, University of St. Andrews, ScotlandIan Stackhouse is Senior Pastor of Guildford Baptist Church, England, and the author of several books and articles, including The Gospel -Driven Church (2005), The Day Is Yours (2008), and Primitive Piety (2012). Oliver D. Crisp is Professor of Systematic Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He is the author or editor of fourteen books, including Revisioning Christology (2011) and Jonathan Edwards on God and Creation (2012).

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

As is true of any edited work, the chapters are a bit uneven in quality and interest. Yet they are all worthy of investment. Three distinct sections: Biblical and Theological; Historical; Textual. Each has informative chapters. Some are more academic, some a bit more testimonial, a few very practically oriented.

Personally, my favorite was Defamiliarization: Purging our Preaching of Platitudes by Karen Case-Green. But it was certainly not the only chapter to strike a chord and contribute to further thinking.

One on-going frustration. Book companies or authors really need to step up their editing expectations. Far too many typos.