Preaching for the Rest of Us: Essentials for Text-Driven Preaching

by Robby Gallaty, Steven W. Smith

Preaching for the Rest of Us  serves as a starter's guide to text-driven preaching.  Driven by the conviction that pastors hold the weighty and honorable responsibility of explaining Scripture to their congregations, Gallaty and Smith present a clear step-by-step process for re-presenting Scripture in compelling text-driven sermons. 
 
This unique type of preaching is the interpretation and communication of a text of Scripture driven by the substance, structure, and spirit of the text. It's not the presentation of a sermon, but the re-presentation of a text of a Scripture. For those who don’t feel trained for text-driven preaching, whose preaching template is tired and predictable, or need a preaching restart,  Preaching for the Rest of Us  provides a compelling reason and method for preaching texts of Scripture.
 
 

208 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2018

Reviews

[David J. Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written with an excellent layout. Packs much in less than 200 pages while remaining surprisingly readable. Really worthwhile.

[Jared Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good "nuts and bolts" text, primarily for beginning preachers or those who haven't had much formal training or mentorship. It is short and generalized, so it covers a lot of ground quickly, helping readers ask the right questions for understanding a text and begin to know what to do with it. There is really just one chapter broaching the topic of biblical theology, so there's not a lot on how to preach in a Christocentric way, but a good primer for just figuring out how to get from text to homiletical outline. Overall I liked it.

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good.

[Bro. Austin McCormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS BOOK WAS AWESOME! It took me awhile to finish it because I’m reading multiple books right now. (I don’t like to do that). This book helps preachers with the structure of their sermons. This is an area that I know I need to improve upon. It also teaches what an Expository sermon is, and demonstrates avenues that the preacher can take for a sermon to be expository. The parts of this book that were the most helpful for me were the chapters concerning introductions, conclusions, and invitations. I recommend this book to any Pastor/Preacher/Evangelist/ that delivers sermons. I also recommend this book to any deacon or laymen that fills the pulpit. I hope this book will minister to you the way that it has ministered to me.

[Rebekah Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is as it describes itself, a guide. The chapters are very focused on the steps of preparing a sermon. Examples are included. If you’ve never given a sermon this will definitely help. More then a guide it is also an encouragement. Yes, structure is needed in a sermon but even more important is the heart of the one giving the sermon and the faithfulness to scripture. It must be the word preached. These authors never waiver from the emphasis of this.

Although I’m not a preacher, this has been so helpful, so encouraging, in preparing teaching of scripture. It will be a book I refer back to for guidance.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you get when you take a Brazilian Jujitsu pro and a seminary professor? No this is not a joke. You get a fantastic book filled with practical advice on how to prepare, preach, and grow in preaching biblically faithful messages that God can use to save people, grow people, correct people, and fortify the church. In this small volume, Robby Gallaty and Steven Smith take the non-seminary trained pastor or layman and walks them through a process faithful to the Bible to enable them to preach engaging and helpful messages that fulfill God's call. If you are seminary trained, this book is still a great refresher course on the essentials of text-driven preaching.

[Tyler Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a associate pastor (that preaches occasionally) who has only an undergrad ministry degree I found this book to be quite helpful as I prepare to preach. I loved the author's focus on preaching the text. This book definitely provided me some great insight on how to make sure I am preaching in a way that God's Word is the focus and that the listeners will be pushed to see the suffiency of God's Word as well. I am already using some of the things laid out in this book to help me prepare my next sermon.

[Christian Wermeskerch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few more examples would have been great. There are a handful of examples scattered throughout, so I feel like the authors knew they would've helped. I wonder if they had to be cut for the sake of space, as this is a relatively short book. Other than that, lots of helpful tips and hints and lots of good things to think through when starting to preach. I can't recommend reading this book alone - would be good as a pastoral group study or a homiletics class textbook, though.

[Christian Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a practical book on preaching. Smith and Gallaty provide helpful tips for sermon preparation, sermon meditation, and sermon presentation. In many ways this book is helpful for the non-preacher for it shows the reader the tedious work that is done weekly by faithful pastors. There are some great nuggets in here about the necessity of expositional preaching that the evangelical church of American could use today.

[Kyle Bueermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ridiculously helpful primer on preaching. Gallaty and Smith has written a succinct and immensely practical guide to discover what it means to be a text-driven preacher. It is a good book for beginners, and a good book for those of us who have spent some time in the pulpit.

Read it. You will be challenged and blessed!

[Rob Ginter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction to preaching for those with no formal training. It is very down to earth and generalized which is helpful for getting an overall picture. If you did not go to seminary this is a solid introduction for how to grasp and preach the meaning of the text. Hence I believe the book accomplished what the title set out to accomplish in a very relatable way ‘for the rest of us’.

[Michael Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this little work surprisingly challenging and helpful. I would encourage those who have been in the pulpit awhile to read through it as a refresher or those who are new to preaching to give it a read. Doesn't have all the technical detail as texts like Kaiser or Robinson, but many helpful insights. Very Word centered as the subtitle emphasizes.

[Brit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent introduction to text-driven preaching. It's not the most comprehensive book on the topic--by design; it's meant as a guide. The book accomplishes that goal, so I will definitely be using it to help train younger preachers in my church. Occasionally the book introduces topics on which a little more elaboration would have been helpful, but overall it's an excellent resource.

[Chrys Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great practical book on preaching. One of the best for go-to sermon prep advice. I highly recommend it to pastors, especially those who haven't been to seminary or don't have time to wade through thick and technical books.

[Darrilyn Schantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Necessary for any preacher

You want to know how to write a text driven sermon? - Read this book. It will blow your mind.

[Troy Solava · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for it is concise and practical! Would use this to equip preachers!

[eui yeon kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good for a beginner

I would recommend this book to young preachers. I have a learned a lot from this book. Great place to begin!

[Robbie Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for those beginning to preach or would like to improve in their preaching.

[Joseph Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great and accessible resource on expository preaching! I wish I had it sooner. So easy to grasp, convictional, and compelling. I highly recommend it!