Book Description

My goal in writing this book is to help busy pastors and laymen who may not be able to go to seminary, do not have time to read the multiple tomes written about preaching, or are overwhelmed by the volume of such books. Perhaps he is bi-vocational (which we all know is a code word for full-time job plus a full-time pastorate) and has wrestled with attaining excellence in the pulpit on a weekly basis. Maybe he has an MDiv but has grown stale in his study and needs a fresh perspective. These are common experiences among pastors, so I share my solution-a simple process for preparing sermons that are faithful to God's Word. The process outlined in this book is designed to maximize the value of time which can be afforded to sermon preparation. When the week is closing in and your study time feels compressed, Sunday's sermon still must be prepared. In those moments, a defined process which is simple, easy to use, and stays true to Scripture will serve you well. I believe you will find the information and instructions in this book beneficial in such a way.The information within the book is written in a conversational tone. However, the content is a condensation of scholarly work and hermeneutical theory. This book has been divided into two major sections: Ideology and Methodology. The first major division will deal with the ideology behind the process; why we do it the way we do. We must begin with similar views on the value, power, and importance of the Bible if we are going to be able to convey its truth well. The process in this book is based on a high view of Scripture as God's Word. The major presupposition underlying this process is that the Word of God is inerrant, infallible, and written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Thus, it seemed important to establish a starting place from where we can all move forward together with a shared understanding of how to approach God's Word. The second major division is the process itself. After an introductory segment, each of the short chapters in that section will deal with a different step in the process. Although the process is divided into steps, it is not intended to become a robotic, factory-like process. The purpose of the steps is to give you a method to work through a passage in the Bible and discover the truth within it, then, to convey that truth to your audience in an understandable way. One of my goals has been to keep this as simple as possible while also respecting the importance of the task. Another goal is to give you a tool which you can start using the first week you read it.