God’s people need to hear “a word from the Lord,” to know their God is with them, and to transcend this world and be taken to the very feet of Jesus. The preacher is charged with assisting in this mission. While there may be different theological perspectives and different methods of sermon preparation and delivery, one thing remains constant—the need for quality preaching resources. Drawing upon the rich and powerful tradition of the black church, The Abingdon African American Preaching Library offers a wealth of thoughtful, biblically grounded preaching aids, including special days in the Black Church tradition. To read the Introduction to the book click here
The Introduction to African American Preaching is an important, groundbreaking book. This book acknowledges African American preaching as an academic discipline, and invites all students and preachers into a scholarly, dynamic, and useful exploration of the topic. Author Frank Thomas opens with a “bus tour” study of African American preaching. He shows how African American preaching has gradually moved from an almost exclusively oral to an oral/written tradition. Readers will gain insight into the history of the study of the African American preaching tradition, and catch the author’s enthusiasm for it. Next Thomas traces the relationship between homiletics and rhetoric in Western preaching, demonstrating how African American preaching is inherently theological and rhetorical. He then explores the question, “what is black preaching?” Thomas introduces the reader to methods of “close reading” and “ideological criticism.” And then demonstrates how to use these methods, using a sermon by Gardner Calvin Taylor as his example. The next chapter considers the question, “what is excellence in black preaching?” The next chapter seeks to create bridges and dialogue within the field of homiletics, and in particular, the Euro-American homiletic tradition. The goal of this chapter is to clearly demonstrate connections between the African American preaching tradition and the field of homiletics. Thomas next turns to questions about the relevancy of the church to the Millennial generation. Specifically, how will the African American church remain relevant to this generation, which is so deeply concerned with social justice?
The art of preaching is one of the most important acts of ministry. The sermon serves as a transformative force—imparting knowledge, challenging beliefs, and convicting hearts. Recognizing the importance of this sacred task, Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, 2nd Edition equips pastors with invaluable tools and insights, enabling them to prepare and deliver sermons that resonate deeply with their congregations. In a single volume, editor Michael Duduit compiles the insight, methods, and experience of over fifty celebrated preachers, including R. Albert Mohler, Hershael York, Robert Smith Jr., Bryan Chappell, Jim Shaddix, Tony Merida, Ed Stetzer, and many others. This handbook covers every aspect of contemporary preaching: The roots of contemporary preaching Contemporary preaching methods, including expository, topical, doctrinal, narrative, and alternative preaching models Sermon preparation and presentation Preaching and the biblical text Preaching as a part of ministry Preaching to the needs of people in contemporary contexts With its expansive bibliography and topical format, Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, 2nd Edition is designed to be a timeless resource in every pastor’s library. In this book, pastors, teachers, and seminarians will find invaluable insight and comprehensive guidance for the art of preaching. Contributors: R. Albert Mohler, Nathan Finn, Chuck Fuller, Tyshawn Gardner, Scott Gibson, Chris Rappazini, Robert Smith, Jr., Calvin Miller, Bryan Chapell, Frank Pollard, David S. Dockery, Scott Pace, Hershael York, Lloyd John Ogilvie, Stuart Briscoe, Jeffery Campbell, Ralph Douglas West, Eric Johnson, David Allen, Simon Vibert, Stephen Rummage, Daniel Block, Ken Mathews, Paul House, C. Hassell Bullock, Heath Thomas, Robert Sloan, Sidney Greidanus, Channing Crisler, Scott Hafemann, Richaed Melick, Al Fasol, Jim Shaddix, Don Sunukijian, Michael Quicke, Tony Merida, Jesse Nelson, Clayborn Lea, Mike Glenn, Micah Fries, Ed Stetzer, Kris Barnett, Bryan Carter, James Emery White, Tim McKnight, Charlie Dates, Mike Milton, Rick Blackwood, James Noble, Maurice Watson, Vic Anderson, Timothy Mann, Ben Brammer, Clayton King, and Dennis Phelps
The book benefits anyone who desires an approach to preaching that gets at listeners’ felt needs. What we have been taught about preaching and our chosen approach to preaching may not serve us or our listeners well. Thus, the preacher’s fidelity to an ineffective approach to preaching lies at the heart of the problem. This book helps preachers resolve this issue with life-situation preaching, an approach that begins with listeners’ needs. Herein readers will experience the power of life-situation preaching to address the spiritual and practical problems—challenges, struggles, and unique experiences—African-Americans face daily.
Cleo LaRue is one of the best-loved preachers and writers about preaching. In past volumes, he has brought together great collections of African American preaching to showcase the best preaching from across the country. Here he offers his own insights into what makes for great preaching. Filled with telling anecdotes, LaRue's book recognizes that while great preaching comes from somewhere, it also must go somewhere, so preachers need to use the most artful language to send the Word on its journey.
"How do we preach in a way that affirms Christian theology while also honoring the insights of other faith traditions?" "How do we preach about and help create genuine Christian community in a social networking culture?" Questions Preachers Ask examines many questions that are on the minds of preachers today, questions that focus on how to preach the gospel in a culture where biblical knowledge cannot be presumed and where the Bible is often viewed as untrustworthy. Well-known preachers, scholars, and authors, including Barbara Brown Taylor, Gail O'Day, Anna Carter Florence, Richard Lischer, and Thomas Lynch, provide the answers. This book, compiled to honor writer, preacher, teacher, and scholar Thomas G. Long at the end of his teaching career, addresses practical questions such as "How do we proclaim the good news to young adults who are on the margins of church or have left it?" and "How do we preach to faith communities that are highly diverse?" Perfect for preachers at any stage of their ministry, these essays offer hope and guidance for handling the difficult task of preaching in today's congregations.
The Journey and Promise of African American Preaching is a constructive effort to examine the historical contributions of African American preaching, the challenges it faces today, and how it might become a renewed source of healing and strength for at-risk communities and churches. --from publisher description
Preaching the Manifold Grace of God is a two-volume work describing theologies of preaching from the historical and contemporary periods. Volume 1 focuses on historical theological families: Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, Anglican/Episcopal, Wesleyan, Baptist, African American, Stone-Campbell, Friends, and Pentecostal. Volume 2 focuses on families that are evangelical, liberal, neo-orthodox, postliberal, existential, radical orthodox, deconstructionist, Black liberation, womanist, Latinx liberation, Mujerista, Asian American, Asian American feminist, LGBTQAI, Indigenous, postcolonial, and process. In each case, the author describes the circumstances in which the theological family emerged, describes the purposes and characteristics of preaching from that perspective, and assesses the strengths and limitations of the approach.
Accompanying CD-ROM contains the full text of volume one and two. Volume two contains primary source material on preaching drawn from the entire scope of the church's twenty centuries. Each chapter in volume two is geared to its companion chapter in volume one's narrative history.
