What do you think?
Rate this book
Homiletical Handbook
An introduction to the art of preaching and science of sermon construction.
- GenresTheology
207 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1992
27 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 9, 2025
Summary of the book
David Hamilton’s Homiletical Handbook is divided into three main parts: Part 1 deals with the importance of preaching and sermon structure, Part 2 with different sermon methods and Part 3 with the particularities of preaching from different genres of Scripture.
The first part lays a valuable foundation and rationale for preaching. Why read a book about preaching if it is unimportant? In emphasizing the importance of a good sermon structure, the reader is further compelled to continue reading as the author introduces different types of sermon structure which he then proceeds to explain in more detail in the following section.
The second part is a helpful presentation and explanation of different types of sermons, their purpose and structure. These include sermons that are built on the keyword method, the analytical method, the textual method, the problem-solving pattern, the comparative method, the syllogistic method, the inductive pattern and the narrative approach. Although the general structure of sermons is very similar, there are also certain differences in structure and content that need to be considered. This section is the most practical and helpful section of the book.
The third and final part of the book is labelled a homiletical “treasury” in which the author takes the readers through the history of Scripture and its different genres, including earliest history, Old Testament history, poetry, wisdom literature, apocalyptic literature, New Testament history, the teachings of Jesus, miracle passages and the epistles.
Strengths and weaknesses of the book
One of the main strengths of the book is the clear and precise presentation and explanation of different methods for constructing a sermon. This not only serves as a general helpful guideline in writing sermons, but also expands the horizon of the reader to consider other methods that may often not be considered. This is important because there may be circumstances when a particular method of creating a sermon may not work that well for a certain kind of text, while another method may be much better suited.
The third part gives helpful insights into the treatment of different genres of Scripture and how to approach difficult parts unique to each genre. Here the author gives helpful suggestions as to which method may be best suited and provides helpful questions and examples to consider.
The main weakness of the book is the constant repetition, especially in the second part where the different methods for preparing a sermon are outlined. In most cases, the structure is basically the same, but in each case, every step of sermon preparation is meticulously defined again, either repeating what was already said earlier or showing sometimes just very minor differences to consider, although the overall function and purpose of each step are basically the same. This makes the reading somewhat tedious.
Who is this book for?
This book is certainly for those with a desire to preach but with no or only limited experience in preaching, not knowing where to start or how to go about preparing a sermon. The clear, detailed explanation for every step in sermon preparation are very helpful in this regard.
But this book is also a good resource for experienced preachers who understand that none of their past sermons has been “perfect” and who are willing and desirous to continue working on and improving their preaching. The book gives not only gives good general guidelines for preachers, but also widens their perspective by presenting different kinds of methods and elements of sermon preparations that may not have been considered before or that have been unduly neglected. Reading this book therefore will be a benefit to any preacher!
David Hamilton’s Homiletical Handbook is divided into three main parts: Part 1 deals with the importance of preaching and sermon structure, Part 2 with different sermon methods and Part 3 with the particularities of preaching from different genres of Scripture.
The first part lays a valuable foundation and rationale for preaching. Why read a book about preaching if it is unimportant? In emphasizing the importance of a good sermon structure, the reader is further compelled to continue reading as the author introduces different types of sermon structure which he then proceeds to explain in more detail in the following section.
The second part is a helpful presentation and explanation of different types of sermons, their purpose and structure. These include sermons that are built on the keyword method, the analytical method, the textual method, the problem-solving pattern, the comparative method, the syllogistic method, the inductive pattern and the narrative approach. Although the general structure of sermons is very similar, there are also certain differences in structure and content that need to be considered. This section is the most practical and helpful section of the book.
The third and final part of the book is labelled a homiletical “treasury” in which the author takes the readers through the history of Scripture and its different genres, including earliest history, Old Testament history, poetry, wisdom literature, apocalyptic literature, New Testament history, the teachings of Jesus, miracle passages and the epistles.
Strengths and weaknesses of the book
One of the main strengths of the book is the clear and precise presentation and explanation of different methods for constructing a sermon. This not only serves as a general helpful guideline in writing sermons, but also expands the horizon of the reader to consider other methods that may often not be considered. This is important because there may be circumstances when a particular method of creating a sermon may not work that well for a certain kind of text, while another method may be much better suited.
The third part gives helpful insights into the treatment of different genres of Scripture and how to approach difficult parts unique to each genre. Here the author gives helpful suggestions as to which method may be best suited and provides helpful questions and examples to consider.
The main weakness of the book is the constant repetition, especially in the second part where the different methods for preparing a sermon are outlined. In most cases, the structure is basically the same, but in each case, every step of sermon preparation is meticulously defined again, either repeating what was already said earlier or showing sometimes just very minor differences to consider, although the overall function and purpose of each step are basically the same. This makes the reading somewhat tedious.
Who is this book for?
This book is certainly for those with a desire to preach but with no or only limited experience in preaching, not knowing where to start or how to go about preparing a sermon. The clear, detailed explanation for every step in sermon preparation are very helpful in this regard.
But this book is also a good resource for experienced preachers who understand that none of their past sermons has been “perfect” and who are willing and desirous to continue working on and improving their preaching. The book gives not only gives good general guidelines for preachers, but also widens their perspective by presenting different kinds of methods and elements of sermon preparations that may not have been considered before or that have been unduly neglected. Reading this book therefore will be a benefit to any preacher!
Displaying 1 of 1 review