What do you think?
Rate this book
Determining the Form: Structures for Preaching
This fifth title in the Elements of Preaching series offers preaching students and clergy an overview of some of the most common sermonic forms and provides insights for determining which forms are most - and least - amenable to the claim that they want to make in their sermon. Many, if not most, sermons wind up being somewhat formless and thus less effective than they might be in communicating the gospel. Rather than training students in a single rhetorical form, this volume will demonstrate a variety of options without advocating for any particular form.
Accomplished preachers can think of rhetorical strategy in a nuanced manner, but beginning preachers are well-served by having a knapsack of simple sermonic forms they can turn to when building a sermon out of a sermonic claim. This book will offer preachers a strong foundation in considering sermonic form and a handful of basic, reliable rhetorical structures to use in the pulpit.
Accomplished preachers can think of rhetorical strategy in a nuanced manner, but beginning preachers are well-served by having a knapsack of simple sermonic forms they can turn to when building a sermon out of a sermonic claim. This book will offer preachers a strong foundation in considering sermonic form and a handful of basic, reliable rhetorical structures to use in the pulpit.
96 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
31 people are currently reading
9 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 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 16, 2025
If you are preaching or just public speaking, I highly recommend this book
I am a Lay Speaker in my church. As such, I am occasionally called upon to deliver the Sunday message. This book is rich with ideas that will give you structure to your sermon. It is written clearly. I believe it will be a reference book that I go back to often.
The author was a professor of our pastor while she was obtaining her Masters in Theology. She introduced me to this author. I would love to take his class.
I am a Lay Speaker in my church. As such, I am occasionally called upon to deliver the Sunday message. This book is rich with ideas that will give you structure to your sermon. It is written clearly. I believe it will be a reference book that I go back to often.
The author was a professor of our pastor while she was obtaining her Masters in Theology. She introduced me to this author. I would love to take his class.
February 22, 2019
Decent Read
The read was decent. The author always referee to the preacher as a she which was frustrating. The final chapter moved to quickly and the conclusion rushed. Overall it is useful.
The read was decent. The author always referee to the preacher as a she which was frustrating. The final chapter moved to quickly and the conclusion rushed. Overall it is useful.
Read
September 11, 2019Great Introduction
This book provides a variety of sermonic forms for the developing preacher. The author has an engaging voice that helps make the material very accessible
This book provides a variety of sermonic forms for the developing preacher. The author has an engaging voice that helps make the material very accessible
May 27, 2024
Great starting point
Fantastic starting point for preachers just getting started out. As a seminary student, I will be trying all of these forms.
Fantastic starting point for preachers just getting started out. As a seminary student, I will be trying all of these forms.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews