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The Simplicity of Preaching: See, Savor, Say
The fundamentals of preaching are central to the life the church. Revisit them in this crucial guide for beginner and veteran preachers alike.
When a preacher stands in the pulpit or at the lectern, he aims to help God’s people understand what God has said and how it applies to their lives so that they grow in their knowledge of God and are equipped to live for his glory. It’s a job with eternal significance, so the process of getting to that point is crucial.
Jonathon Woodyard and Chase Sears encourage us to go back to the basics. Returning to the fundamentals of preaching from time to time, reminding ourselves of our basic undertaking, is a wise strategy for faithfulness and helpful to both veteran and novice.
Preaching flows from a man who has seen great things in the Bible, has savored what he has seen, and is eager to stand before God’s people to say what he saw. This is the pattern we follow in The Simplicity of Preaching.
The authors highlight some strategies you can employ to see what the text says; ways you can help yourself savor the glorious truths of the Bible; and good homiletical practices that inform how you can most effectively say things from the pulpit.
This short book is helpfully divided into five
What is Preaching and Why Do We Need It?The Role of the Spirit in Preparing to How We See Before We SaySavoring What We SeeHow We Say What We Have Savored
When a preacher stands in the pulpit or at the lectern, he aims to help God’s people understand what God has said and how it applies to their lives so that they grow in their knowledge of God and are equipped to live for his glory. It’s a job with eternal significance, so the process of getting to that point is crucial.
Jonathon Woodyard and Chase Sears encourage us to go back to the basics. Returning to the fundamentals of preaching from time to time, reminding ourselves of our basic undertaking, is a wise strategy for faithfulness and helpful to both veteran and novice.
Preaching flows from a man who has seen great things in the Bible, has savored what he has seen, and is eager to stand before God’s people to say what he saw. This is the pattern we follow in The Simplicity of Preaching.
The authors highlight some strategies you can employ to see what the text says; ways you can help yourself savor the glorious truths of the Bible; and good homiletical practices that inform how you can most effectively say things from the pulpit.
This short book is helpfully divided into five
What is Preaching and Why Do We Need It?The Role of the Spirit in Preparing to How We See Before We SaySavoring What We SeeHow We Say What We Have Savored
128 pages, Paperback
Published January 14, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 7, 2024
I’ve read a dozen or so books on preaching. And this last year I’ve tried to find the best book to take our pastoral interns and residents through in our teaching cohort. This, without question, is the best *introductory* book and may just be the best book I’ve read on preaching in general. Says everything that needs to be said. It is both deeply theological and helpfully practical. Someone who has never preached and the man who has preached hundreds of times will be encouraged, challenged, and bettered by it. Truly, I am not sure I could have dreamt up a better text on preaching. If this all sounds over the top, I’d simply encourage you to pick up a copy yourself and call my bluff. I’m certain I’m not over selling.
March 24, 2025
Excellent refresher, packed full with insights and applicable takeaways with nary a sentence wasted. Nothing ground-breaking here, other than a rock solid call to the glory, privilege, and responsibility of preaching God's Word.
March 7, 2025
Honestly, this was great. The authors were able to briefly explain a simple yet beautifully profound idea. Preaching is seeing Christ in the text, savoring Him and then saying what you savored.
This small book had the gravity of a lot of the great books of preaching while being very accessible to all.
They also were able to fit practical steps into this short book that did not drown out the concepts. Would definitely recommend this work.
This small book had the gravity of a lot of the great books of preaching while being very accessible to all.
They also were able to fit practical steps into this short book that did not drown out the concepts. Would definitely recommend this work.
March 23, 2025
"What we've tried to show in this book is that fundamentally what that man is doing is saying to God's people what he has seen and saved in the study. After all, preaching flows from the heart of a man who has seen great things in the Bible, has loved what he has seen, and now stands to say what he saw. That, at the bottom, is what a preacher is doing." (Pg. 117-18).
There is no greater in the world than to stand before the people of God, open the word of God, and say "Thus says the Lord." The purpose of this book "is to help preachers understanding the fundamentals of the preaching task" (Pg. 15) and the authors succeeded in their goal. All who preach, or desire to preach would benefit tremendously from reading this book. Sears and Woodyard articulate a God-centered vision of preaching while blending profound theology with simplicity in writing and application. This will be a book that I recommend to others for years to come and return to often for my own personal growth in preaching.
There is no greater in the world than to stand before the people of God, open the word of God, and say "Thus says the Lord." The purpose of this book "is to help preachers understanding the fundamentals of the preaching task" (Pg. 15) and the authors succeeded in their goal. All who preach, or desire to preach would benefit tremendously from reading this book. Sears and Woodyard articulate a God-centered vision of preaching while blending profound theology with simplicity in writing and application. This will be a book that I recommend to others for years to come and return to often for my own personal growth in preaching.
February 15, 2025
The title of this book encapsulates preaching so well. The book basically argues for the point. I enjoyed this book so much because it both explained what preaching is, and how to go about it so well. It was a great reminder to me, and will be my go to for training others to learn how to preach. You can’t beat something so short and impactful for training new guys.
I did think the chapter on the Holy Spirit could have been more clear, although I agreed with everything.
Overall I highly recommend.
I did think the chapter on the Holy Spirit could have been more clear, although I agreed with everything.
Overall I highly recommend.
February 19, 2025
What are the fundamentals of preaching? In The Simplicity of Preaching, P. Chase Sears and Jonathon D. Woodyard show preachers how to see, savor, and say.
A Passion for Preaching
The passion for preaching that the authors have is contagious. From the first chapters, I was inspired me to give my best to the task of proclaiming God's word. I was reminded that Christ really speaks with authority to his people through the ministry of the pulpit.
While the book tackles technical aspects of sermon writing and delivery, I was most interested to read how I could depend on the Spirit in my preaching as I pursue prayer, fasting, and reading. I am eager to grow in my pursuit of these to strengthen my preaching ministry.
Enjoy the Process
I was most moved to see how the book explains "savor" in regards to preaching. To savor means to rightly value what we see. Praying, memorizing, journaling, and conversing with others are strategies to help. I hope to find preaching partners that I can "talk shop" with to build each other up and rejoice together in the word.
The book ends with a call to deliver clear, simple, and fervent sermons. I’m proud to have been given the privilege to preach and I am encouraged to enjoy the process.
I received a media copy of The Simplicity of Preaching and this is my honest review.
A Passion for Preaching
The passion for preaching that the authors have is contagious. From the first chapters, I was inspired me to give my best to the task of proclaiming God's word. I was reminded that Christ really speaks with authority to his people through the ministry of the pulpit.
While the book tackles technical aspects of sermon writing and delivery, I was most interested to read how I could depend on the Spirit in my preaching as I pursue prayer, fasting, and reading. I am eager to grow in my pursuit of these to strengthen my preaching ministry.
Enjoy the Process
I was most moved to see how the book explains "savor" in regards to preaching. To savor means to rightly value what we see. Praying, memorizing, journaling, and conversing with others are strategies to help. I hope to find preaching partners that I can "talk shop" with to build each other up and rejoice together in the word.
The book ends with a call to deliver clear, simple, and fervent sermons. I’m proud to have been given the privilege to preach and I am encouraged to enjoy the process.
I received a media copy of The Simplicity of Preaching and this is my honest review.
June 18, 2025
Short but substantive, this is a wonderful introduction to the process and privilege of preaching. Based on the three principles of see, savor, and say, this book explains why all three components are necessary. The pair of authors offer a strong understanding of what preaching is designed to accomplish, and give preachers helpful insight on how to more effectively reach their hearers. Highly recommended. (4.5 stars)
May 27, 2025
Just stumbled across this book by accident. Though simple, it is one of the best books on preaching I've ever read: a great introduction and foundation! will be sharing with my colleagues.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews