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Recapturing the Voice of God: Shaping Sermons Like Scripture
There is a difference between preaching from the Bible and preaching that allows the Bible to drive the substance, structure, and spirit of the sermon. A text-driven sermon allows the structure of the text to become buoyant, to come to the surface so that the sermon can be built around that structure. In this way the word of God (the meaning of the text) is presented in a way that is influenced by the voice of God (the genre of the text).
In Recapturing the Voice of God , veteran preacher Steven W. Smith teaches how to preach genre-sensitive, text-driven sermons—to allow the structure of the text to be the structure of the sermon. To do so, one must understand the genre of the literature in which God has chosen to reveal Himself. After a brief defense of genre-sensitive preaching, Smith categorizes Scripture genres according to their story, poem, or letter. From these macro-level genres, each individual genre is explored for its unique features (law, prophecy, epistles, etc.). Smith then offers practical help in structuring a text-driven sermon and includes sample sermons as illustrations.
In Recapturing the Voice of God , veteran preacher Steven W. Smith teaches how to preach genre-sensitive, text-driven sermons—to allow the structure of the text to be the structure of the sermon. To do so, one must understand the genre of the literature in which God has chosen to reveal Himself. After a brief defense of genre-sensitive preaching, Smith categorizes Scripture genres according to their story, poem, or letter. From these macro-level genres, each individual genre is explored for its unique features (law, prophecy, epistles, etc.). Smith then offers practical help in structuring a text-driven sermon and includes sample sermons as illustrations.
- GenresTheology
240 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2015
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February 14, 2022
Summary
In “Recapturing the Voice of God” Steven Smith argues that the structure of our sermons should be influenced by the structure of the passage and by its genre. Exposition is not style but a theologically driven philosophy of preaching, and this philosophy should not result predictable sermons forced into a preaching template. Smith holds two convictions. The first is that preaching is re-presenting thee Word of God. By this he means that the preacher does not speak his own words but speaks for God because “God has revealed himself in his Son and his Son has revealed himself in this Word” (1). The second conviction is that the structure of a text influences its meaning. All Scripture is inspired by God and he chose to speak through nine genres. These genres were intentionally chosen and communicate in different ways. Because of this he concludes that preaching is saying what God says the way he said it.
The first three chapters of the book introduce what the author means when he refers to the “voice of God.” God has spoken to us through nine different genres, but Smith groups them into the following three genres: story, poem, and letter. These become the structure for the sections of the book that follow as Smith walks through each genre and how it should be understood and preached. The chapters are filled with examples from Scripture, and Smith ends each chapter with an example outline of how to preach through a passage of that particular genre.
While pastors commonly preach through epistles, Smith encourages sermons from all of God’s inspired Word, and he gives wisdom on how to do this. Not every passage should be preached in the same way, and often, there is reason to preach a whole book in a single sermon. Regardless, the reader must understand that all of Scripture and its genre is inspired by God in its contentment and structure. Smith also gives wisdom on how to interpret and rightly apply the different genres in light of our position in the New Covenant.
Strengths
Though there are many strengths to the book I will note three. The first is that the book is needed. A book is valuable not merely because it is well written but because of what it offers. It must contribute to the conversation. “Recapturing the voice of God” is such a book. Many believe God’s Word is inspired by him yet force a four-point text into their three-point templet. Many believe God inspired a text yet preach an event. Many declare that all God’s Word is profitable for training in righteousness but only preach from the epistles. Smith contributes to the discussion by showing that faithfulness to the text means more than simply saying true things. How God has spoken must shape how we preach as we preach the whole Bible.
Smith explicitly states that the goal of his book is not primarily hermeneutics. However, the book is peppered with hermeneutical principles that became a strength of the book. He continually brings the reader back to the importance of preaching the text and not the even behind the text. Preaching the event may be the result of unnecessary research on the cultural setting or of preaching a gospel narrative by filling in all the “gaps” with information from the other gospels. He argues we should beware of the differences in the gospel accounts so that we might understand the strategy of the biblical author in the present passage. We should be aware of the cultural background only to the extent that it is necessary for rightly understanding our passage. This focus is also seen in his comments on illustrations. In everything, the goal is faithfulness to the intention of the biblical author(s) and Author, and we must be on guard against distractions from this message.
Another strength of the book was its use of biblical examples. Smith didn’t list every example possible. He gave what illustrated his point. The examples at the end of each chapter were also valuable as they exemplified the principles he argued for throughout that chapter.
Weaknesses
One weakness to the book is it's abrupt ending. Smith walks through how to structure and preach each genre of Scripture, and when he finished his chapter on Revelation, he finished the book. A concluding chapter with a summary of the book would have been helpful as would an appendix dealing with some notoriously difficult passages. We are to preach the text, but what do we do when the church doesn’t have the building blocks in place to rightly understand the passage? How should one structure the sermon when a large amount of information on its canonical background is needed? An appendix on this issue would have been helpful.
When walking through the epistles, Smith notes that they were occasional letters. On the page that follows he says, “when preaching an epistle, it is important to take on the tone of the text we are preaching” (186). Galatians is occasional. While the truth is for everyone (and the tone!), the letter was given to church straying from the gospel. For this reason, Paul brings down the theological hammer with force and urgency. But how are we to preach Galatians to a congregation that is joyfully serving the Lord and holding firmly to his undeserved grace in Christ? If the tone of Paul’s letters was shaped by the nature of the situation, should we not follow his example in our preaching?
And finally, Smith argues that we should be faithful to the textual meaning of the biblical author. However, when Smith explains how to preach Christ from wisdom literature, many of his connections feel forced. They don’t feel like connections made by the biblical author. While there are genuine connections, the linguistic and thematic examples seem like connections made by the pastor and not by the biblical authors. And related to that point, how would one make such a connection while staying faithful to the message of the text before them.
Application to Ministry
While I might not follow Smith’s example outlines with every sermon, his reminder to preach the Words of God with the voice of God will undoubtedly shape my preparation and delivery. When I prepare narrative, I will think in terms of “scenes” and not in “points.” I want the structure and feel of the passage of Scripture to be the structure and feel of my sermon.
I was greatly helped by Smith’s “subject-compliment” method. If Jesus taught a parable that drew people in before revealing the concluding point. I want to do the same. May it never be said that all my sermons sound the same for that is not true of God’s Word.
Christians often seem hesitant to see the beauty of the Bible, especially biblical narrative. Perhaps this is because even unbelievers see its beauty and stop there. Believers want to see and hear the truth unbelievers cannot see and let that shape their lives. But as Smith highlights, God did not give us a systematic theology or a bulleted list of truths and ways to live. He spoke through nine genres and he did it for a reason! We must help our churches see and celebrate this fact, and we can do this through our preaching. And on that note, through preaching we teach our congregations how to read their Bibles. Smith makes this point implicitly and explicitly throughout the book.
When preaching the gospels or the prophets, we must bring them to the text and not to the event behind the text. Preaching is not a history lesson on an ancient near eastern culture. Our preaching must model how to rightly understand and apply these passages which might require some background information but only as much as is necessary. From all these points and the book as a whole, we must be reminded to preach what God said the way God said it.
In “Recapturing the Voice of God” Steven Smith argues that the structure of our sermons should be influenced by the structure of the passage and by its genre. Exposition is not style but a theologically driven philosophy of preaching, and this philosophy should not result predictable sermons forced into a preaching template. Smith holds two convictions. The first is that preaching is re-presenting thee Word of God. By this he means that the preacher does not speak his own words but speaks for God because “God has revealed himself in his Son and his Son has revealed himself in this Word” (1). The second conviction is that the structure of a text influences its meaning. All Scripture is inspired by God and he chose to speak through nine genres. These genres were intentionally chosen and communicate in different ways. Because of this he concludes that preaching is saying what God says the way he said it.
The first three chapters of the book introduce what the author means when he refers to the “voice of God.” God has spoken to us through nine different genres, but Smith groups them into the following three genres: story, poem, and letter. These become the structure for the sections of the book that follow as Smith walks through each genre and how it should be understood and preached. The chapters are filled with examples from Scripture, and Smith ends each chapter with an example outline of how to preach through a passage of that particular genre.
While pastors commonly preach through epistles, Smith encourages sermons from all of God’s inspired Word, and he gives wisdom on how to do this. Not every passage should be preached in the same way, and often, there is reason to preach a whole book in a single sermon. Regardless, the reader must understand that all of Scripture and its genre is inspired by God in its contentment and structure. Smith also gives wisdom on how to interpret and rightly apply the different genres in light of our position in the New Covenant.
Strengths
Though there are many strengths to the book I will note three. The first is that the book is needed. A book is valuable not merely because it is well written but because of what it offers. It must contribute to the conversation. “Recapturing the voice of God” is such a book. Many believe God’s Word is inspired by him yet force a four-point text into their three-point templet. Many believe God inspired a text yet preach an event. Many declare that all God’s Word is profitable for training in righteousness but only preach from the epistles. Smith contributes to the discussion by showing that faithfulness to the text means more than simply saying true things. How God has spoken must shape how we preach as we preach the whole Bible.
Smith explicitly states that the goal of his book is not primarily hermeneutics. However, the book is peppered with hermeneutical principles that became a strength of the book. He continually brings the reader back to the importance of preaching the text and not the even behind the text. Preaching the event may be the result of unnecessary research on the cultural setting or of preaching a gospel narrative by filling in all the “gaps” with information from the other gospels. He argues we should beware of the differences in the gospel accounts so that we might understand the strategy of the biblical author in the present passage. We should be aware of the cultural background only to the extent that it is necessary for rightly understanding our passage. This focus is also seen in his comments on illustrations. In everything, the goal is faithfulness to the intention of the biblical author(s) and Author, and we must be on guard against distractions from this message.
Another strength of the book was its use of biblical examples. Smith didn’t list every example possible. He gave what illustrated his point. The examples at the end of each chapter were also valuable as they exemplified the principles he argued for throughout that chapter.
Weaknesses
One weakness to the book is it's abrupt ending. Smith walks through how to structure and preach each genre of Scripture, and when he finished his chapter on Revelation, he finished the book. A concluding chapter with a summary of the book would have been helpful as would an appendix dealing with some notoriously difficult passages. We are to preach the text, but what do we do when the church doesn’t have the building blocks in place to rightly understand the passage? How should one structure the sermon when a large amount of information on its canonical background is needed? An appendix on this issue would have been helpful.
When walking through the epistles, Smith notes that they were occasional letters. On the page that follows he says, “when preaching an epistle, it is important to take on the tone of the text we are preaching” (186). Galatians is occasional. While the truth is for everyone (and the tone!), the letter was given to church straying from the gospel. For this reason, Paul brings down the theological hammer with force and urgency. But how are we to preach Galatians to a congregation that is joyfully serving the Lord and holding firmly to his undeserved grace in Christ? If the tone of Paul’s letters was shaped by the nature of the situation, should we not follow his example in our preaching?
And finally, Smith argues that we should be faithful to the textual meaning of the biblical author. However, when Smith explains how to preach Christ from wisdom literature, many of his connections feel forced. They don’t feel like connections made by the biblical author. While there are genuine connections, the linguistic and thematic examples seem like connections made by the pastor and not by the biblical authors. And related to that point, how would one make such a connection while staying faithful to the message of the text before them.
Application to Ministry
While I might not follow Smith’s example outlines with every sermon, his reminder to preach the Words of God with the voice of God will undoubtedly shape my preparation and delivery. When I prepare narrative, I will think in terms of “scenes” and not in “points.” I want the structure and feel of the passage of Scripture to be the structure and feel of my sermon.
I was greatly helped by Smith’s “subject-compliment” method. If Jesus taught a parable that drew people in before revealing the concluding point. I want to do the same. May it never be said that all my sermons sound the same for that is not true of God’s Word.
Christians often seem hesitant to see the beauty of the Bible, especially biblical narrative. Perhaps this is because even unbelievers see its beauty and stop there. Believers want to see and hear the truth unbelievers cannot see and let that shape their lives. But as Smith highlights, God did not give us a systematic theology or a bulleted list of truths and ways to live. He spoke through nine genres and he did it for a reason! We must help our churches see and celebrate this fact, and we can do this through our preaching. And on that note, through preaching we teach our congregations how to read their Bibles. Smith makes this point implicitly and explicitly throughout the book.
When preaching the gospels or the prophets, we must bring them to the text and not to the event behind the text. Preaching is not a history lesson on an ancient near eastern culture. Our preaching must model how to rightly understand and apply these passages which might require some background information but only as much as is necessary. From all these points and the book as a whole, we must be reminded to preach what God said the way God said it.
July 10, 2015
This is an area of discussion much needed for today’s pulpits… unfortunately I wish this book had been postponed another couple months. We need people talking about this, but not talking about it poorly. Steven Smith’s Recapturing the Voice of God: Shaping Sermons like Scripture needed another pass with the editor, and a bit of interaction with some dissidents. All in all, I give this book a 7/10 or 3/5 (rounded down) because the content is there, but it’s not quite there, wrapped with bow.
Book thesis:
“The humble ambition of this book is to show a preacher or teacher how the genre influences the meaning of the text and give practical help for those who want to know how we can shape our sermons to reflect this meaning.
Smith writes to pastors and teachers with the caveat that this book is an introduction—and this is testified over-and-over again with recommended resources for further study at the end of every chapter, and a voluminous bibliography in the back. In fact, its sheer size may be a point of anxiety for the pastor who wants the few best resources to look into… not the whole gamut of scholarship since the 50s. Smith supports his thesis a bit vaguely at times—showing the Bible expositor how the genres of Scripture tend toward a kind of sermon structure best suited to re-animate the biblical authors meaning.
Smith loosely categorizes 9 genres into 3 major categories. Story contains OT Narrative, Law, Gospels/Acts, and Parables. Poem/Wisdom contains Psalms, the Wisdom Literature, and Prophecy. And Letter contains Epistles and Revelation. Again, they are loose categories with some overlap but Smith makes a pretty compelling case for categorizing them where he does. The macrostructure of Story applies to the genres therein (even Law—because Law is given in the context of narrative), and there are microstructures singular to the particular subgenres. Similarly with Poem/Wisdom (though there is great diversity between the Song of Solomon, Proverbs, Eccelesiastes, and Job). Truth be told, the Letter category seems a bit arbitrary since Revelation is all over the board, and the Epistles bear resemblance to the Prophetic literature.
Each chapter breaks down into Interpretation, Communication, and Structuring a Sermon; it ended with a sample sermon, study questions, and recommended resources. I found that the Interpretation section often asserted things without interacting with dissidents/counterarguments. And at the risk of wanting my cake and eating it too: I was surprised to find Smith prolonging his pen so often in the interpretation sections and swiftly passing through the Structure sections. Truly, you must understand the text before you know how to convey its meaning, but the Structure sections (the apparent thrust of the book) remains scant to my eyes. I think the readers would be better equipped if these sections included multiple examples of sermon outlines from the genre in question. Smith offers a sample sermon in each chapter, but the benefits could be multiplied if confused pastors could see the variety even a single genre provides… after all different texts reveal different structures. On the other hand, the study questions were at the perfect level of cognition—requiring enough thought to solidify the ideas presented without being obscure or menial. Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised with how well Smith handled some of the more complex or ‘scary’ genres: prophecy, Psalms, and Revelation; and yet I was dissatisfied with his mediocre treatment of Luke, Acts, and some epistles.
So let me get to my biggest dissatisfactions…
1. Editing. I found an uncanny number of typos and inconsistent/confusing headings. But really they were all things that are entirely amendable, things that the college English professor docks you for because it shouldn’t have happened. I think just a couple more weeks before the book hit the printer would have given the time for another spell, grammar, and outline check and would have presented the book in a much more professional manner. Most of the content is there, but it’s still sitting in the store-given plastic bag, unappealing.
2. The Introductory matters. Chapters 1-3 could use some revision. Again this seems like someone was on a time-crunch. Like the author had written the first draft and never got around to checking it out and revamping his arguments. Occasionally the author would give an example to ‘prove’ his point without telling you what the point was! We had no lens to interpret. At times he leaves his question ultimately unanswered—he gets into the discussion but leaves it vague; he seems to start writing about something only to end up saying, “But we all already know the rest” or “we aren’t going to talk about this.” And he seems to assume things he shouldn’t. This sort of ‘unworked’ feel pops up a couple places in the remainder of the book (e.g. 185 where he states, “Let’s deal with a few strategies,” but that is the final sentence of the section… and he doesn’t explicitly answer this in the remaining sections), but it is predominant in Chapters 1-3. In fact, I think the book would have been better if it simply had the Introduction followed by chapters 4-12.
All that being said, I have found this book beneficial for myself. I learned some things. I saw some things for the first time. I captured a pithy proverb or two about preaching. I am confident about a foray into the book of Revelation. And so I give this book 3 stars… recognizing its potential value, and hoping for soon updated editions… with a few of my suggestions taken into consideration.
I recommend it [the updated edition] to pastors who feel they’ve run themselves into a rut in the pulpit. The ones for whom every sermon seems the same with three alliterated points and the same conclusion each time. Unfortunately it’s the ones who haven’t realized they’re driving themselves into that rut that need this most and who are most unlikely to read it.
I also recommend it to students of Scripture who aspire to the pulpit one day. And to teachers of small groups (though for this group I think it has least immediate application).
One of the benefits of this book is its introductory level—not just to sermon structure but to genre interpretation. I would show persons this book alongside Preaching with Variety by Jeffrey Arthurs and Preaching God’s Word by Duvall and Hays. Of course each book has its niche, and so should it be; this niche relates to conveying the text through appropriate structures. After all “we preach a text, not a sermon.”
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review; all thoughts are my own.
This review is crosslisted on http://ejboston.blogspot.com and Amazon.com.
Book thesis:
“The humble ambition of this book is to show a preacher or teacher how the genre influences the meaning of the text and give practical help for those who want to know how we can shape our sermons to reflect this meaning.
Smith writes to pastors and teachers with the caveat that this book is an introduction—and this is testified over-and-over again with recommended resources for further study at the end of every chapter, and a voluminous bibliography in the back. In fact, its sheer size may be a point of anxiety for the pastor who wants the few best resources to look into… not the whole gamut of scholarship since the 50s. Smith supports his thesis a bit vaguely at times—showing the Bible expositor how the genres of Scripture tend toward a kind of sermon structure best suited to re-animate the biblical authors meaning.
Smith loosely categorizes 9 genres into 3 major categories. Story contains OT Narrative, Law, Gospels/Acts, and Parables. Poem/Wisdom contains Psalms, the Wisdom Literature, and Prophecy. And Letter contains Epistles and Revelation. Again, they are loose categories with some overlap but Smith makes a pretty compelling case for categorizing them where he does. The macrostructure of Story applies to the genres therein (even Law—because Law is given in the context of narrative), and there are microstructures singular to the particular subgenres. Similarly with Poem/Wisdom (though there is great diversity between the Song of Solomon, Proverbs, Eccelesiastes, and Job). Truth be told, the Letter category seems a bit arbitrary since Revelation is all over the board, and the Epistles bear resemblance to the Prophetic literature.
Each chapter breaks down into Interpretation, Communication, and Structuring a Sermon; it ended with a sample sermon, study questions, and recommended resources. I found that the Interpretation section often asserted things without interacting with dissidents/counterarguments. And at the risk of wanting my cake and eating it too: I was surprised to find Smith prolonging his pen so often in the interpretation sections and swiftly passing through the Structure sections. Truly, you must understand the text before you know how to convey its meaning, but the Structure sections (the apparent thrust of the book) remains scant to my eyes. I think the readers would be better equipped if these sections included multiple examples of sermon outlines from the genre in question. Smith offers a sample sermon in each chapter, but the benefits could be multiplied if confused pastors could see the variety even a single genre provides… after all different texts reveal different structures. On the other hand, the study questions were at the perfect level of cognition—requiring enough thought to solidify the ideas presented without being obscure or menial. Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised with how well Smith handled some of the more complex or ‘scary’ genres: prophecy, Psalms, and Revelation; and yet I was dissatisfied with his mediocre treatment of Luke, Acts, and some epistles.
So let me get to my biggest dissatisfactions…
1. Editing. I found an uncanny number of typos and inconsistent/confusing headings. But really they were all things that are entirely amendable, things that the college English professor docks you for because it shouldn’t have happened. I think just a couple more weeks before the book hit the printer would have given the time for another spell, grammar, and outline check and would have presented the book in a much more professional manner. Most of the content is there, but it’s still sitting in the store-given plastic bag, unappealing.
2. The Introductory matters. Chapters 1-3 could use some revision. Again this seems like someone was on a time-crunch. Like the author had written the first draft and never got around to checking it out and revamping his arguments. Occasionally the author would give an example to ‘prove’ his point without telling you what the point was! We had no lens to interpret. At times he leaves his question ultimately unanswered—he gets into the discussion but leaves it vague; he seems to start writing about something only to end up saying, “But we all already know the rest” or “we aren’t going to talk about this.” And he seems to assume things he shouldn’t. This sort of ‘unworked’ feel pops up a couple places in the remainder of the book (e.g. 185 where he states, “Let’s deal with a few strategies,” but that is the final sentence of the section… and he doesn’t explicitly answer this in the remaining sections), but it is predominant in Chapters 1-3. In fact, I think the book would have been better if it simply had the Introduction followed by chapters 4-12.
All that being said, I have found this book beneficial for myself. I learned some things. I saw some things for the first time. I captured a pithy proverb or two about preaching. I am confident about a foray into the book of Revelation. And so I give this book 3 stars… recognizing its potential value, and hoping for soon updated editions… with a few of my suggestions taken into consideration.
I recommend it [the updated edition] to pastors who feel they’ve run themselves into a rut in the pulpit. The ones for whom every sermon seems the same with three alliterated points and the same conclusion each time. Unfortunately it’s the ones who haven’t realized they’re driving themselves into that rut that need this most and who are most unlikely to read it.
I also recommend it to students of Scripture who aspire to the pulpit one day. And to teachers of small groups (though for this group I think it has least immediate application).
One of the benefits of this book is its introductory level—not just to sermon structure but to genre interpretation. I would show persons this book alongside Preaching with Variety by Jeffrey Arthurs and Preaching God’s Word by Duvall and Hays. Of course each book has its niche, and so should it be; this niche relates to conveying the text through appropriate structures. After all “we preach a text, not a sermon.”
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review; all thoughts are my own.
This review is crosslisted on http://ejboston.blogspot.com and Amazon.com.
November 19, 2024
An excellent corrective to forced sermon outlines
This book does a great job of correcting some bad habits in preaching world—like forcing 3-point sermons on all texts, emphasizing ideas that are not the point of the text, and so on. The strength of the book is its suggestions for recognizing a text’s genre, and then letting the natural progression or structure of the text form the structure of the sermon. This frees teachers and pastors from having to come up with “points” for a sermon at all—unless the text is structured that way (and some are).
I omitted a star because my impression after having read it is that the writing style was occasionally tedious and unclear, littered with passive voice (which mattered, because in one case I genuinely couldn’t figure out what the author meant). There are lots of possible reasons for this (editor, skill for speaking vs. writing, etc.). But I’d gladly recommend the book anyway—its central theses are true and timely for pastors and seminarians. It would be great to read this in seminary and put it into practice before forming bad preaching habits.
This book does a great job of correcting some bad habits in preaching world—like forcing 3-point sermons on all texts, emphasizing ideas that are not the point of the text, and so on. The strength of the book is its suggestions for recognizing a text’s genre, and then letting the natural progression or structure of the text form the structure of the sermon. This frees teachers and pastors from having to come up with “points” for a sermon at all—unless the text is structured that way (and some are).
I omitted a star because my impression after having read it is that the writing style was occasionally tedious and unclear, littered with passive voice (which mattered, because in one case I genuinely couldn’t figure out what the author meant). There are lots of possible reasons for this (editor, skill for speaking vs. writing, etc.). But I’d gladly recommend the book anyway—its central theses are true and timely for pastors and seminarians. It would be great to read this in seminary and put it into practice before forming bad preaching habits.
March 18, 2022
Read for school. 3.7. Solid resource for understanding the different genres when in sermon preparation, the author wants the teacher/preacher to allow the text to determine the flow and style of a sermon versus imposing a pre-determined homiletical method. Good nuggets here and there.
March 30, 2016
The subtitle says it all: Shaping Sermons Like Scripture. That's why I bought and read the book. It had helpful moments. For someone who has not pursued the idea, it might be a good place in which to whet your appetite.
But, for those who've spent time with genre based hermeneutics and most any good expository preaching text, this will probably disappoint. Primarily because of its overly simplistic approach. About the time Smith hits a rich vein he moves on to another subject. I kept wanting one more paragraph of substance.
Two key issues surface for me. One, not taking your own advice. While proposing (and adequately defending) the idea of letting the Scripture shape the sermon, Smith uses Colossians 1 as an example. He preaches a deductive sermon from the text, totally ignoring that the "point" of the text comes in v18 following "therefore." He gets the right point--the sovereign reign of Christ. But, he misses his own point. This sermon should follow the textual order and the "point" should come at the end. Second, assuming too much and saying too little. Smith reaches conclusions concerning texts which he simply doesn't substantiate and the reader is left with nothing but trust for his conclusions (not all of which I agree with, obviously).
On another level, minor irritations. Smith pushes hard (and rightly so) for repeated readings of the text (the whole book). Then, on page 184-85, he writes as if the preacher will have suddenly discovered (in a totally unprepared manner) the personal nature of an epistolary conclusion. Couldn't happen if Smith takes his own advice. The other, and I suspect this is not Smith's fault, but his editors. There are numerous typos throughout the text. The most obvious, using "compliment" instead of "complement" for Robinson's method of writing the point of a sermon.
A helpful reminder of one of the most significant developments in preaching--letting the text help us structure the sermon--but not as helpful as I'd personally hoped.
But, for those who've spent time with genre based hermeneutics and most any good expository preaching text, this will probably disappoint. Primarily because of its overly simplistic approach. About the time Smith hits a rich vein he moves on to another subject. I kept wanting one more paragraph of substance.
Two key issues surface for me. One, not taking your own advice. While proposing (and adequately defending) the idea of letting the Scripture shape the sermon, Smith uses Colossians 1 as an example. He preaches a deductive sermon from the text, totally ignoring that the "point" of the text comes in v18 following "therefore." He gets the right point--the sovereign reign of Christ. But, he misses his own point. This sermon should follow the textual order and the "point" should come at the end. Second, assuming too much and saying too little. Smith reaches conclusions concerning texts which he simply doesn't substantiate and the reader is left with nothing but trust for his conclusions (not all of which I agree with, obviously).
On another level, minor irritations. Smith pushes hard (and rightly so) for repeated readings of the text (the whole book). Then, on page 184-85, he writes as if the preacher will have suddenly discovered (in a totally unprepared manner) the personal nature of an epistolary conclusion. Couldn't happen if Smith takes his own advice. The other, and I suspect this is not Smith's fault, but his editors. There are numerous typos throughout the text. The most obvious, using "compliment" instead of "complement" for Robinson's method of writing the point of a sermon.
A helpful reminder of one of the most significant developments in preaching--letting the text help us structure the sermon--but not as helpful as I'd personally hoped.
February 17, 2022
Summary
In Smith’s Recapturing the Voice of God: Shaping Sermons Like Scripture, he encourages preachers to “re-present” what God has already said in Scripture. He notes how the goal of preaching is not to add creativity to the text, but to bring out the creativity that is already there. If the Creator of language communicated to us perfectly through the Word, then why would we present it any differently?
Smith has concluded from this we should preach the Word as it is presented, the structure included. He has recognized how often preachers try to assert a certain sermon structure over the text, which ends up actually changing the “voice” of the text. What should be done instead, is the preacher should use the structure of the text to outline his sermon. According to Smith, there is much more freedom in this. We no longer have to find three points to teach in every text, which can be difficult if the text does not actually have three points. Instead, we re-present the text, so if it only has two points, your sermon has two points.
Another factor to consider is genre. The Bible is filled with various genres, and if we want to re-present this in our sermons, then the genre will shape the way we preach. The way we preach narratives should be different from how we preach poetry or an epistle. In the bulk of the book, Smith breaks down each genre and explains how to structure a sermon based ofn each one. He gives real examples from different texts in each chapter.
This book serves as a helpful guide for how to preach the different genres of Scripture faithfully. By faithfully, I mean in a way that re-presents what God already said. We preach the Word of God as influenced by the voice of God (genre). If we want to do real expository preaching, we have to understand the meaning and to understand the meaning, we have to know the genre and understand how it changes the meaning.
Strengths and Weaknesses
This is such an important book. The amount of preaching that takes place without any regard to the specific genre is too high. It comes at the right time as an increasing number of churchgoers seem to be less knowledgeable about the Bible. Smith makes it clear that they need to be teaching from the perspective that the Bible's genres are important and impact how we understand it.
Upon inspection, it becomes obvious that the Bible is written in different ways, but it takes careful study to figure out what genre each portion of the Bible is. Smith helps the reader know all the different genres in the Bible and gives tips on how to preach the different ones. He does this well by explaining in each chapter what the specific genre is, and how we know the book/passages of Scripture is that particular genre.
Smith teaches to let the text guide the sermon, and that if the text has no points then your sermon should have no points. On the one hand, this frees the speaker from trying to fit the text into some rigid sermon construction that actually clashes with the text. On the other hand, without carefully working from Smith’s guidance this could quickly lead to a sermon where the audience is thinking, what’s the point? The way Smith is advocating would not lead to this conclusion, but if we are not careful we could end up doing little more than reading the text.
In a different vein, it seems like there would only be one proper way to re-present the text, and if you do not hold strictly to Smith’s way of doing it, you are not being faithful. I do not think Smith would say this, but it could be easy to become overly critical of someone who is not re-presenting it the way you think it should be.
One of the major strengths of this book is the detail Smith includes in each chapter to make sure we understand how to preach each genre. He spends more time on the genres that need it, and recognizes the wide variety in the Gospels. This book could be the difference maker in not knowing how to preach the book of revelation.
One weakness may be that he spends too much time on certain details that are rather obvious. He spends some time defending the Bible as if someone who does not trust the Bible is ennerant is going to read this. He even noted how it is probably not necessary to say. There were also certain points that he gave lengthy explanations for that could have been summed up much quicker, or did not even seem to need an explanation.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the faith that the Word of God is sufficient. Over and over again he tells the reader that we do not need to add our own special flare to make it interesting. He also notes that we do not need to hide any of the Bible from people, because if God included it, and he is perfect, then why would we know better than him when it comes to what should and should not be included. Our job is to preach the Word, not to use the Word as a reference book so that we can get our message across.
Overall Applicability to Ministry
I am thankful to have this book and will be referencing it frequently in the future if given the opportunity to preach. Any preacher should read this book to make sure they understand how the biblical texts are best understood in light of their specific genre. This would also be a helpful book to recommend to your people so they know how to read and apply texts properly. Many people in our congregations would not be able to explain how the laws apply to us today properly. Reading this book would help them do that and know whether their teacher is handling the text correctly.
Smith recognizes the importance of not only focusing on staying faithful to the words of Scripture but also the voice. This is helpful to think about because we learn a lot about exegesis as being carefully examining the wording and phrasing of a specific text, so much so that wwe forget to zoom out and look at the genre in which it is written.
Even more important is that to preach the text faithfully we have to change our preaching based on God’s voice (the genre of the text). Smith warns against preaching the same way no matter the text you are preaching about, which I myself have seen pastors try to do, and it just does not work. If we want to re-present the text the way the author does we have to work hard to understand genre, and Smith helps us do that with this book.
The way the book is laid out makes it easy to understand and a helpful reference for teachers who need help remembering how to preach different genres. Reading this book once helps have an overall vision for how we should preach the different genres, but being able to look back for specific examples to preach on makes it super applicable to ministry.
In Smith’s Recapturing the Voice of God: Shaping Sermons Like Scripture, he encourages preachers to “re-present” what God has already said in Scripture. He notes how the goal of preaching is not to add creativity to the text, but to bring out the creativity that is already there. If the Creator of language communicated to us perfectly through the Word, then why would we present it any differently?
Smith has concluded from this we should preach the Word as it is presented, the structure included. He has recognized how often preachers try to assert a certain sermon structure over the text, which ends up actually changing the “voice” of the text. What should be done instead, is the preacher should use the structure of the text to outline his sermon. According to Smith, there is much more freedom in this. We no longer have to find three points to teach in every text, which can be difficult if the text does not actually have three points. Instead, we re-present the text, so if it only has two points, your sermon has two points.
Another factor to consider is genre. The Bible is filled with various genres, and if we want to re-present this in our sermons, then the genre will shape the way we preach. The way we preach narratives should be different from how we preach poetry or an epistle. In the bulk of the book, Smith breaks down each genre and explains how to structure a sermon based ofn each one. He gives real examples from different texts in each chapter.
This book serves as a helpful guide for how to preach the different genres of Scripture faithfully. By faithfully, I mean in a way that re-presents what God already said. We preach the Word of God as influenced by the voice of God (genre). If we want to do real expository preaching, we have to understand the meaning and to understand the meaning, we have to know the genre and understand how it changes the meaning.
Strengths and Weaknesses
This is such an important book. The amount of preaching that takes place without any regard to the specific genre is too high. It comes at the right time as an increasing number of churchgoers seem to be less knowledgeable about the Bible. Smith makes it clear that they need to be teaching from the perspective that the Bible's genres are important and impact how we understand it.
Upon inspection, it becomes obvious that the Bible is written in different ways, but it takes careful study to figure out what genre each portion of the Bible is. Smith helps the reader know all the different genres in the Bible and gives tips on how to preach the different ones. He does this well by explaining in each chapter what the specific genre is, and how we know the book/passages of Scripture is that particular genre.
Smith teaches to let the text guide the sermon, and that if the text has no points then your sermon should have no points. On the one hand, this frees the speaker from trying to fit the text into some rigid sermon construction that actually clashes with the text. On the other hand, without carefully working from Smith’s guidance this could quickly lead to a sermon where the audience is thinking, what’s the point? The way Smith is advocating would not lead to this conclusion, but if we are not careful we could end up doing little more than reading the text.
In a different vein, it seems like there would only be one proper way to re-present the text, and if you do not hold strictly to Smith’s way of doing it, you are not being faithful. I do not think Smith would say this, but it could be easy to become overly critical of someone who is not re-presenting it the way you think it should be.
One of the major strengths of this book is the detail Smith includes in each chapter to make sure we understand how to preach each genre. He spends more time on the genres that need it, and recognizes the wide variety in the Gospels. This book could be the difference maker in not knowing how to preach the book of revelation.
One weakness may be that he spends too much time on certain details that are rather obvious. He spends some time defending the Bible as if someone who does not trust the Bible is ennerant is going to read this. He even noted how it is probably not necessary to say. There were also certain points that he gave lengthy explanations for that could have been summed up much quicker, or did not even seem to need an explanation.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the faith that the Word of God is sufficient. Over and over again he tells the reader that we do not need to add our own special flare to make it interesting. He also notes that we do not need to hide any of the Bible from people, because if God included it, and he is perfect, then why would we know better than him when it comes to what should and should not be included. Our job is to preach the Word, not to use the Word as a reference book so that we can get our message across.
Overall Applicability to Ministry
I am thankful to have this book and will be referencing it frequently in the future if given the opportunity to preach. Any preacher should read this book to make sure they understand how the biblical texts are best understood in light of their specific genre. This would also be a helpful book to recommend to your people so they know how to read and apply texts properly. Many people in our congregations would not be able to explain how the laws apply to us today properly. Reading this book would help them do that and know whether their teacher is handling the text correctly.
Smith recognizes the importance of not only focusing on staying faithful to the words of Scripture but also the voice. This is helpful to think about because we learn a lot about exegesis as being carefully examining the wording and phrasing of a specific text, so much so that wwe forget to zoom out and look at the genre in which it is written.
Even more important is that to preach the text faithfully we have to change our preaching based on God’s voice (the genre of the text). Smith warns against preaching the same way no matter the text you are preaching about, which I myself have seen pastors try to do, and it just does not work. If we want to re-present the text the way the author does we have to work hard to understand genre, and Smith helps us do that with this book.
The way the book is laid out makes it easy to understand and a helpful reference for teachers who need help remembering how to preach different genres. Reading this book once helps have an overall vision for how we should preach the different genres, but being able to look back for specific examples to preach on makes it super applicable to ministry.
July 3, 2015
“If Scripture gives life, then our sermon forms should be the open windows through which the breath of life blows.”
Genre. All books on hermeneutics and many books on preaching discuss the various genres in the Bible. Understanding the various genres in Scripture is central to not only interpreting but also preaching Scripture. If you interpret a genre wrong then you can bet you will preach the text wrong.
Many preachers are taught two things when it comes to preaching: (1) how to interpret genres and (2) how to preach expositionally. Both are good and necessary. What many preachers are given is a template to apply to their text. Unfortunately, this template does not have much flexibility and usually fits better with one genre. Sometimes preaching a text with the same template can be like trying to fit a square peg into a circle – it just doesn’t fit. So how does the preacher preach expositionally with the various genres in mind?
This is exactly what Steven W. Smith, preaching professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Forth Worth, TX, helps preachers navigate in his new book Recapturing the Voice of God: Shaping Sermons Like Scripture (B&H, 2015). Smith’s argument is that while we want to exposit the text we are preaching, we don’t want to make the text fit an unnatural expositional template (which is often inspired by how epistle genre texts function). Smith asks, “What if a model of preaching is good for some texts but not all texts?” (10)
Exposition & Genre in Harmony
For Smith, preaching is fundamentally “re-presenting” the text of Scripture to a new audience. “Preaching is more than explaining Scripture, but it is no less,” writes Smith. “The question then is, do I have a sermon structure that allows me to re-present the text in the way it was originally presented?” (2) While this may seem like a small distinction, Smith’s nuance has big implications for how one preaches narrative as opposed to epistle. All genres are to be preached expositionally, but the template for each will look different. Instead of a template telling one how to preach a text, sermons need to “represent the form that is already in the text.” (10) When we preach a template instead of the text then we do not preach the text. In fact, Smith argues, to do so is idolatry. “If we compromise the text for a structure then we are practicing a form of idolatry that suggests that a sermon form is more important than the Scriptures.” (59)
This difference is due to the fact that texts within genres look different. While expositional preaching is a good “theologically driven philosophy of preaching”, on its own it is not enough. It needs to be flexible to the changing of the text as one moves through Scripture. What Smith is proposing is to preach expositionally but to do so through “genre-sensitive preaching.” That is, “to show a preacher or teacher how the genre influences the meaning of the text and give practical help for those who want to know how we can shape our sermons to reflect the meaning.” (2)
Far from cumbersome or burdening, Smith’s guidance on preaching texts (and not just templates) is very freeing for preachers. Smith writes,
This simple truth has given me more freedom in preaching than anything else I can imagine. If a text has four points, I preach a sermon with four points. When I preach a narrative that has no easily discernible points, then my sermon has no points….For the rest of my life, how to structure a sermon will always be a secondary question. The primary question is always, How is the text structured?” (20)
Allowing yourself to structure your message as the text presents itself is much more freeing because it feels more natural. You are not left trying to force a square peg template onto a circle text.
Sermon Development Through Genre
Chapters 4-12 of the book address how to read and allow the various genres in Scripture to shape your message. Smith categorizes the nine genres of Scripture into three main categories:
Story: OT Narrative, Law, Gospels/Acts & Parables
Poem: Psalms, Wisdom Literature, and Prophecy
Letter: Epistles & Revelation
Each chapter is divided into three main headings: (1) interpretation, (2) communication, and (3) structure. Of course, since each genre is different, what is discussed under each heading for each genre is different. Smith breaks down each genre to its parts and helps the reader see how each genre forms a sermon in its own unique way.
Far from the typical treatment that genres receive in hermeneutics and preaching books, Smith is trying to do more. Smith is advancing the discussion and our thought process on genre all together. He is not just giving us the nuts and bolts to each genre but he is weaving them together with a theology and preaching philosophy for how to best preach each so that the text as it presents itself to the reader determines how it is preached.
Conclusion
Far from just “another” book on preaching method, Recapturing the Voice of God is a book that every pastor and teacher needs to have and read. Smith will help you take the next step in developing your sermons. This is a book that even seasoned preachers and teachers will benefit from. If you can see the relationship between genre and sermon structure the way Smith does then you will breath a breathe of fresh air into your preaching. You will never see or preach the text the same way again and your people eyes will be opened in new ways. Both preacher and parishioner will benefit from this book.
I received this book for free from B&H for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Genre. All books on hermeneutics and many books on preaching discuss the various genres in the Bible. Understanding the various genres in Scripture is central to not only interpreting but also preaching Scripture. If you interpret a genre wrong then you can bet you will preach the text wrong.
Many preachers are taught two things when it comes to preaching: (1) how to interpret genres and (2) how to preach expositionally. Both are good and necessary. What many preachers are given is a template to apply to their text. Unfortunately, this template does not have much flexibility and usually fits better with one genre. Sometimes preaching a text with the same template can be like trying to fit a square peg into a circle – it just doesn’t fit. So how does the preacher preach expositionally with the various genres in mind?
This is exactly what Steven W. Smith, preaching professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Forth Worth, TX, helps preachers navigate in his new book Recapturing the Voice of God: Shaping Sermons Like Scripture (B&H, 2015). Smith’s argument is that while we want to exposit the text we are preaching, we don’t want to make the text fit an unnatural expositional template (which is often inspired by how epistle genre texts function). Smith asks, “What if a model of preaching is good for some texts but not all texts?” (10)
Exposition & Genre in Harmony
For Smith, preaching is fundamentally “re-presenting” the text of Scripture to a new audience. “Preaching is more than explaining Scripture, but it is no less,” writes Smith. “The question then is, do I have a sermon structure that allows me to re-present the text in the way it was originally presented?” (2) While this may seem like a small distinction, Smith’s nuance has big implications for how one preaches narrative as opposed to epistle. All genres are to be preached expositionally, but the template for each will look different. Instead of a template telling one how to preach a text, sermons need to “represent the form that is already in the text.” (10) When we preach a template instead of the text then we do not preach the text. In fact, Smith argues, to do so is idolatry. “If we compromise the text for a structure then we are practicing a form of idolatry that suggests that a sermon form is more important than the Scriptures.” (59)
This difference is due to the fact that texts within genres look different. While expositional preaching is a good “theologically driven philosophy of preaching”, on its own it is not enough. It needs to be flexible to the changing of the text as one moves through Scripture. What Smith is proposing is to preach expositionally but to do so through “genre-sensitive preaching.” That is, “to show a preacher or teacher how the genre influences the meaning of the text and give practical help for those who want to know how we can shape our sermons to reflect the meaning.” (2)
Far from cumbersome or burdening, Smith’s guidance on preaching texts (and not just templates) is very freeing for preachers. Smith writes,
This simple truth has given me more freedom in preaching than anything else I can imagine. If a text has four points, I preach a sermon with four points. When I preach a narrative that has no easily discernible points, then my sermon has no points….For the rest of my life, how to structure a sermon will always be a secondary question. The primary question is always, How is the text structured?” (20)
Allowing yourself to structure your message as the text presents itself is much more freeing because it feels more natural. You are not left trying to force a square peg template onto a circle text.
Sermon Development Through Genre
Chapters 4-12 of the book address how to read and allow the various genres in Scripture to shape your message. Smith categorizes the nine genres of Scripture into three main categories:
Story: OT Narrative, Law, Gospels/Acts & Parables
Poem: Psalms, Wisdom Literature, and Prophecy
Letter: Epistles & Revelation
Each chapter is divided into three main headings: (1) interpretation, (2) communication, and (3) structure. Of course, since each genre is different, what is discussed under each heading for each genre is different. Smith breaks down each genre to its parts and helps the reader see how each genre forms a sermon in its own unique way.
Far from the typical treatment that genres receive in hermeneutics and preaching books, Smith is trying to do more. Smith is advancing the discussion and our thought process on genre all together. He is not just giving us the nuts and bolts to each genre but he is weaving them together with a theology and preaching philosophy for how to best preach each so that the text as it presents itself to the reader determines how it is preached.
Conclusion
Far from just “another” book on preaching method, Recapturing the Voice of God is a book that every pastor and teacher needs to have and read. Smith will help you take the next step in developing your sermons. This is a book that even seasoned preachers and teachers will benefit from. If you can see the relationship between genre and sermon structure the way Smith does then you will breath a breathe of fresh air into your preaching. You will never see or preach the text the same way again and your people eyes will be opened in new ways. Both preacher and parishioner will benefit from this book.
I received this book for free from B&H for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
November 21, 2023
Smith provides helpful guidance for preaching different genres of Scripture. I appreciated his emphasis on allowing the text’s substance, structure, and spirit to rule the substance, structure, and spirit of the sermon. He provided some helpful suggestions on how to do this for each genre. I found his section on Old Testament narratives to be particularly helpful. However, while this book was helpful, it lacked in some significant ways. First of all, there were many sections that he dragged on for too long, restating the same point or giving illustration after illustration. The book could have been much shorter. Secondly, there were some odd formatting decisions. This book should have been edited a bit more.
December 10, 2018
Text driven preaching through genres
This is a good book that accomplishes its thesis of trying to show how and why a preacher should be sensitive to each genre of the Bible. This book should be recommended reading for the pastor, Sunday school teacher, and seminary student. There are a few critical issues, but the bulk of the book is solid research.
This is a good book that accomplishes its thesis of trying to show how and why a preacher should be sensitive to each genre of the Bible. This book should be recommended reading for the pastor, Sunday school teacher, and seminary student. There are a few critical issues, but the bulk of the book is solid research.
December 12, 2024
The first three chapters provide a helpful theology and methodology of preaching: the form of our sermons should reflect the form of the text, because our task is to re-present the voice of God to God's people. The remaining chapters are a helpful resource that I will continue to thumb through in the future as I preach through various genres.
March 20, 2021
Written and Advertised as a preaching this book is a helpful resource on better understanding the different types of genres in Scripture. Some of the things discussed here seem repetitive in comparison to other works of his. This book for the most part reads like a hermeneutics book.
October 24, 2021
This was a required seminary read. There was some great content and new thoughts for me, but not great writing style and it became pretty repetitive at times. Might have to turn back to it at some point outside of required reading.
March 7, 2024
Re-read, and I forgot how good this book is. Great introductory theology of preaching, and great advice on how to preach the different genres of Scripture in a way that treats exposition as a philosophy and not simply a method or style.
July 31, 2024
Helpful, practical advice for teaching through Scripture! I’ll use it as a reference book.
December 17, 2024
Equal parts tool, commentary, and encouragement, Recapturing the Voice of God is an indispensable asset for the pastor, teacher, and Christian. Smith systematically exposits how one should teach, study, and enjoy each genre of Scripture. Plus, his "examples" come in the form of rich theological assertions about texts within the genre of discussion. The cherry on top of it all comes in the form of structural examples at the end of each chapter for hypothetical preachings for readers to modify and be inspired by.
This book was as much of a joy as it was a help to my Christian walk. Definitely give it a read!
This book was as much of a joy as it was a help to my Christian walk. Definitely give it a read!
February 5, 2025
Recapturing the Voice of God is an extremely helpful book for understanding how the structure of the text influences the sermon. Sermons should not all sound the same, but should be influenced by the different genres of the Bible. Those who preach and teach the Bible will be helped by considering this work and integrating the ideas presented here into their own ministries for the glory of God and the good of their people.
August 30, 2016
Excellent book on preaching by one of the best preacher I have ever heard!
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