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Power in the Pulpit: How to Prepare and Deliver Expository Sermons
“I would not be who I am and I would not be doing what I do if it were not for God’s grace toward me through the reading and applying of this book.” —David Platt. It’s still used in Bible schools and seminaries today, and it shows no signs of slowing Power in the Pulpit is an ideal introduction to preaching. Dr. Jerry Vines and Dr. Jim Shaddix have achieved a balanced approach to sermon preparation in Power in the Pulpit . This primer combines the perspective of a pastor of forty years with that of someone who devotes daily time to training pastors in the context of theological education. It offers practical preaching instruction from a tradition that sees biblical exposition as a paramount and frequent event in the life of the local church.
Power in the Pulpit is the combined work of Dr. Vines's two earlier publications on A Practical Guide to Sermon Preparation (Moody Publishers, 1985) and A Guide to Effective Sermon Delivery (Moody Publishers, 1986). Dr. Shaddix carefully organized and supplemented the material to offer this useful resource that closes the gap between classroom theory and what a pastor actually experiences in his weekly sermon preparation.
Power in the Pulpit is the combined work of Dr. Vines's two earlier publications on A Practical Guide to Sermon Preparation (Moody Publishers, 1985) and A Guide to Effective Sermon Delivery (Moody Publishers, 1986). Dr. Shaddix carefully organized and supplemented the material to offer this useful resource that closes the gap between classroom theory and what a pastor actually experiences in his weekly sermon preparation.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published June 10, 1999
142 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Vines
48 books8 followersDR. JERRY VINES (B.A., Mercer University; Th.D., Luther Rice Seminary) retired as pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida in 2006, where he served for 24 years. He served two terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Jerry is author of a number of books including Power in the Pulpit: How to Prepare and Deliver Expository Sermons, and A Practical Guide to Sermon Preparation. He and his wife, Janet, have four adult children and five grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
March 6, 2022
Read this for school. 3.8. First seven chapters are phenomenal, they take you through the process of exegesis, interpretation, application, etc. Good resource for preaching.
November 22, 2020
Solid and practical book on homiletics, though not as groundbreaking as Haddon Robinson, as technically helpful as Donald Sunukjian, or as philosophically moving as Stott’s “Between Two Worlds” or Lloyd-Jones’ “Preaching and Preachers.”
November 20, 2018
This is the kind of book you read intently once or twice, then refer to and refresh yourself with throughout life. Coming from serious experience, you can tell all of the advice given was earned through years of faithfulness. For someone like me, a young preacher-to-be with little to no experience, this book is extremely helpful preparing me for the job of preaching even while I do not understand the ins and outs of the calling. I highly recommend this book.
January 24, 2021
This is a really practical and helpful guid for preaching that makes the daunting task seem more doable by the power of the Holy Spirit. Vines and Shaddix offer tips on preaching styles, how to memorize sermons, ways to preach with or without a manuscript, guides for the order of worship, and calls to live in accordance with the qualifications given Paul concerning those who can preach. There is no doubt that this book is for those who preach, and I would recommend it to even the most seasoned of preachers. A great read that I may return to in the future for comfort and tips. It is also full of resources that can aid the preacher, which are priceless and always welcomed.
December 12, 2017
“Ouch…Charlie that really hurt!” That was taken from a very popular YouTube video from several years back, but that is how I felt in the opening chapters of this tremendous read from Jerry Vines and Jim Shaddix entitled Power in the Pulpit: How to Prepare and Deliver Expository Sermons Revised Edition published by Moody. I found myself hurting only through conviction as I was reminded of what expository preaching entailed and what was expected of me, the preacher. This work which actually began in the heart of Jerry Vine’s two books, A Practical Guide to Sermon Preparation and A Guide to Effective Sermon Delivery, was originally published as Power in the Pulpit in 1999 after Jim Shaddix was asked to revise and update Vine’s two books.
The authors do not just dive into the nuts and bolts of sermon preparation, but rather spend a great deal of time setting a foundation in their section entitled The Preparation for Exposition. It hurt because I’m reminded of the great responsibility upon my shoulders when I am God’s chosen representative given the task of present the very Word of God each week to those who listen. They reminded me of the necessity of the Spirit of God for this to truly take place. I found myself convicted and praying more for Sunday.
To add insult to injury these guys then have the audacity to put a chapter in their book which tells me that I need to “give attention to issues like personal worship, character and integrity, dependence on the Holy Spirit, intellectual development, physical fitness, good study habits, and healthy role models.” Actually this chapter is worth purchasing the book. I especially found myself convicted on the discussion of the Holy Spirit’s anointing and how a preacher might pursue it.
From there these two authors, who are known for their own capabilities in the pulpit, lay out the nuts and bolts of sermon preparation. This book is filled with so much information that at times I felt myself overloaded at times. This is a book that I will have to return to time and again. For the next year this book is going to be close to my desk as I seek to sharpen my knife of preaching. From studying the text to the organization of the sermon itself, the authors allow us to look at the process of exposition from every angle. In this process it is clear that the authors have a high view of the text and a desire to keep it front and center in the exposition process.
The authors have a whole section on the actual presentation of the sermon and leads the reader down so much material to think and consider. There is even a section on protecting your voice and was written from the personal experience of author Jerry Vines who struggled with a vocal nodule in his ministry. The reader is able to benefit from the time that Vines himself spent studying the subject of voice and how to be best steward the voice that God has given us to use. There is nothing left out on the section on the presentation as the reader is taught to hold the attention of his hearer and best convey the message that God has given him through his time of study and preparation.
This is one of the most thorough books on the preparation and delivery of expository sermons that I have read. It is written by two men who are not only are masters themselves in this arena but have influenced some of the best preachers of our day. Though I never sat in a class taught by either of this men, I will be at their feet learning for a long time to come. I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to read and review this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.
The authors do not just dive into the nuts and bolts of sermon preparation, but rather spend a great deal of time setting a foundation in their section entitled The Preparation for Exposition. It hurt because I’m reminded of the great responsibility upon my shoulders when I am God’s chosen representative given the task of present the very Word of God each week to those who listen. They reminded me of the necessity of the Spirit of God for this to truly take place. I found myself convicted and praying more for Sunday.
To add insult to injury these guys then have the audacity to put a chapter in their book which tells me that I need to “give attention to issues like personal worship, character and integrity, dependence on the Holy Spirit, intellectual development, physical fitness, good study habits, and healthy role models.” Actually this chapter is worth purchasing the book. I especially found myself convicted on the discussion of the Holy Spirit’s anointing and how a preacher might pursue it.
From there these two authors, who are known for their own capabilities in the pulpit, lay out the nuts and bolts of sermon preparation. This book is filled with so much information that at times I felt myself overloaded at times. This is a book that I will have to return to time and again. For the next year this book is going to be close to my desk as I seek to sharpen my knife of preaching. From studying the text to the organization of the sermon itself, the authors allow us to look at the process of exposition from every angle. In this process it is clear that the authors have a high view of the text and a desire to keep it front and center in the exposition process.
The authors have a whole section on the actual presentation of the sermon and leads the reader down so much material to think and consider. There is even a section on protecting your voice and was written from the personal experience of author Jerry Vines who struggled with a vocal nodule in his ministry. The reader is able to benefit from the time that Vines himself spent studying the subject of voice and how to be best steward the voice that God has given us to use. There is nothing left out on the section on the presentation as the reader is taught to hold the attention of his hearer and best convey the message that God has given him through his time of study and preparation.
This is one of the most thorough books on the preparation and delivery of expository sermons that I have read. It is written by two men who are not only are masters themselves in this arena but have influenced some of the best preachers of our day. Though I never sat in a class taught by either of this men, I will be at their feet learning for a long time to come. I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to read and review this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.
October 21, 2015
I found this to be very practical and I am thankful to have read it. I do not agree with everything Vines has to say about the preaching ministry, but most of the applicable parts will prove to be deeply beneficial in preparing sermons.
April 6, 2018
***DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED THIS BOOK FOR FREE FROM MOODY PUBLISHERS TO REVIEW***
Jerry Vines & Jim Shaddix wrote a long, informational book titled Power In The Pulpit: How To Prepare And Deliver Expository Sermons. This book represents the third book I have reviewed for Moody Publishers. David Platt wrote the foreword to this revised edition of the book (pp. 9-10). Platt urges the reader to “digest and devour” this book that has had quite an impact on his life and ministry (p. 9).
After some prefaces, acknowledgements and an introduction (pp. 11-19), the authors begin part one of this book (pp. 23-135). This part discusses “The Preparation For Exposition.” It has three chapters. The first chapter, titled “Defining The Task: A Philosophy Of Expository Preaching”, explains the roots, definition, journey and rationale of expository preaching (pp. 23-58). Chapter two, titled “Laying The Foundation: A Theology For Expository Preaching”, argues that the Word of God, the call of God, the Spirit of God and the gospel of God all “provide the groundwork for a proper understanding of biblical exposition” (pp. 59-93). In chapter three (titled “Developing The Preacher: The Life Of The Expositor”), Vines & Shaddix explain the various qualities that help with the aforementioned development (pp. 95-135). While the first two chapters are solid, the third chapter takes a bit of a detour towards the end when both Shaddix and Vines’ call The Message, The Living Bible and J.B. Phillips’ paraphrase of the New Testament “good paraphrases” that can help with “new understanding of familiar passages” (p. 123). The Message is an awful paraphrase. Some people (myself included) call it a Herephrase (a heretical paraphrase of the Bible). J.B. Phillips was regarded as a “heretic who denied Bible inerrancy.” Finally, while The Living Bible may not be as bad, few scholars have encouraged its use. Therefore, it is clear that Shaddix and Vines’ labeling of the aforementioned paraphrases as “good paraphrases” shows an alarming and gross lack of discernment.
Part two of this book explains “The Process of Exposition” (pp. 139-247). Chapter four, titled “Studying The Text: The Interpretation Process”, explains the four recommended and successive questions to ask when exegeting a biblical passage (pp. 139-179). Chapters five and six both focus on organizing the sermon (pp. 181-247). These chapters explain the process of unifying, outlining, amplifying, introducing and concluding the sermon. Part two represented the best part of this book; it gave some good information and explained some nice pointers for sermon organization.
Part three of this book (the longest part of them all, spanning four chapters) explains “The Presentation Of The Exposition” (pp. 251-385). Chapter seven, titled “Expressing The Thoughts: The Development of Preaching Style”, gives some ways to help improve one’s preaching style (pp. 251-282). While the chapter has some interesting information, its promotion of imagination, the subconscious mind, dreaming dreams and “seeing visions” was a bit too eerie and manmade for me (pp. 256-259). Chapter eight, titled “Playing The Voice: Proper Use Of The Preaching Instrument”, gives outstanding information on the specifics of the voice and how to protect it (pp. 283-311). Chapter nine, titled “Making The Connection: Preaching With Heart And Head”, explains how one preaches from his heart and head (pp. 313-349). The chapter also emphasizes storytelling and preaching with drama. Finally, chapter ten, titled “Preaching The Word: Keys To Effective Physical Delivery”, offers “guidelines for effective physical delivery of the sermonic message” (pp. 351-385). While the chapter has decent information, it has both a baffling spelling mistake (p. 374) and a poison pill, the latter in the form of twisting 1 Kings 19:12-13 to promote the “still, small voice” false doctrine (p. 356). Nowhere in Scripture are believers told to listen for the “still, small voice” of God. God speaks to us via His Son through the written Word of God (Hebrews 1:1-4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:16-21). The book concludes with a conclusion, some notes, several appendices, a bibliography and two indexes (pp. 387-438).
CONCLUSION
There is no doubt this book gives some good information. There is also no doubt this book exercises mediocre discernment at times. After all, the authors do hold in high regard The Message, The Phillips Bible and The Living Bible. However, none of those paraphrases are good. Furthermore, the authors promote the “still, small voice” doctrine. However, as shown earlier, Scripture shows that we hear God’s voice via the written Word, not something still and small. While the good does outweigh the bad in this book, one would be wise not to “digest and devour” all the stuff in this book blindly. Have your discernment shades handy with this book.
Jerry Vines & Jim Shaddix wrote a long, informational book titled Power In The Pulpit: How To Prepare And Deliver Expository Sermons. This book represents the third book I have reviewed for Moody Publishers. David Platt wrote the foreword to this revised edition of the book (pp. 9-10). Platt urges the reader to “digest and devour” this book that has had quite an impact on his life and ministry (p. 9).
After some prefaces, acknowledgements and an introduction (pp. 11-19), the authors begin part one of this book (pp. 23-135). This part discusses “The Preparation For Exposition.” It has three chapters. The first chapter, titled “Defining The Task: A Philosophy Of Expository Preaching”, explains the roots, definition, journey and rationale of expository preaching (pp. 23-58). Chapter two, titled “Laying The Foundation: A Theology For Expository Preaching”, argues that the Word of God, the call of God, the Spirit of God and the gospel of God all “provide the groundwork for a proper understanding of biblical exposition” (pp. 59-93). In chapter three (titled “Developing The Preacher: The Life Of The Expositor”), Vines & Shaddix explain the various qualities that help with the aforementioned development (pp. 95-135). While the first two chapters are solid, the third chapter takes a bit of a detour towards the end when both Shaddix and Vines’ call The Message, The Living Bible and J.B. Phillips’ paraphrase of the New Testament “good paraphrases” that can help with “new understanding of familiar passages” (p. 123). The Message is an awful paraphrase. Some people (myself included) call it a Herephrase (a heretical paraphrase of the Bible). J.B. Phillips was regarded as a “heretic who denied Bible inerrancy.” Finally, while The Living Bible may not be as bad, few scholars have encouraged its use. Therefore, it is clear that Shaddix and Vines’ labeling of the aforementioned paraphrases as “good paraphrases” shows an alarming and gross lack of discernment.
Part two of this book explains “The Process of Exposition” (pp. 139-247). Chapter four, titled “Studying The Text: The Interpretation Process”, explains the four recommended and successive questions to ask when exegeting a biblical passage (pp. 139-179). Chapters five and six both focus on organizing the sermon (pp. 181-247). These chapters explain the process of unifying, outlining, amplifying, introducing and concluding the sermon. Part two represented the best part of this book; it gave some good information and explained some nice pointers for sermon organization.
Part three of this book (the longest part of them all, spanning four chapters) explains “The Presentation Of The Exposition” (pp. 251-385). Chapter seven, titled “Expressing The Thoughts: The Development of Preaching Style”, gives some ways to help improve one’s preaching style (pp. 251-282). While the chapter has some interesting information, its promotion of imagination, the subconscious mind, dreaming dreams and “seeing visions” was a bit too eerie and manmade for me (pp. 256-259). Chapter eight, titled “Playing The Voice: Proper Use Of The Preaching Instrument”, gives outstanding information on the specifics of the voice and how to protect it (pp. 283-311). Chapter nine, titled “Making The Connection: Preaching With Heart And Head”, explains how one preaches from his heart and head (pp. 313-349). The chapter also emphasizes storytelling and preaching with drama. Finally, chapter ten, titled “Preaching The Word: Keys To Effective Physical Delivery”, offers “guidelines for effective physical delivery of the sermonic message” (pp. 351-385). While the chapter has decent information, it has both a baffling spelling mistake (p. 374) and a poison pill, the latter in the form of twisting 1 Kings 19:12-13 to promote the “still, small voice” false doctrine (p. 356). Nowhere in Scripture are believers told to listen for the “still, small voice” of God. God speaks to us via His Son through the written Word of God (Hebrews 1:1-4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:16-21). The book concludes with a conclusion, some notes, several appendices, a bibliography and two indexes (pp. 387-438).
CONCLUSION
There is no doubt this book gives some good information. There is also no doubt this book exercises mediocre discernment at times. After all, the authors do hold in high regard The Message, The Phillips Bible and The Living Bible. However, none of those paraphrases are good. Furthermore, the authors promote the “still, small voice” doctrine. However, as shown earlier, Scripture shows that we hear God’s voice via the written Word, not something still and small. While the good does outweigh the bad in this book, one would be wise not to “digest and devour” all the stuff in this book blindly. Have your discernment shades handy with this book.
August 6, 2017
As soon as I saw this book and its companion volume available for review, I was enthusiastic to read them. As someone who speaks occasionally from the pulpit myself, and being fairly young and unseasoned in the task [1], I tend to be greatly interested in reading that will help me be more effective in that task. These books have become classics in that specialized genre of pastoral writing and have certainly earned their position. Strikingly, I found that this book's advice largely mirrored and encouraged what I was already doing, and I was pleased to see that this was the case. Not all readers will find that this book encourages their practice, but those readers who already take their preparation for messages seriously and whose focus is on speaking from the text out rather than seeking to shoehorn a text into a preconceived idea will find much to appreciate in the authors' focus on encouraging expository preaching here. There may be quite a few people who do not realize they are already practicing expository preaching along with those who think they are and are not.
The roughly four hundred pages of material in this book are divided into three parts and ten large chapters. The first part of the book focuses on preparing to give expository messages. This preparation begins with a look at expository preaching as an approach rather than a type of message, an approach that focuses on preaching the truths of the Bible and limiting one's messages to that which comes from the Bible and not primarily from ourselves, as well as properly preparing messages in order to give as complete a picture of biblical truth as possible. The authors then discuss the theology of expository preaching, which focuses as much as possible on areas of fundamental biblical importance rather than doubtful matters. Additionally, the authors focus a great deal of attention on the life of the preacher as an essential area of preparation for proper speaking. The second part of the book discusses the process of exposition, giving extensive discussion on studying text and properly interpreting it and organizing the sermon for the purposes of unifying and outlining points and then amplifying, introducing, and concluding. The third part of the book looks at issues of presentation, giving useful insights on the development of a speaker's preaching style, the proper use of the voice as the preacher's instrument, making the connection with both head and heart, and some keys to effective physical delivery of messages. The book concludes with some appendices that provide observation examples, a structural diagram of a message, a sermon summary sheet, and relaxation and breathing exercises.
Although I found this book to be of great value as encouragement, and certainly a book that many preachers could and should take to heart, there was much about this book, that does not mean that I found the material to be free of criticism. I found in general that the book operates fundamentally from a Hellenistic thinking process that views there being only one level or layer of meaning in a given text, with the job of the preacher being to find this one layer. The authors appear to be somewhat hostile to the allegorical level of meaning of texts, probably because of their frequent misuse by many preachers. That said, while this book was very good at dealing with issues of genre analysis as well as the literal layer of text, I found the book less satisfying in encouraging preachers to effectively address the allegorical levels of text or the hints that often connect one verse to another, especially in the conversations of biblically literate speakers like Jesus Christ and John the Baptist or the writings of the Apostle Paul, to give but a couple of many possible examples. This book is somewhat limited in its scope because the authors come from the perspective of Hellenistic rather than biblical Christianity, but within those limitations of approach the book offers considerable insight in how speakers can better prepare messages for their congregations and enjoy speaking with more spiritual power in the pulpit.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.files.wor... preparation
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
The roughly four hundred pages of material in this book are divided into three parts and ten large chapters. The first part of the book focuses on preparing to give expository messages. This preparation begins with a look at expository preaching as an approach rather than a type of message, an approach that focuses on preaching the truths of the Bible and limiting one's messages to that which comes from the Bible and not primarily from ourselves, as well as properly preparing messages in order to give as complete a picture of biblical truth as possible. The authors then discuss the theology of expository preaching, which focuses as much as possible on areas of fundamental biblical importance rather than doubtful matters. Additionally, the authors focus a great deal of attention on the life of the preacher as an essential area of preparation for proper speaking. The second part of the book discusses the process of exposition, giving extensive discussion on studying text and properly interpreting it and organizing the sermon for the purposes of unifying and outlining points and then amplifying, introducing, and concluding. The third part of the book looks at issues of presentation, giving useful insights on the development of a speaker's preaching style, the proper use of the voice as the preacher's instrument, making the connection with both head and heart, and some keys to effective physical delivery of messages. The book concludes with some appendices that provide observation examples, a structural diagram of a message, a sermon summary sheet, and relaxation and breathing exercises.
Although I found this book to be of great value as encouragement, and certainly a book that many preachers could and should take to heart, there was much about this book, that does not mean that I found the material to be free of criticism. I found in general that the book operates fundamentally from a Hellenistic thinking process that views there being only one level or layer of meaning in a given text, with the job of the preacher being to find this one layer. The authors appear to be somewhat hostile to the allegorical level of meaning of texts, probably because of their frequent misuse by many preachers. That said, while this book was very good at dealing with issues of genre analysis as well as the literal layer of text, I found the book less satisfying in encouraging preachers to effectively address the allegorical levels of text or the hints that often connect one verse to another, especially in the conversations of biblically literate speakers like Jesus Christ and John the Baptist or the writings of the Apostle Paul, to give but a couple of many possible examples. This book is somewhat limited in its scope because the authors come from the perspective of Hellenistic rather than biblical Christianity, but within those limitations of approach the book offers considerable insight in how speakers can better prepare messages for their congregations and enjoy speaking with more spiritual power in the pulpit.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.files.wor... preparation
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
November 27, 2017
"Power in the Pulpit: How To Prepare and Deliver Expository Sermons" (2017 revised edition) is one of the top books on expository preaching in my opinion. Very practical, yet helpful and challenging at the same time. This is not the type of book that you read once and put away. It lends itself to more of a resource to use as you constantly develop your skills as you create and deliver expository sermons.
It really is a very well written guide on the process of developing expository sermons as well as delivering them. Moody has a follow-up book entitled Progress in the Pulpit that I would like to check out as well. If it is anything like Power in the Pulpit with regards to how valuable it is, then the follow-up book should be excellent as well.
Written in three major parts, the authors craftily guide you through the process of creating an expository sermon. First is preparing for doing the exposition. This explains expository preaching as well as helping to develop the life of the expositor.
Then they move into the actual process of creating an expository sermon with some strong time-tested methods for interpreting Scripture and then creating the actual sermon.
Finally, they spend some time going over how to present the expository sermon. They include ways to develop your preaching style, ways to deliver the sermon and much more.
The five appendices at the end of the book are such a practical help to say the least. Covering examples of observing Scripture, structural diagrams to help you better interpret Scripture, a sermon summary sheet to help create the sermon, and then relaxation and breathing techniques to help you deliver the sermon more effectively.
Highly recommended to say the least. I received a copy of this book in exchange for this review from Moody Publishers and all opinions are my own.
It really is a very well written guide on the process of developing expository sermons as well as delivering them. Moody has a follow-up book entitled Progress in the Pulpit that I would like to check out as well. If it is anything like Power in the Pulpit with regards to how valuable it is, then the follow-up book should be excellent as well.
Written in three major parts, the authors craftily guide you through the process of creating an expository sermon. First is preparing for doing the exposition. This explains expository preaching as well as helping to develop the life of the expositor.
Then they move into the actual process of creating an expository sermon with some strong time-tested methods for interpreting Scripture and then creating the actual sermon.
Finally, they spend some time going over how to present the expository sermon. They include ways to develop your preaching style, ways to deliver the sermon and much more.
The five appendices at the end of the book are such a practical help to say the least. Covering examples of observing Scripture, structural diagrams to help you better interpret Scripture, a sermon summary sheet to help create the sermon, and then relaxation and breathing techniques to help you deliver the sermon more effectively.
Highly recommended to say the least. I received a copy of this book in exchange for this review from Moody Publishers and all opinions are my own.
November 2, 2025
Your typical introduction for preparing and delivering sermons. A little dry and drawn out, but its comprehensiveness may have its uses.
•••
The book pulls from many sources to present a fairly uncontroversial introduction to expository preaching (though not everyone will feel as strongly about having a sense of calling, or seeking special anointing). The bulk of the book is your typical material about background study, historical-grammatical exegesis, the central idea of the text, expository preaching, and so on.
Some sections were lacking, while others could have been much shorter. For instance, the subsection on the history of preaching was lacking. They asserted no good preaching existed from the early church until the Reformation except Chrysostom, Augustine, and the pre-reformers. Then after the reformers, they named a few puritans, then some Southern Baptists, glossing over most of church history to point out their personal favorites. They even missed Spurgeon. Meanwhile, there was an entire chapter devoted to the detailed biological processes involved in breathing and speaking. This is in addition to a subsection early on about the importance of staying healthy (diet, exercise, etc.). Many sections (but especially that one) could have been trimmed to get to the point faster and avoid repetition. These are ultimately nitpicks, though, all things considered, not relevant to the core of the book.
•••
In the final analysis, the book is generally what you'd expect. If someone has never read this type of book before, this one will do fine; if someone has, this is nothing to write home about. There's probably something better out there.
•••
The book pulls from many sources to present a fairly uncontroversial introduction to expository preaching (though not everyone will feel as strongly about having a sense of calling, or seeking special anointing). The bulk of the book is your typical material about background study, historical-grammatical exegesis, the central idea of the text, expository preaching, and so on.
Some sections were lacking, while others could have been much shorter. For instance, the subsection on the history of preaching was lacking. They asserted no good preaching existed from the early church until the Reformation except Chrysostom, Augustine, and the pre-reformers. Then after the reformers, they named a few puritans, then some Southern Baptists, glossing over most of church history to point out their personal favorites. They even missed Spurgeon. Meanwhile, there was an entire chapter devoted to the detailed biological processes involved in breathing and speaking. This is in addition to a subsection early on about the importance of staying healthy (diet, exercise, etc.). Many sections (but especially that one) could have been trimmed to get to the point faster and avoid repetition. These are ultimately nitpicks, though, all things considered, not relevant to the core of the book.
•••
In the final analysis, the book is generally what you'd expect. If someone has never read this type of book before, this one will do fine; if someone has, this is nothing to write home about. There's probably something better out there.
January 23, 2015
Jerry Vines was the pastor of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida, for 23 of his over 50 years in ministry. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, a degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and his Doctorate of Theology from Luther Rice Seminary. He currently leads the Jerry Vines Ministry, where he continues to evangelize and help people grow into maturity as Christians. His contribution to this book came from these significant experiences in ministry.
Probably lesser known as an author or co-author in the publishing world, Jim Shaddix has written for many compilations such as Mac Brunson’s The New Guidebook for Pastors. He presently serves as senior pastor of Riverside Baptist Church in Denver, Colorado. He previously served on staff at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, a Doctor of Ministry from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Philosophy from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Summary
Power in the Pulpit builds an exceedingly strong foundation of the development of the expository sermon and takes many advances toward the application of the ideas that Vines and Shaddix present. The book is comprehensive, like a textbook in length but not in style; Meaning, the writing style makes the complex thoughts easy to understand when taken in small pieces, but the overall meticulousness lends itself to categorization as a higher academic book.
Critical Evaluation
The text is divided into three major parts, and rightly so because these three distinct parts have been broken into almost every possible subcategory and faction, and require the grouping of at least three chief sections.
The first part, “The Preparation for Exposition,” covers the definition and biblical support for preaching. Early on in the book the authors define expository as, “to lay open” (10) the text. They then give several points of rationale for expository preaching, including that it promotes biblical literacy, provides accountability, protects pastors from preaching pitfalls—like teaching on a favorite topic each week thereby avoiding the important truths in the cracks—removes anxiety about what to preach next, develops an appetite in the congregation, and promotes what many pastors are now referring to as self-feeding: when people are able to read the Bible for themselves and grow in Christian maturity.
Overall this first part of the book emphasizes the development of the preacher, and specifically addresses the preacher’s health, which is uncommon in books about preaching (and a very good example of the thought that went into this work).
The second part of Power in the Pulpit covers the handling of the text. The material in this section is tough, and again, comprehensive. The authors do explain the information well, though, and this makes the readability higher in thie reviewer’s opinion.
The section on “Designing the Structure” of the expositional sermon tended to give more leeway to various methods than does most traditional expository preaching philosophy. It is good that they mostly restricted their focus to Key Word, Analytical (useful for text that is two or more paragraphs long) and Sermonic Plot (useful for narratives) methodology. The Key Word method took the most time for the authors to explain and it may not be the best way to approach laying out a text in front of a Sunday audience who’s attention is limited to 30 minutes (especially when they later quote a study that shows the average attention span of an audience is merely four minutes). However, each of these three methods espoused do fit extremely well within the expository sermon.
Aside from detailed analysis, there is thorough reasoning behind each topic covered, which helps the reader who is application oriented. It is much better to get to the end of a long and exhaustive text and see an purpose for what has just been read. This aides in proper digestion of the topics and methodologies presented and this book would be much less effective without the light at the end of the many scholastic tunnels.
Possibly the best sections in this second part come from those about the central idea, proposition, and purpose. Second to these is when authors Vines and Shaddix provide the most helpful advice on what to do and what not to do at the end of the message. In the style of SAT stop signs, the authors share ways to properly end a sermon without letting it, “ravel out at the end like a ball of yarn.” (195-6)
The third part is about what may be one of the most overlooked parts of academic study of sermon preparation and delivery: the presentation. Beginning with expressing one’s thoughts, they give great practical advice on the use of humor. Attention to the pastor’s voice. They also talk about engaging the congregation, use of vocabulary, visuals, and knowing the audience. For knowing the audience, they lay the groundwork for why a pastor should know whom he is speaking to. While they give great weight to the proper handling of the biblical text not being controlled by man, they do use the axiom, “learn to do audience-centered preaching rather than subject-centered preaching” (298). It makes sense to differentiate between a perfect exposition and the application of such eloquence to deaf ears (so to speak), but “audience-centered” is a dangerous phrase to use in a book targeted at expository preachers.
Conclusion
The theme of the end of the book is to preach from the heart. It seems as though that is what these two authors have done in preparing this manuscript. They have poured their hearts out and created a work that combines their joint extensive academic study of the Word of God with their combined ministries in seemingly opposite cultures of America.
There are times when it feels like this book was written as an exhaustive work rather than an easily applicable how-to guide for eager pastors. Lay leaders may find this book useful, but the level of detail may prompt more skimming by such an audience. However, this clearly is not the reason of the book. If one approaches the study and preparation with patience similar to Vines’ and Shaddix’s own investment, Power in the Pulpit will be found a worthwhile volume for any pastoral library.
Probably lesser known as an author or co-author in the publishing world, Jim Shaddix has written for many compilations such as Mac Brunson’s The New Guidebook for Pastors. He presently serves as senior pastor of Riverside Baptist Church in Denver, Colorado. He previously served on staff at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, a Doctor of Ministry from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Philosophy from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Summary
Power in the Pulpit builds an exceedingly strong foundation of the development of the expository sermon and takes many advances toward the application of the ideas that Vines and Shaddix present. The book is comprehensive, like a textbook in length but not in style; Meaning, the writing style makes the complex thoughts easy to understand when taken in small pieces, but the overall meticulousness lends itself to categorization as a higher academic book.
Critical Evaluation
The text is divided into three major parts, and rightly so because these three distinct parts have been broken into almost every possible subcategory and faction, and require the grouping of at least three chief sections.
The first part, “The Preparation for Exposition,” covers the definition and biblical support for preaching. Early on in the book the authors define expository as, “to lay open” (10) the text. They then give several points of rationale for expository preaching, including that it promotes biblical literacy, provides accountability, protects pastors from preaching pitfalls—like teaching on a favorite topic each week thereby avoiding the important truths in the cracks—removes anxiety about what to preach next, develops an appetite in the congregation, and promotes what many pastors are now referring to as self-feeding: when people are able to read the Bible for themselves and grow in Christian maturity.
Overall this first part of the book emphasizes the development of the preacher, and specifically addresses the preacher’s health, which is uncommon in books about preaching (and a very good example of the thought that went into this work).
The second part of Power in the Pulpit covers the handling of the text. The material in this section is tough, and again, comprehensive. The authors do explain the information well, though, and this makes the readability higher in thie reviewer’s opinion.
The section on “Designing the Structure” of the expositional sermon tended to give more leeway to various methods than does most traditional expository preaching philosophy. It is good that they mostly restricted their focus to Key Word, Analytical (useful for text that is two or more paragraphs long) and Sermonic Plot (useful for narratives) methodology. The Key Word method took the most time for the authors to explain and it may not be the best way to approach laying out a text in front of a Sunday audience who’s attention is limited to 30 minutes (especially when they later quote a study that shows the average attention span of an audience is merely four minutes). However, each of these three methods espoused do fit extremely well within the expository sermon.
Aside from detailed analysis, there is thorough reasoning behind each topic covered, which helps the reader who is application oriented. It is much better to get to the end of a long and exhaustive text and see an purpose for what has just been read. This aides in proper digestion of the topics and methodologies presented and this book would be much less effective without the light at the end of the many scholastic tunnels.
Possibly the best sections in this second part come from those about the central idea, proposition, and purpose. Second to these is when authors Vines and Shaddix provide the most helpful advice on what to do and what not to do at the end of the message. In the style of SAT stop signs, the authors share ways to properly end a sermon without letting it, “ravel out at the end like a ball of yarn.” (195-6)
The third part is about what may be one of the most overlooked parts of academic study of sermon preparation and delivery: the presentation. Beginning with expressing one’s thoughts, they give great practical advice on the use of humor. Attention to the pastor’s voice. They also talk about engaging the congregation, use of vocabulary, visuals, and knowing the audience. For knowing the audience, they lay the groundwork for why a pastor should know whom he is speaking to. While they give great weight to the proper handling of the biblical text not being controlled by man, they do use the axiom, “learn to do audience-centered preaching rather than subject-centered preaching” (298). It makes sense to differentiate between a perfect exposition and the application of such eloquence to deaf ears (so to speak), but “audience-centered” is a dangerous phrase to use in a book targeted at expository preachers.
Conclusion
The theme of the end of the book is to preach from the heart. It seems as though that is what these two authors have done in preparing this manuscript. They have poured their hearts out and created a work that combines their joint extensive academic study of the Word of God with their combined ministries in seemingly opposite cultures of America.
There are times when it feels like this book was written as an exhaustive work rather than an easily applicable how-to guide for eager pastors. Lay leaders may find this book useful, but the level of detail may prompt more skimming by such an audience. However, this clearly is not the reason of the book. If one approaches the study and preparation with patience similar to Vines’ and Shaddix’s own investment, Power in the Pulpit will be found a worthwhile volume for any pastoral library.
June 10, 2018
This book served as one out of two of my textbooks for “Sermon Preparation”. I read the revised edition of this book (published in 2017), and I have nothing but positive thoughts to write about this book. The first sentence on the back cover of this book reads: “If ever there was a preaching encyclopedia, this is it”. I completely agree with this statement. As a young preacher, I struggle with various aspects of effective sermon delivery such as: pace, strong introductions, strong conclusions, altar calls, etc. This book gives examples of how to handle these types of aspects of your sermon delivery. One of my favorite things about this book, is that it presents all aspects of preaching, and then allows you to pick your style in which you wish to preach. Vines/Shaddix cover in depth the usage (or lack thereof) of notes in the pulpit, and allow you to decide your view of effective preaching.
This book had so much information in it, that I would be foolish to only read it once, I intend on reading it many times again in the future and recommend it. I rated this book 5/5 because it truly is the “meat” of homiletics. I recommend for every Pastor, Preacher, Evangelist, Deacon/Layman who fills the pulpit.
This book had so much information in it, that I would be foolish to only read it once, I intend on reading it many times again in the future and recommend it. I rated this book 5/5 because it truly is the “meat” of homiletics. I recommend for every Pastor, Preacher, Evangelist, Deacon/Layman who fills the pulpit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2020
The first section was absolutely brilliant. I am convinced all sermons should be expository and have become much more critical of when I have to sit through "topical" sermons. If you are not focused on a clear teaching from the Bible, and preaching from the clear teaching, then you are probably doing something wrong.
The Bible is not a jigsaw puzzle you get to put together to fit some point you find interesting.
After that, the book is completely unsatisfying. It's not . . . bad, but it certainly isn't as life changing and meaningful as that first section.
After the first section, the book becomes a substandard text book for a hermeneutics class and a generic textbook for a public speaking class. The points aren't anything mind blowing, and I guess if that is what you need, then I hope it helps. I just found it a bear to get through.
The Bible is not a jigsaw puzzle you get to put together to fit some point you find interesting.
After that, the book is completely unsatisfying. It's not . . . bad, but it certainly isn't as life changing and meaningful as that first section.
After the first section, the book becomes a substandard text book for a hermeneutics class and a generic textbook for a public speaking class. The points aren't anything mind blowing, and I guess if that is what you need, then I hope it helps. I just found it a bear to get through.
July 2, 2020
I found it more technical but can see that it will bring a level of professionalism to a speech. The book is not only properly technical but also extremely practical. If you are a writer like I am then you will know to include the five senses(among many other things to bring the sermon alive) when giving a presentation.
As for teaching, how to present your material, it is top notch! The book includes everything from your stance, expressions, the tone variations in your voice, to vocal exercises and ways to preserve your vocal cords to prevent damaging nodules, which give you a raspy sound.
As for teaching, how to present your material, it is top notch! The book includes everything from your stance, expressions, the tone variations in your voice, to vocal exercises and ways to preserve your vocal cords to prevent damaging nodules, which give you a raspy sound.
September 2, 2024
A comprehensive book that looks at the internal life of the preacher, the exposition of the text, the preparation of the preacher, and the delivery of the sermon.
The strengths of this book lied in its focus on the preacher’s personal holiness, the breadth of examples in homiletics, and the brief explanation of preaching without notes.
Although this book exhibited many strengths, it included a lot of material for the sake of being comprehensive. I found that much of the section on sermon delivery was overly humanistic – much of which can be found in secular non-fiction material. Not to say that isn’t valuable, but it felt too much.
The strengths of this book lied in its focus on the preacher’s personal holiness, the breadth of examples in homiletics, and the brief explanation of preaching without notes.
Although this book exhibited many strengths, it included a lot of material for the sake of being comprehensive. I found that much of the section on sermon delivery was overly humanistic – much of which can be found in secular non-fiction material. Not to say that isn’t valuable, but it felt too much.
March 13, 2021
I would feel confident in saying that there are not many preaching books that rival the detailed and pointed chapters within this book. I’m sure there are books that discuss in full the different aspects of preaching, but this book by Jerry Vines and Jim Shaddix covers them all without brushing over any of them.
As someone who desires to preach the Word of God well, I value this book immensely, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to take preaching well seriously.
4/5 stars simply because it is a longgggg book.
As someone who desires to preach the Word of God well, I value this book immensely, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to take preaching well seriously.
4/5 stars simply because it is a longgggg book.
June 26, 2017
This book is a classic and is standard reading for anyone interested in learning to be a better preacher. Dr. Vines does a great job letting his vast experience in pastoring and preaching speak in this book as he encourages preachers to examine the power of their preaching. There is a lot of powerless preaching going on in the world today, and this book seeks to remedy that situation. Take a look at this one if you are a preacher or care about preaching.
September 23, 2018
Read this for my intro to preaching class. Shaddix and Vines do a great job identifying and addressing the issues around the book. They very helpful sections on what it meant to formulate a sermon, emphasizing the great need for hours in reading and reflecting on the text, and they also helped give me a better idea of importance pieces of strategy in delivering the message. Very good for beginners like myself!
August 23, 2023
Vines and Shaddix accomplish a near impossible task with this book: they provide thorough information in this book in a way that is not overwhelming to the reader. There is a lot of helpful information, from multiple perspectives, that can help a pastor or aspiring preacher to develop his own sermon prep and delivery.
June 10, 2024
I hated this book at the beginning, and then it grew on me. It’s an OG, and is well loved, but there are several books I prefer that are written more recently and deliver similar content. I also think it could easily be condensed - it is long
January 18, 2025
This is an EXCELLENT guide to everything anyone could need to know about preaching. The advice is practical and convicting for personal and expositional growth. Vines and Shaddix possess a wealth of information from years of experience and this is clearly the fruit of years of labor.
January 9, 2018
lengthy read, but technically beneficial.
October 17, 2017
A thorough discourse on expository preaching, but way too long. However, it is a standard textbook for expository preaching in many Christian seminaries. So, don't miss its importance.
January 24, 2018
Even though this book is geared toward seminary students, a textbook on preaching, it is beneficial for anyone who wants to learn how to study the Bible.
July 3, 2018
Helpful and very thorough. Great to reference areas of weaknesses in your preaching to strengthen.
August 4, 2021
Helpful in many ways, very wordy
November 24, 2021
Really good book on preparing and preaching. Highly recommend this book.
March 27, 2024
THE BEST BOOK TO READ ON SERMON PREPARATION!!! 🔥🔥🔥 Hands down!
October 17, 2025
Power in the Pulpit by Jerry Vines and Jim Shaddix is a practical and thorough guide to expository preaching. It covers preparation, sermon structure, application, delivery, and connecting with the audience. Vines emphasizes spiritual readiness: “The call to preach is just that—a call to preach...a call to prepare” (p. 93). At 448 pages, it’s detailed and dense, but the depth makes it an invaluable resource for any preacher serious about improving their craft.
July 27, 2014
Power in the Pulpit is a lengthy three-section textbook. At times it may feel like the goal in writing was exhaustive explanation, rather than reasonable length. Although not in the same league as Robinson or Sunukjian, the book is worth reading. It is especially targeted at the minister preaching every Sunday.
The first section deals with the preparation for exposition. The task of preaching is defined with a lengthy support for exposition as the ideal philosophy of preaching. The foundation for preaching is seen in the word of God and worship of God, fundamental pre-requisites for preaching, along with the less well supported concepts of the call of God and anointing. Finally, the preparation of the preacher is set out through the idea of being a healthy, hard-working individual who is a good steward of heart, mind, body and schedule.
The second section is somewhat unsatisfying. The process of exposition is set out at length, but seemingly without original contribution. The analysis of the text is presented well, followed by the process of theme unification. In fact, the sections on the central idea, the proposition and the purpose, are all effective (albeit tedious at points). There is a bombastic attack on the new homiletic when the structure section begins (this makes the book read like a college text rather than a seminary text – proving a point cheaply using straw men, rather than engaging fairly with different views). Then the structure section gets into concepts like the keyword method. This section begins well but seems to get weighed down in detail and dogmatism by this stage.
The writers rightly urge the preacher to be not only biblical, but also relevant. So the preacher should observe culture and learn about people, they should particularly be concerned with how the message is relevant to their specific audience. The section ends with strength as the authors provide helpful discussion of invitations at the end of messages (detail often overlooked in preaching texts).
The third part of the book deals with the presentation of the message. After development comes delivery. Here the book comes into its own with detailed suggestions on how to communicate the thoughts of the message in a way that will engage and communicate with the audience. Here audience awareness is critical –level of education, type of vocabulary, manner of delivery and so on. In order to make the connection necessary with the audience, it is helpful to use visualization for the sake of more vivid communication. Part of this is visualization of the audience. Thus, the preacher who better knows his audience will be better prepared.
The book ends with a strong call for preaching from the heart. It is this personal connection, delivery of passion, of soul, of self, that magnifies the effect of communication on the recipients. Helpful appendices at the end deal with relaxation, breathing and voice.
This book certainly covers a lot of ground. Perhaps its greatest strength comes in its exhaustive dealing with delivery. It is certain chapters, such as on the voice, that will prove a useful resource.
Originally offered on www.biblicalpreaching.net
The first section deals with the preparation for exposition. The task of preaching is defined with a lengthy support for exposition as the ideal philosophy of preaching. The foundation for preaching is seen in the word of God and worship of God, fundamental pre-requisites for preaching, along with the less well supported concepts of the call of God and anointing. Finally, the preparation of the preacher is set out through the idea of being a healthy, hard-working individual who is a good steward of heart, mind, body and schedule.
The second section is somewhat unsatisfying. The process of exposition is set out at length, but seemingly without original contribution. The analysis of the text is presented well, followed by the process of theme unification. In fact, the sections on the central idea, the proposition and the purpose, are all effective (albeit tedious at points). There is a bombastic attack on the new homiletic when the structure section begins (this makes the book read like a college text rather than a seminary text – proving a point cheaply using straw men, rather than engaging fairly with different views). Then the structure section gets into concepts like the keyword method. This section begins well but seems to get weighed down in detail and dogmatism by this stage.
The writers rightly urge the preacher to be not only biblical, but also relevant. So the preacher should observe culture and learn about people, they should particularly be concerned with how the message is relevant to their specific audience. The section ends with strength as the authors provide helpful discussion of invitations at the end of messages (detail often overlooked in preaching texts).
The third part of the book deals with the presentation of the message. After development comes delivery. Here the book comes into its own with detailed suggestions on how to communicate the thoughts of the message in a way that will engage and communicate with the audience. Here audience awareness is critical –level of education, type of vocabulary, manner of delivery and so on. In order to make the connection necessary with the audience, it is helpful to use visualization for the sake of more vivid communication. Part of this is visualization of the audience. Thus, the preacher who better knows his audience will be better prepared.
The book ends with a strong call for preaching from the heart. It is this personal connection, delivery of passion, of soul, of self, that magnifies the effect of communication on the recipients. Helpful appendices at the end deal with relaxation, breathing and voice.
This book certainly covers a lot of ground. Perhaps its greatest strength comes in its exhaustive dealing with delivery. It is certain chapters, such as on the voice, that will prove a useful resource.
Originally offered on www.biblicalpreaching.net
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