Preaching as Reminding: Stirring Memory in an Age of Forgetfulness

by Jeffrey D. Arthurs, John Ortberg (Foreword)

Christianity Today 2019 Book of the Year Award, The Church/Pastoral Leadership We know of the preacher’s roles as both teacher and proclaimer, but Jeffrey Arthurs adds another the Lord’s remembrancer . The remembrancer stirs the memory of Christ-followers, reminding them of the truths they once heard and fanning the flames of faith. We live in an age of forgetfulness, so when knowledge fades and conviction cools, the church needs to be reminded of the great truths of the faith. When done well, preaching as reminding is not empty, perfunctory repetition. Rather, it is the work of soul-watchers. Preaching as Reminding describes the dynamic role of the remembrancer, who prompts thankfulness and repentance, raises hope, fosters humility and wisdom, exhorts obedience, and encourages community. With decades of preaching experience, Arthurs explains how to stir memory through vivid language, story, delivery, and ceremony. He urges preachers to take up this task with buoyancy and hope because the Lord God has commissioned and equipped them to serve as the Lord’s remembrancers.

Genres: Theology, Nonfiction, Christian, Communication, Christianity

176 pages, Paperback

First published February 21, 2007

About the author

Jeffrey D. Arthurs (Ph.D., Purdue University) is professor of preaching and communication and dean of the chapel at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, S. Hamilton, Mass.

Reviews

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite a good and stimulating book, which contained a lot of useful information. It was marred in a few places with references to women preachers, which is kind of like finding a garden slug in a really great salad. But still, I profited.

[Colby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoughts I had while reading this book:

-It’s my party I’ll allegorize if I want to

-Bro, your ethos is showing

-This guy really loves word studies.

[Graham Gaines · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful resource I'm sure I'll look back at for reference.

[Tristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arthurs is such an illustrative writer. I struggled to get into the book but felt that he found his footing as the book went on. I found myself eating up the book toward the end. I’ll definitely be referring back to this at times throughout my preaching career!

[Kendall Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good descriptions of various biblical genres. Highlights well the dynamics that are particularly relevant to preaching on these texts. Arthurs' suggestions about how these might shape sermons are a bit underdeveloped and are a bit too locked into the idea that the sermon needs to somehow recreate the genre or the effect of the genre of the text in the sermon.

[Paul Beach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arthurs makes a compelling case for why we desperately need the Lord's remembrancers in today's age of forgetfulness. People need to be reminded of the Gospel, and Arthurs equips us with practical approaches for doing just that.

[Amílcar Rodríguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excelente recurso para crecer en la homilética y comunicación. Recomendado.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeffery Arthurs wants preachers to be reminders. Many times when we declare God's word we are not so much teaching people new things as we are reminding them of things they already know. But the task of being a reminder is deeper than that. Arthurs shows that in a very real sense our lives are wholly unmanageable without memory. Without memory we have no way of making sense of our lives and more important, no way of staying faithful to God. We need to be reminded of who we are in Christ, what God has done for us and what life is all about. We don't remind people and ask them to recall facts. We stir memory and help them relive truths. This kind of reminding prompts thankfulness, hope and repentance. We serve a God who remembers and forgets. He remembers his promises and he forgets our sin in Christ. We, on the other hand, forget who we are. We get smothered in information and need to remember who God is through worship and preaching.
Thus Arthurs wants us to take our responsibility as reminders seriously. The second half of his book is filled with practical advice on how to help people relive and re-experience. He suggests using story, vital language, extemporaneous delivery and sacred action. Each of these is a chapter and can be immediately applied to anyone who regularly exposits the word of God.

[Jerry Hillyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought chapters 1 through 6 were excellent. Chapter 7 seemed to be filler...it wasn't so much focused on preaching as it was worship in general (chapter 7, that is). It wasn't a bad chapter, just didn't seem to fit as much as I thought it should.

Excellent book. I'm probably more like 4.5 on this one. If chapter 7 had a different direction, I'd be at 5.

This is a good book for young preachers to help them shape some crucial habits and to put other practices into a better context. Writing style is practical and he avoids an over abundance of technical stuff. I'm very much in agreement that in preaching we remember.

I should say more, but that's enough. Read it.

[Lukas Stock · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why is this book so long?

[Rob O'Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may have just become my new "go-to" book for expository preaching! Arthurs provides an excellent introduction to understanding the Bible as "literature" and how that literature should be communicated. Then, he treats six primary genres with accuracy and competence. Working through the lens of letting the text guide the sermon, Arthurs keeps the biblical witness at the forefront of the process, encouraging the preacher to focus on the integrity of the text while seeking creative ways to present the engaging message of Scripture. His "Try This" section in each genre chapter is well worth the purchase.

Of particular note, Arthurs effective treats both Psalms and Wisdom Literature with good accuracy. These genres are generally treated poorly in most introductions to expository preaching (see, sadly, Christopher Wright's treatment in How to Preach and Teach the Old Testament for All Its Worth). Arthurs, however, embraces the poetic and hymnic qualities in a professional manner, which should help preachers overcome the general abhorrence towards preaching these beautiful texts.

I do, however, have a couple of critiques of the book that should be noted. First, his insistence on there being no one single sermon form becomes problematic. While I do agree with this stance, the issues is that there is also no guidance on how preachers should consider developing sermons from the various biblical genres. I appreciate the ardent insistence on not choosing a "cookie-cutter" form. Yet, some guidance such as those proposed by Tom Long in his modern classic Preaching and the Literary Forms of the Bible or the lesser known Homiletical Handbook by Donald Hamilton would have been helpful.

Second, he completely ignores the prophetic genre, lumping it, rather, in with the apocalyptic genre, to some degree. Personally, this is a huge shortcoming of the book. Especially for someone who is trained in rhetoric as Arthurs is, I would have expected such a treatment.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book! Skip ahead a few chapters if you want to bypass the foundational and non-practical material.

Quotes and notes below:
When a neural net fires together a few times (short term memory) and repeatedly in same sequence (long term memory). Neurons that fire together wire together.
Engramming is the electrochemical process of remembering.
Reticular Activating System filters sensory data. The RAS allows novelty, movement, surprise which garners short term attention but preachers want engagement which comes only through relevance.
The shorter a web page is (112 or less words, readers read 49% compared to 28% when it’s long (593w).
One way we keep ourselves in the love of God is through deliberate acts of memory. In scripture it’s intentional disciplined reading, pondering, expositing scripture, rituals that recall God’s acts of grace in past, to actualize in the present and chart course for future.
Biblical memory is not mental recall, but participation.
Hyperthymesia, HSAM, extraordinary recall of specific events. e.g. She remembers if the fan was running in the bedroom on a date last year. It can be haunting, we need to forget as much as we need to remember. NPR story.
God’s Word is a lamp that illumines, fire that consumers, sword that pierces, water that cleanses, seed that bears fruit, mirror that reveals, milk that nourishes.
Preaching style: Use concrete language, pictures leap in the mind with “beggar, toupee, teapot, dragon, cornfield, marshmallow, dagger. Preachers need abstract words, but pair them with concrete language.
Use metaphor.
“Accepted in the beloved” illustration of meeting his future mother in law.
Use repetition and rhythm. Repetition aids recall of knowledge, and stir emotion.
American aream: You work hard in high school so you can get into a dream college, then you study hard in college so you can get a dream job, you work overtime at your dream job so you can drive a dream car, and that helps you attirect a dream spouse, you have a dream wedding, move into a dream house, and have 1.7 dream kids; then you save money to take a dream vacation to get away from the dream kids, then you plug away to build up a dream 401k so you can take a dream retirement, then you die. And you have a dream funeral with a dream casket that is placed in a dream hole in the ground. Isn’t there something better than the American dream?
November 2002, Pastor E.K. Bailey was diagnosed with cancer. He went away for 2-3 months of chemotherapy and radiation. He finally came back to church and he stood with a walker for his sermon, had to drink lot of water because of the dryness from radiation, but the message was this, God is still good. “I imagine if you ask Job about God’s goodness, Job would say in chapter 42, God is still good. That’s different from God is good. God is good is something you learn in a lecture class, but God is still good is something you learn in the lab. When you say that God is still good, it means you’ve been through some difficulty to find out that God is still good. It means you tried him for yourself. Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. God is still good. You meant it for evil, but God meant t for good for the saving of many lives. GISG. We know that he causes all things to work together for the good of those who love him. GISG. Though he slay me, yet will I trust him. GISG. Nailed hands. GISG. Nailed feet. GISG. Crown of thorns. GISG. A pierced side. GISG. He hung his head and died. GISG. A dead body. GISG. All day friday. GISG. All day Saturday. GISG. All night Saturday night. GISG. But early, Sunday morning he got up with all power in his hand. GISG. GISG. Yes!
Retell Bible stories creatively. Use dramatization. Use stories from history.
When the nonverbal message conflicts with the verbal, they trust the nonverbal. The most influential sender of nonverbal message, the person who is most contagious is the pastor. Emotion flows downhilll.
Speaker’s delivery prompts an emotional response in listener.
Start with yourself. Smile. Believe the message you are delivering. Keep yourself in the love of God. Strengthen yourself in the Lord.
Watch yourself on video. Record your voice. Aid to memory is making main points logically simple: problem-solution-result, cause-effect, contrast (not this, but this), chronology (past-present, future).
Hab. 3:17-18
Offering: Every one shall give as they are able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you Deut. 16:17
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to the Lord (Heb 13:16) Honor the Lord with your wealth, and with the first fruits of all your produce (Prov. 3:9)
Greeting: Let us come before the Lord with thanksgiving and extol him with music. Psalm 95:2, Good morning, Welcome to ____ Church. We’ve gathered to praise the Lord, learn about him, and as scripture says, to encourage one another and build each other up (1 Thess. 5:11), As we begin, remember the promise of God: The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Prayer: O merciful God and heavenly Father, who has taught us in your holy Word that you do not willingly afflict or grieve your children, look with pity we ask you, on the sorrows of your servant _____ for whom our prayers are offered. Remember _____ o Lord, in mercy, endure his/her soul with patience, comfort him/her with a sense of your goodness/presence, lift up your countenance on him/her, and give him/her peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Public prayer: Collect form: you, who, do, to: Address God with scriptural name (You), then acknowledge what the title implies regarding the prayer being made (who), then make appeal (Do), then articulate the result expected in faith (To).

[hector · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a very helpful book

El autor te de una descripción de cada genero literario de la Biblia que puede ayudar al predicador a exponer mejor el pasaje que esta estudiando.
The author gives a description of each biblical literature that helps the preacher to know better his passage. Definitely, the insights that the writer provides in this book help the reader to preach better sermons.

[Zach Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, brief overview on the different genres found in scripture and how their forms, not just their content, should shape the way we preach.

[Michael Philliber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read my fair share of books on preaching through the decades. Many of them are encouraging and helpful, unpacking the "Why" and "What" of Christian preaching before they get into the "How". Each one normally has a unique perspective and pursuit. Some are trendy, many others are traditional. Jeffrey D. Arthurs, professor of preaching and communication at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, MA, has recently added his assessment and angle in a new 192 page softback, “Preaching as Reminding: Stirring Memory in an of Forgetfulness”. These seven chapters are easy to read and retain, while supplying strengthening substance.

The first three chapters of “Preaching as Reminding” look carefully at the role of remembering and forgetting in Sacred Scripture, and how the preacher is called to be a reminder, a remembrancer. A remembrancer is not one who simply repeats clichéd commonplaces. Rather, the Christian preacher “must rouse that which is already present within the child of God: knowledge of our Father’s love and majesty” (6).Theology, doctrine, thoughtful exegesis, apologetics and more, all have their place in stout Christian preaching, affirms Arthurs Therefore when “ministers preach God’s powerful Word as faithful stewards, their words have a derivative power that accomplishes God’s will through the power of the Spirit. Thus, when a preacher faithfully re-presents redemptive history, worshipers see the hand of God smite the Egyptians on their behalf, part the Red Sea for their deliverance, and provide manna in the desert for them…The past is brought into the present with power, and actions results. In short, God’s Word, faithfully announced builds faith” (490). As I worked my way through these three chapters, my heart was filled with a sense of revived devotion, and a roused gratefulness for my vocation.

Chapters four through six address design and style, along with story and delivery, as aids to awaken memory in the hearts and heads of parishioners. The author takes the time to bring out the importance of vivid language as well as the role of repetition and rhythm. Additionally he recounts the value of story and how story works in a sermon. Lastly, Arthurs tackles the delicate area of delivery: facial expressions, tonal qualities, and emotional facets. The embodiedness of preaching is essential because, “as oral communications, preaching is incarnational. God has placed his Word in bodies so that we turn ink into blood” (105). Yet further, running through these three chapters is a hearty refrain that rhythmically pounds away: the Lord’s remembrancer is to be about persuasion by first being personally persuaded. The heart of the preacher is regularly addressed!

The last chapter in “Preaching as Reminding” takes up the point about the embodiment of proclamation and remembering, and moves into ceremony and symbol. Arthurs gives the minister very practical approaches to baptism and the Lord’s Supper, but also to the worship of a congregation, the public reading of Scripture, and the pastoral prayer. In all of these additional public tasks of a minister, the author keeps placing before us that we are the Lord’s remembrancers, even in these assignments.

“Preaching as Reminding” was a pleasure to read. It has given me assurances where I often doubt myself, challenged me on a few items that I have taken for granted, and given me a renewed appreciation for what I am called to do. It is an ideal book for seminarians and ministerial interns moving toward ordination. But it is also a usable volume that I would rejoice to see in the hands of many ministers. I encourage preachers reading this review to quickly take up a copy and pour over it. And if you appreciate your minister, then get them a copy and tell them I strongly recommended it.

Thanks to IVP Academic for providing, upon my request, the free copy of the book used for this review. The assessments are mine given without restrictions or requirements (as per Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255).

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Preaching as Reminding Jefferey Arthurs urges pastors that one of the their most significant responsibilities is to remind their congregation of who God is and what he has done. Arthurs argues both that our age is an age of forgetfulness and yet the simple act of reminding is a powerful as ever.

Arthurs argues that remembering is first a commandment of God. Again and again God calls his people to remember: he calls his people to remember his faithfulness and his redemptive acts. It’s how God begins the Ten Commandments, ““I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

We remember because God remembers us. The thief calls us, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Isaiah asks, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15-16).

Acting as a remembrancer relieves the preacher of the pressure of performing. As a remembrancer, the preacher points away from himself. Our age pushes us to try to be original, when God tells us to speak ancient truths. Peter himself says that his aim is to “stir you up by way of reminder.”

Arthurs says that our problem of forgetting is a perpetual problem for us as humans but has been heightened by our technological age. He reflects that, “The problem of the human race is that we remember what we should forget (“this one thing I do; forgetting what is behind and pressing on toward what is ahead”), and we forget what we should remember. People today who have more information at their fingertips than all previous generations combined cannot remember who they are, why they are here, or what they are to do.” Arthurs asserts that, “Electronic media are making us adept at skimming and inept at exegeting.”

Arthurs says that stirring memory is formative for our spiritual growth. Remembering:
• Prompts thankfulness.
• Raises hope.
• Prompts repentance.
• Fosters humility.
• Helps believers walk wisely.
• Warns of unbelief and disobedience.
• Encourages belief and obedience.
• Prompts mercy.
• Forms individual and communal identity.

In contrast, when we forget, we lean away from God. Arthurs says, “Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann observes that when ‘we have completely forgotten our past, we will absolutize the present and we will be like contented cows in Bashan who want nothing more than the best of today. . . . It takes a powerful articulation of memory to maintain a sense of identity in the midst of exile.’”

Lest we conflate what Arthurs means by remember, he clarifies that, “In the Bible, ‘remembering’ is more than mental recall. It involves emotion and volition as well as cognition.” “Memory reunites us mentally, emotionally, and volitionally to the God who watches over us.”

We tend to forget who God is. “The opposite of remembering, of course, is forgetting, and this term also implies more than lack of mental recall. Forgetting is parallel to ‘forsaking’ and ‘rejecting.’” “Forgetting God leads the people to worship idols, and that pattern of apostasy occurs repeatedly throughout the period of the Judges.”

It is, then, our responsibility as preachers of the Bible, as declarers of the reality of our holy God to remind God’s people of who he is and what he has done. To do so, we must not merely declare cold truths, we much reach the heart, stirring the affections of the listeners. We do so by speaking empathetically, by telling stories, and by delivering emotions nonverbally. Arthurs says, “I exhort you to retell the old, old stories. Don’t shrink back because you might seem unoriginal.”

Arthurs’s preaching as Reminding is an excellent book. It is thoughtful, wise, and accessible. I appreciate how he ranges from theology to neurology to homiletics seamlessly. Arthurs’s book is no mere academic work, it is a wonderful handbook on how to move into action.

For more reviews see www.thebeehive.live.

[Mark Drinnenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a welcome reminder that the preacher’s calling is to remind people of things they already know. Arthurs notes how life has a way of causing us to forget what we know about God and ourselves. We get distracted and discouraged by things along the way. The pastor who steps into a pulpit on Sunday morning stands before people who need a fresh reminder of who God is and who they are as His children. On its surface, that theme may seem to call for boring, repetitive preaching, but such is far from the case.

Arthurs begins with a chapter on how God remembers His people, His covenants, etc. and forgets our sins. Chapter two discusses how we forget God, both in times of need and times of temptation, and are called to remember, with the Scriptures giving us numerous stories of the perils of forgetting God and the help that comes in remembering Him.

Chapter three addresses the Lord’s remembrancers—preachers of His Word—giving examples of this “remembrancing” role in the Scriptures and then turning to the importance to preach in ways that reach the heart. Various tools for reaching the heart are discussed. Chapters four through six then address style (I.e, use of language), story, and delivery (voice inflection, gestures, facial expressions, etc.) as tools for stirring memory. There is a lot of practical advice here for using and developing these things. This section of the book also shows that reminding people of what they already know—telling the old, old story—is NOT a matter of being uncreative and boringly redundant.

Chapter seven seems out of place to me, though I understand the author’s reason for including it. It deals with the power of liturgy and ceremony to stir memory. The entire book up to this point is about preaching sermons, and this chapter seems to argue for holding liturgical services. As a low church person myself, I am fine with a high church style, as long as it seems to be more than a going through the motions (which can also happen in the low church). But it is not where I choose to live. Such things do not have the power for me that they seem to have for the author. Hence, I did not find chapter seven to be particularly helpful, especially in a book about preaching.

Overall, I loved this book and have already applied some of what I have learned to my preaching, with good results, I might add.

[Jimmy Reagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’ve been blessed with many fine books on preaching. There are classics from previous centuries as well as winners from our day. I should know as I’ve been blessed by many of them. On the other hand, because it’s such a popular subject the inundation of titles has led to a few dull books that say nothing new at all. Fortunately, Jeffrey Arthurs stepped into a niche that I don’t feel other authors have properly addressed and has given us something beautiful to help us as we preach God’s word. Since we live in an age of rampant forgetfulness, his work is extremely timely as well.

The help he gives has been meticulously studied out and thoughtfully presented. He makes a powerful case for his premise that preaching is an act of helping people remember before he jumps into practical guidance for preaching itself. He traces both remembering and forgetting through Scripture and proves its prominence. He even handles the science behind memory adeptly though I imagine that is not his normal field of work as a professor of preaching and communication. You will likely so agree with his reasoning that you will find him a trusted guide by the time he gets around to telling you how to improve your preaching.

There is no letdown at all when he transitions to practical help in preaching. Beginning in chapter 4 when he discusses style as a tool for stirring memory, he explains how style is a tool of persuasion and how each preacher needs his own style as well as to improve that style. He gives wonderful suggestions to that end. Next, he reminds us that story or narrative is especially effective in helping people remember. His chapter on delivery is a great reminder for us all as he digs into the details including the important nonverbal signals that we send.

If I were assembling a list of the key books on preaching, I would have to include this perceptive volume. I’m thoroughly impressed with what Mr. Arthurs had to say between these covers.

I received this book free from the publisher. 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.

[Mark A Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most people don’t want to know how the sausage is made. Which is fine. Unless you’re planning to be a sausage maker, in which case you might have to head into the kitchen and brace yourself.

Preaching is similar. Those who listen to sermons just want to hear something tasty. Those prepping the meal need a little more to go on. To that end, Arthurs has served up an often-overlooked ingredient: memory. Based on neuroscience and research, this book makes a compelling case for the ways in which effective preaching engages the brain.

The first half finds Arthurs explaining how the mind absorbs, stores, and recalls information. He does this is a much livlier manner than you might expect, and the result is a compelling case for the conclusions he’ll draw in the second half. There he details how style, story, and delivery can animate sermons and activate faith memory in hearers.

While prepositional doctrine isn’t the main course here, it’s influence is felt (and stated) throughout. I’m generally weary of books that seem to make charm, personality, or pizzazz the secret to poignant preaching—there’s none of that here. His claims are very grounded and very thought-provoking.

One snag comes with the final chapter. While appreciated for its practical concerns about the Lord’s Supper and baptism, it felt a smidge out of place in a book geared toward preaching. Just as I’m sure the asparagus spears laying atop the steak and mashed potatoes were cooked well and plated with purpose. But would anyone complain if they were just left off?

Arthurs has cooked up a delicious dinner on preaching and, seeing that he has some other entrees on his menu, I plan to sample those as well.

[J. Delton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeffrey Arthurs, in Preaching as Reminding, is thorough in his research (check out the length of the bibliography at the end!), clear in his aim, accessible in his format, and beautiful in his delivery. His blend of science, philosophy, art, and theology in this discussion of the task of preaching is convincing, instructive, and inspiring. I commend this book to all who are called to preach. I expect I will return to it often to remind myself of this high calling to remind the saints.

A few quotes:
"It is possible to preach with exegetical accuracy but not reach the heart." p 57
"You cannot keep what you do not hold, so a remembrancer gathers discarded memories and hands them again to careless believers." (P63)
On style as a tool for stirring memory: "This kind of language is more than grace notes on a musical score, delightful but dispensable; it is profound theology expressed in ways that are compatible with the human mind." (74)
On delivery: "So start with yourself. Pray and meditate deep into the Word. No technique can replace that. Without it, no technique will avail."(118)
On Ceremony: "Remembrancers...strive to open the eyes of the congregation so that in worship they experience the real (though unseen) presence of the triune God." (134)

[Peyton Mansfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief survey of the distinctive characteristics of biblical genres, and how to emphasize them in the way you preach.

One of the main ideas of the book is that God communicated in various ways and genres, so we should be able to ask why something was written one way rather than another, then carry that into our sermon. In general, the book has some good ideas of small things to incorporate into your preaching based on these insights. A few of the examples were a bit old-fashioned or cheesy, but others were helpful and encouraging.

I may not be a fan of using props or first-person dramatizations, which Arthurs recommended in a sub-section or two, but he also admitted they can be distracting and aren't for everybody. The book is very "take it or leave it," which is a refreshing change from books that insist on only one true sermon form.

(And if a certain other review of this book has you worried it's full of liberal propaganda foreign to your ministry context, I only saw a woman pastor mentioned once in the whole book, as part of a quote. Move on.)

[Joel Wentz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A clear, concise, well-argued case for the role of the preacher as the Lord's "remembrancer." I particularly liked the first 3 chapters, which lay out a broad theological and scriptural vision for the importance of "re-minding" the Lord's people who they are. Arthurs makes a compelling case, and his views are buttressed by current neurological and psychological research.

Part of my general struggle with books on preaching is the nuts-and-bolts section, which makes up the second half of this particular book. I understand why it's included, and agree that it's important, but it's simply less compelling than the first section (and extremely culturally-located).

That all being said, this is staying on my shelf and will be a very helpful reference, dare I say a "reminder?" for future work on preaching.

[Andrew Bondurant · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I could, I would rate this book a 4.5. Arthurs has produced a gift to preachers as he calls them to the task of reminding the people of God about the things of God. The book begins with three chapters containing the theological foundation for preachers as "remembrancers" and concludes with four chapters showing the "how."

Particularly strong were Arthurs chapters on Style, Story, and Delivery. The book is certainly more principle based than prescriptive, which I find to be a strength. I highly recommend the book for the modern preacher.

Disclaimer: I have not read widely enough in the preaching realm to evaluate Arthurs book against others. I have evaluated the book simply on its own merit in how beneficial it was for me personally. In the coming months, I hope to have a broader base of reading to judge this book against.

[Crini · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book on preaching is much more than advertised. Arthurs is quite knowledgeable as far as memory and expands on what it takes us to remember. Remembering is more than simply recalling certain facts, remembering ( in the Biblical sense ) involves not just our memory but also out will, emotion and acts.
In this book, he explains how to stir memory through vivid language, story, delivery and ceremony.
Arthurs also mentions a classical book on memory “The man who mistook his wife for an umbrella and other stories” that is well known in the medical world and Arthurs makes the point that we all are “prone to wonder, likely to forget our identity and the covenant to which we are called”; therefore we need tangible things to pull us back from forgetfulness.
It’s an awesome read and he is NEVER dry or boring!

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful guide for preaching to stir up the memory of God’s people. There is everything from classic examples from Scripture of instruction about remembering the saving acts of God (mostly redundant for the seasoned preacher) to interdisciplinary evidence about the influence of memory in cognition to practical tips on effective oratorical communication. I appreciated the former, which is necessary for any undertaking of this sort, but especially benefitted from the latter two. This is a more advanced read, so it probably wouldn’t be the first book you give to someone on preaching, but would be a benefit to any preacher, especially with the seemingly growing temptation to divorce the biblical narrative from what is considered worship today.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book on preaching that makes the case that preachers are not necessarily meant to focus on what is new but are faithfully called to remind the people what God has said and done. The ministry of a preacher is to be a "remembrancer."

The book does a good job of talking about the power of memory, how the brain works, the importance of non-verbal communication, as well as the Word and the liturgy of the church.

While there wasn't a ton of new information here, the book served as a good "reminder."

See what I did there? Ha!

[Freddy Lam · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be an effective and faithful preacher, we need to be re-membrancers, who by the Spirit through all ways and means make vivid the word we preach through words, delivery, tools, symbols and sacred actions, bringing to life the word of the Bible and our world together. Jesus and his vivid and master storytelling becomes our model and example for this rich task that can bring those who head to recollect and immerse in the remembrance of our faithful God.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jeffrey Arthurs is the associate professor of communication and preaching and at the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His four-degree background in Bible and speech from Bob Jones University, theology at Western Seminary, and Doctorate of Communication at Perdue give him excellent credentials to write his book, Preaching with Variety: How to Re-Create the Dynamics of Biblical Genres. It is the sixth volume in Kregel's Preaching With series. Called to preach at age sixteen, Arthurs has a passion for verbally communicating the Gospel—in Western cultures and in global places, such as the Pacific Rim of Southeast Asia. He is actively involved in the pulpit ministry of his home church, as well as leadership in other local ministries and national societies.
Summary
Preaching with Variety is a useful book that not only teaches theology and church doctrine, but equips pastors and lay leaders to respect the divine authority of the Word of God as a creative and complex collection of literary genres. Arthurs teaches how to appropriately respect these six forms of Biblical literature: Psalms, Narrative, Parables, Proverbs, Epistles and Apocalyptic.
Critical Evaluation
The introductory chapter combines the author's creativity in organization with helpful applications. For instance, Arthurs lists and summarizes his "9.5" theses in the beginning of the book. In addition to learning from his expounding upon these presuppositions, it is hard to escape the parallel to Martin Luther's 95 Theses. Arthurs could have used ten theses, but this is much more creative and intellectually stimulating.
Arthurs does a good job of setting up his readers for hearing his arguments for preaching with variety. In chapter two, he writes about the issue of authority. The problem today, he says, is that, "listeners tend to locate authority in personal experience" rather than in a more objective authority, such as the written Word of God. He mentions a strength of this view and then several weaknesses. His list of weaknesses make sense (mainly that "authority becomes overly subjective" ); however, I believe he could have addressed more of the strengths. Let me be clear, that I do not agree with a communal definition of truth. I believe real truth comes from the Bible. However, when confronting an audience that is vested more in advice from their community members than the written Word of God, I would have stated more than one strength for communal wisdom. This shows the reader a broader understanding of their perspective than they might think a conservative author would fathom. For instance, the Bible does give a limited amount of authority to other Christians, as in, "admonish one another" (Romans 15:14), or "bear one another's burdens" and the surrounding teaching of Paul (Galatians 6:1-10). Or submission to the governing authorities mentioned in Romans 13. Of course, these teachings are all rooted in Scripture, which is not subjective, and further makes Arthurs' point.
Arthurs makes a great argument about the poetic genre of biblical text in this same chapter. He says, "we must ask how the poem means as well as what the poem means." He immediately quotes other authors, Robert Alter and C.S. Lewis, who agree that the Bible must be read as literature. I think they are absolutely correct. The Bible is not written as a textbook. It is not that scientific (scientific being a man-made term, with a man-made definition). God's Word is certainly ahead of science, and has qualities that can be scientifically observed; however, it is not a science book explaining the inner workings of God. He must remain a mystery to human intellect. God used the human authors of the Bible, who have their own literary curvatures, to speak through in a plenary-verbal way, and we now have a holistic teaching that is both God-inspired and man-made. I cannot help but think of the God-man Jesus Christ as a living example of such a profound "both-and" enigma.
Perhaps the most interesting yet difficult to apply teaching of this book is the chapter on narratives. In the section on induction, specifically, Arthurs says, "Narratives are most effective when the audience hears the story and arrives at the speaker's ideas without the ideas being stated directly." He explores how a preacher or teacher can engage an audience on a non-academic level, quoting Flannery O'Connor: "stories speak 'with character and action, not about character and action.'" This involves much more patience as a pastor preparing a sermon, and really pushes on the importance of proper research and planning. This will separate those who have prepared an outline and manuscript from those who haven't. It involves such an understanding of the text, that the speakers are simply able to "imply"—as Arthurs says—instead of expound upon the big idea.
Conclusion
I highly recommend this book for new pastors and experienced teaching pastors alike. Preaching with Variety provides excellent thoughts and perspectives on the preparation of an ancient, living text as it is presented to a modern day audience. Arthurs has the academic pedigree and real world experience to teach through his writing, and this book will not leave any sincere reader uninspired.

[Steven Kopp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Key takeaways:
1) Biblical memory is more than cognitive recall. It activates our emotion and will.
2) Preachers don't need to stress about being novel each week, but instead act as God's "remembrancers"
3) We can stir memory in a variety of ways: style, story, delivery, and ceremony.

[Olivia Godwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid book. Great principles and guidance on preaching. Read for a class at Urshan University: “Preaching Practicum.”

Some doctrinal/theological things I disagreed with. Though I am not surprised because I’m Apostolic/Pentecostal and the author is most definitely not.