Preaching That Moves People: How To Get Down the Mountain of Your Messages with Maximum Impact

by Yancey Arrington

Dr. Yancey Arrington says the reason many preachers don't connect with their congregants isn't because they haven't thought through the message, but because they haven't felt through it. In this practical guide for preachers of churches big and small, Arrington offers an innovative and effective paradigm based on his years of coaching preachers that brings the best to bear in both the 'who' and 'how' of the preaching event. Be prepared to better preach in a way that moves people!

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Teaching, Leadership

172 pages, Paperback

Published January 2, 2018

Reviews

[Dashawn Cousins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yancey Arrington adds to the collection of books on preaching with a book that is legitimately unique. He address the thing we intuitively know matters, but often don’t address. Yancey presents a compelling case for preachers to spend significant time not only in content, but also delivery. This book is best for those with preaching experience and looking to grow, but it would also be helpful for those with no experience just getting started.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preaching that Moves People covers the often overlooked aspects of sermon delivery. Instead of the "what" of preaching, Yancey Arrington covers the "how" and "who". How to deliver your sermon for maximum impact, and how to discover your distinctive voice as a preacher. This book is dripping with practical insights, illustrations, and wisdom from twenty years of pulpit ministry. He argues that we must "arrange for tension", "build for speed", and "chart for emotional bandwidth". These are insights you wouldn't find in your typical homiletics book, but are incredibly important for connecting the life-transforming truths of the gospel with your listeners. While great preachers intuitively utilize these principals, Yancey spells them out for the rest of us.

[Eduardo Fergusson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es de los mejores libros sobre predicación que he leido, es unico porque su enfoque es en la entrega, que aunque el contenido debe ser completamente Cristo-centrico la entrega debe ser enfocada en las personas

[Cory Fahrenkamp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is uniquely good and helpful among many other good books about preaching. This book deals only with sermon delivery and not with preparation. It gives good language and categories to discussing and evaluating the oral art of preaching. I will definitely be reading it again soon!

[Kendra Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book with my mentor this semester and was such a good read. Really helped me understand and see different sides to teaching as well as encouraging the reader to figure out who they are as a teacher and to not feel pressured into being someone they aren’t! Highly recommend if you are in a teaching/ speaking position!

[Matt Moran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really helpful.

I saw Arrington give the presentation that became this book at a conference about 5-6 years ago. It was the highlight of the conference.

His focus on delivery and emotional impact assumes more foundational convictions around preaching., so this wouldn't be the book for aspiring preachers to start with. However, for those of us who are in the week to week grind, this is very helpful.

[Paytron Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5. Alternate title: Making Preaching Human. Was incredibly challenged in thinking through the act of preaching. The only preaching book I've read where I was moved emotionally?? Maybe so. I already see a difference in my prep, but also how I daily interact with the scriptures personally. Absolutely fantastic.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is unique among the books on preaching that I have read so far. Whereas some books focus more on structure or the exegesis needed to put a sermon together, or even the need for or gravity of the task of preaching, this book is focused on delivery. Although Arrington affirms all of the above as being extremely important, in this fine book, he champions the skills needed to reach people, not in a manipulative way but in a wise way (think the admonitions of Proverbs). His discussion of building for speed and charting bandwidth has been helpful for me as an improving but still fairly green preacher. He takes the tone of a coach throughout, willing to give you honest feedback, yet ultimately for your individual success as a herald and proclaimer of the Gospel. If it's possible to feel "heard" as a listener, this book does that, anticipating how you'll feel as you read what he has to say. This would be a must-read for preachers, especially young preachers learning their craft.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a different and helpful take on preaching. He is aiming his book at delivery, not content, so be advised, this isn't a book on how to write your sermon. Rather, it's how to develop your sermon for maximum impact on delivery as a way love and serve your listeners through your delivery. Really thankful for this book and am already implementing some of the counsel there. If you're a preacher, get it!

[Hunter Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book at the recommendation of a friend. I honestly was not expecting much, but it was one of the most practically helpful books on preaching that I have ever read. I thought it would be pragmatically focused, but that is not what I found at all. This book contains a lot of wisdom that will help preachers to preach sermons that more effectively accomplish what they intend when they preach.

[J. J.]

Just the right book at just the right time in my preaching development. Keller and Clowney’s doctoral preaching lectures coupled with Chapell’s “Christ Centered Preaching” have been constant companions over the last decade. But Arrington has put his finger right on the lid I’ve been badly needing to lift. Such a gift.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arrington provides a simple, yet relatable, and immediately applicable set of resources to not only preachers everywhere, but anyone who presents to an audience. Greatly enjoyed this book, and plan to begin utilizing these techniques immediately.

[Spence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be the practitioner’s guide I’ve been looking for. Fun reading that is as much a training manual as it is a book. Clearly written by someone who has logged some hours preaching and training preachers. I plan on using this to train the young preachers on my staff. Great work!!

[Gareth Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book changed how I preach. There are loads of books on what to say - this one speaks about how to say it. It’s made me think and whilst I haven’t taken on everything in the book- I spend much more time thinking about my delivery than I did.

[Lee Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed the way I preach!

[Bradley Somers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful read for those who have spent sometime thinking through, writing and preaching sermons. There is lots of practical and insightful help here to becoming a better communicator of those sermons. Every pastor should consider reading it. My only caution is, and Yancey clarifies this right at the beginning, this book is not so much on how to exegete and expound the text but focuses more on how to communicate to an audience. You should be well grounded in the first before expending a load of energy trying to tweek the second. I did feel that at times Yancey leaned a little too far into shaping the text for emotional impact to the point where one could miss the actual emotional impact of the TEXT over the emotional impact of the sermon delivery. The text should be the base line thrust of the emotional delivery. All in all, it’s a worthwhile read from a true practioner. I am thankful to have read it.

[Andrew Bondurant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really grateful I stumbled across this book. Arrington provides a unique resource centered on a framework for thinking through the actual event of preaching. Arrington provides helpful language and frameworks that i think are especially helpful for a preaching team (or local group of preachers) to become familiar with to have common language in providing helpful feedback. Arrington also provides a helpful tool for preachers finding their own voice and embracing who God made them to be as a preacher.

As Arrington makes clear from the start, this is not a preaching book written in the vein of Stott, Robinson, Wilson, Lloyd-Jones, or Chapell. This isn’t to teach how to write a sermon or to provide a foundation for preaching. This is written to provide a resource in what he (and I) have experienced as a void in preaching books: how do we think about delivery?

[Joe Nealis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible resource for those wanting to preach more engaging sermons. Engaging, not by being someone you’re not, but by being yourself…trusting that God has chosen you to speak to your local congregation he has you at.

Also, I found his content on arranging sermons to create tension and his advice on emotional bandwidth in a sermon was incredibly helpful.

Only critique is that it seemed that he was becoming repetitive toward the end. However, it’s hardly a critique considering how helpful those reminders were.

I would recommend this to any preacher who wants to get better at their craft!!

[Chase Bartlett · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

This book was a great introduction book to young men who are starting in the ministry and are preaching. This book is not a how-to preach, but how can I help those who are in my congregation be moved down the mountain that creates an impact in their lives? Arrington gave some helpful guides and tips on how to accomplish this that I might plan on using in the future.

Some quotes from the book:

Preaching that moves people has people-centered delivery with gospel-centered content, but preaching that manipulates people has people-centered delivery with people-centered content” (pg. 39).

[Josh Loomis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I agree with Arrington that the emotional dimension of preaching is often neglected in preaching classes and our training as preachers. I found Arrington's description of both how to identify our own preaching and then develop our ability to have emotional variation throughout our sermons very helpful. It's possible that the book connected with me so well because I'm about to step into preaching every week as our church launches, BUT I think the book is relevant to anyone who regularly preaches from the word and wants to improve in their abilities.

[Trevor Atwood]

The insights that Yancey offers in this book are hard to find in other preaching books. He gave me language that will help me better evaluate my own preaching and help me lead younger guys in their preaching. This is not a book about how to preach faithful to the scriptures, but is no less important. It will help you connect with people emotionally so what you’ve prepared doesn’t fall on deaf ears. Highly recommend to preachers.

[James Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me understand the homiletics side of preaching more and gave me a lot more tools and ideas in how to deliver a sermon effectively. We as ministers of the Word should craft our sermons logically but also emotionally. To use emotions as we preach is not unethical or nefarious, but is simply speaking as if God is real.

[Riley Garrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really straightforward book about biblical preaching. I love how Arrington recognizes the necessity of the Holy Spirit's power in preaching while also diving into the practical techniques that we can do to improve our communication from the pulpit and really anywhere.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good advice on thinking through the audience, the pace, the emotion, and the one delivering a sermon. Quick, worthwhile read.

[Joshua Sisco · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a different type of book on preaching. It is more about philosophy, style, and delivery on preaching.

I really liked it, because it was different.

[Nathan Brewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good and helpful resource on the importance of the delivery aspect of the sermon.

[Weston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have read on the actual preaching act. The categories he gives are helpful and the bandwidth concept he explains is superb.

[Matthew Armbruster · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Really helpful information. I need to return to it in the future for sure.

[Mitch Aldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of a kind. The most practical book on preaching I’ve ever read.

[Karsen Barnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, helpful advice for preaching and how to craft and develop sermons that will actually move and change people.