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Reformed Preaching: Proclaiming God's Word from the Heart of the Preacher to the Heart of His People
Preaching today all too often tragically misses the point.
We've all heard sermons that sound more like a lecture, filling the head but not the heart. And we've all heard sermons tailored to produce an emotional experience, filling the heart but not the head. But biblical preaching both informs minds and engages hearts--giving it the power to transform lives. By the Spirit's grace, biblical preaching brings truth home from the heart of the preacher to the heart of the hearer.
Joel Beeke--a pastor and professor of preaching with over four decades of experience--explores the fundamental principles of Reformed experiential preaching, examining sermons by preachers from the past and bridging the historical gap by showing pastors what the preaching of God's life-transforming truth looks like today.
We've all heard sermons that sound more like a lecture, filling the head but not the heart. And we've all heard sermons tailored to produce an emotional experience, filling the heart but not the head. But biblical preaching both informs minds and engages hearts--giving it the power to transform lives. By the Spirit's grace, biblical preaching brings truth home from the heart of the preacher to the heart of the hearer.
Joel Beeke--a pastor and professor of preaching with over four decades of experience--explores the fundamental principles of Reformed experiential preaching, examining sermons by preachers from the past and bridging the historical gap by showing pastors what the preaching of God's life-transforming truth looks like today.
504 pages, Hardcover
Published October 31, 2018
140 people are currently reading
535 people want to read
About the author
Joel R. Beeke
448 books355 followersDr. Joel R. Beeke serves as President and Professor of Systematic Theology, Church History, and Homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He has been in the ministry since 1978 and has served as a pastor of his current church, Heritage Reformed Congregation, since 1986. He is also editor of the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, president of Inheritance Publishers, and vice-president of the Dutch Reformed Translation Society. He has written, co-authored, or edited fifty books and contributed over fifteen hundred articles to Reformed books, journals, periodicals, and encyclopedias. His Ph.D. (1988) from Westminster Theological Seminary is in Reformation and Post-Reformation Theology. He is frequently called upon to lecture at Reformed seminaries and to speak at conferences around the world. He and his wife, Mary, have three children: Calvin, Esther, and Lydia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
May 5, 2020
This book largely lives up to the hype: just a marvelous tome on Reformed preaching, just as we'd expect from a scholar like Beeke. Although I would label this book as 'entry-level' to reformed distinctives and practices in relation to preaching, it's much needed in a day where faithful and biblical preaching is a rarity. In our day, so much of preaching is largely entertainment, personal therapy, seeker-sensitive, or even nothing more than a running commentary or doctrinal lecture. This book is a powerful and timely corrective to such errors.
What I liked about this book:
This book increased my love and adoration of God. Parts of it were extremely moving and challenging. The theology, careful balance, wisdom, and even the inspiration in regards to the Christian walk, preaching, and ministry, left a deep impression on me. Beeke focuses on the proper aim of preaching (to change the heart, to fuel love and devotion to God, to bring glory to God, etc.), the earnestness of preaching, the heart/preparation for preaching (prayer, devotion, personal holiness, etc.), and the proper balance of preaching (law-gospel distinctions, the relation of justification and sanctification, the place of suffering in the Christian life, the abiding validity of the moral law, etc.) --and the theological richness and balance is impressive. The last section of the book particularly stood out as a beautiful and extremely helpful guide on the biblical practice and emphasis of preaching. Truly, this book captures the very essence of Reformed theology, the Christian life, and the place and role and manner of preaching in such.
What I didn't like about this book:
The historical section, which takes up the majority of the book, was both extremely helpful at times, and dangerously distracting at others. Sometimes, for large sections, I was left wondering 'what is the point here?' --for there's a great deal of off-topic material that is far too broad for this subject. For example, he goes into great detail of Calvin's view on assurance. Well, as helpful as that might be if this were a book on Calvin or a book on assurance, I found it distracting and unnecessary. And while there's a great deal of history, there is little in-depth analysis to most of it. What we get instead is quotation after quotation after quotation, only broken up from time to time by a short explanation, before repeating again. It was maddening at times and tempted me to give up finishing altogether. Thus, the book would be much better if it were about half its size. And on top of this, a large number of the chapters are based upon or repetition of material Beeke wrote elsewhere. Why include them here? Doesn't make much sense.
Another aspect of the book that put me off was his use of history, at times. No doubt, he comes close to hagiography in many sections. Beeke quotes so many reformers and puritans liberally and uncritically as if they’re the final authority! He treats almost every one of them as if they had a perfect balance of 'experiential preaching', with no faults! This creates a romantic ideal of preaching and ministry at times – as if only we could get back to the good ole days of the puritans. That's deeply concerning. On the contrary, I think there's just as much if not more we can learn from the mistakes and faults of these past generations, as we can from their positive example (Richard Baxter being one shining example here, as it's extremely troubling how Baxter's model for ministry is uncritically held up in this book).
Conclusion:
Pet peeves aside, this really is a marvelous book, and I commend it to every preacher of the gospel --particularly to the one who is new to the Reformed faith, or who hasn't benefited from formal theological training from a Reformed perspective. Just note that it's entry-level, largely a historical work, and fairly broad. You'll need other books to dive deeper into this topic. Nevertheless, I promise that you'll walk away motivated, inspired, and challenge to give yourself to preaching the immeasurable riches of Christ.
What I liked about this book:
This book increased my love and adoration of God. Parts of it were extremely moving and challenging. The theology, careful balance, wisdom, and even the inspiration in regards to the Christian walk, preaching, and ministry, left a deep impression on me. Beeke focuses on the proper aim of preaching (to change the heart, to fuel love and devotion to God, to bring glory to God, etc.), the earnestness of preaching, the heart/preparation for preaching (prayer, devotion, personal holiness, etc.), and the proper balance of preaching (law-gospel distinctions, the relation of justification and sanctification, the place of suffering in the Christian life, the abiding validity of the moral law, etc.) --and the theological richness and balance is impressive. The last section of the book particularly stood out as a beautiful and extremely helpful guide on the biblical practice and emphasis of preaching. Truly, this book captures the very essence of Reformed theology, the Christian life, and the place and role and manner of preaching in such.
What I didn't like about this book:
The historical section, which takes up the majority of the book, was both extremely helpful at times, and dangerously distracting at others. Sometimes, for large sections, I was left wondering 'what is the point here?' --for there's a great deal of off-topic material that is far too broad for this subject. For example, he goes into great detail of Calvin's view on assurance. Well, as helpful as that might be if this were a book on Calvin or a book on assurance, I found it distracting and unnecessary. And while there's a great deal of history, there is little in-depth analysis to most of it. What we get instead is quotation after quotation after quotation, only broken up from time to time by a short explanation, before repeating again. It was maddening at times and tempted me to give up finishing altogether. Thus, the book would be much better if it were about half its size. And on top of this, a large number of the chapters are based upon or repetition of material Beeke wrote elsewhere. Why include them here? Doesn't make much sense.
Another aspect of the book that put me off was his use of history, at times. No doubt, he comes close to hagiography in many sections. Beeke quotes so many reformers and puritans liberally and uncritically as if they’re the final authority! He treats almost every one of them as if they had a perfect balance of 'experiential preaching', with no faults! This creates a romantic ideal of preaching and ministry at times – as if only we could get back to the good ole days of the puritans. That's deeply concerning. On the contrary, I think there's just as much if not more we can learn from the mistakes and faults of these past generations, as we can from their positive example (Richard Baxter being one shining example here, as it's extremely troubling how Baxter's model for ministry is uncritically held up in this book).
Conclusion:
Pet peeves aside, this really is a marvelous book, and I commend it to every preacher of the gospel --particularly to the one who is new to the Reformed faith, or who hasn't benefited from formal theological training from a Reformed perspective. Just note that it's entry-level, largely a historical work, and fairly broad. You'll need other books to dive deeper into this topic. Nevertheless, I promise that you'll walk away motivated, inspired, and challenge to give yourself to preaching the immeasurable riches of Christ.
May 10, 2019
This book could have been named “Matt, this is what you need. “ 11/10 Would recommend. This book is going to demo down along with RC Sproul’s Holiness of God and Jonathan Edwards’ religious affections as the books which I will turn my understanding of my faith. Maybe my situation is different because I’m not a pastor I’m just a lay person with a love for theology. But the first part of the book shows a need for performed preaching. That’s not just for preachers but for all Christians because we are all called to proclaim the gospel. The second part of the book is of course my favorite because I have a love for history especially the Puritans and the book goes from the end of the reformation from Calvin to Lloyd Jones. Maybe my situation is different because I’m not a pastor I’m just a lay person with a lover for theology. But the first part of the book shows a need for reformed preaching. That’s not just for preachers but for all Christians because we are all called to proclaim the gospel. The second part of the book is of course my favorite because I have a love for history especially the Puritans and the book goes from the end of the reformation from Calvin to Lloyd Jones. Beeke Talks about how the most important and longest part of any sermon should be application but his direct application section is the third part and the shortest. It’s a call to holiness and leading the correct life by example. PS the call he’s making is to those in leadership positions but really there is not any extra burden put on them. It is put on all of us. At the same time you purchase this book purchase a pack of highlighters and a pack of pens because you will be highlighting and taking notes on every single page.
December 2, 2023
I'm just going to copy/paste the evaluation section from the book review I had to write on this for class. I'm much too lazy to adjust the overly-formal style or any formatting oddities.
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Beeke’s thesis is perhaps best summed up in his statement that “the truth of Christ must be brought home to the heart by the Holy Spirit in order to produce love. That’s the kind of preaching we need” (23). He certainly proves this thesis through parts one and three of this book, and offers real, practical steps toward cultivating this sort of preaching. As described in the content summary above, he presses the need for experiential preaching which is not only intellectual, not only emotional, not only moral, but all three at once.
Part one also succeeds at showing the historic nature of this sort of preaching. This is what God’s people have done during those times when the ministry was healthiest. This is what the church’s great ministers advocated, at least from the Reformation onward. This is what the Scriptures themselves call for.
Moreover, the doctrinal and practical advice given in part three shows all the signs of accumulated wisdom one would hope to see from a veteran minister of God’s Word. Personally, the points that I find the most striking are these: First, that the best way of preaching with balance is to allow the text to set the agenda, to let it say what it says—the balance will come through faithful exegetical preaching over time. Second, that effective preaching requires prayer not only during preparation but also during the act of proclaiming the Word. Last, that preaching Christ-centered sermons from every text demands both a broad Christology and a broad familiarity with all Scripture. The preacher must train his mind to find the connections.
The trouble with this book comes with the longest portion, part two. While the material in part two is not at all bad, it does raise a few issues. First, it does not serve Beeke’s stated aim the way parts one or three do. Second, it is filled with extraneous detail. Third, the selection of exemplary preachers is at least partly questionable.
First, part two does not serve Beeke’s stated aim the way parts one or three do. While the title of this part is “Reformed Experiential Preaching Illustrated,” it is debatable that every example in this 251-page section really does illustrate the sort of preaching Beeke endorses here. For example, the segment on Richard Rogers speaks not so much about his preaching as about his Seven Treatises, a manual of good Puritan ethics. While this is surely not entirely unrelated to experiential preaching (which does involve preaching about the moral law), it does not seem entirely relevant to this book’s main purpose either.
It may have been better if Beeke had incorporated some of these relevant examples as specific illustrations within parts one or two, rather than separating them out. The net effect of this tome’s structure is to make the reader feel as though one book has been interrupted by another. Part two might have worked better as a standalone work.
Second, allowing that plenty of part two is at least somewhat relevant to Beeke’s overall thesis, it is still bloated with extraneous details that are not. Is it really necessary to report that Richard Sibbes graduated from his bachelor’s program at Cambridge in 1599, if the aim is simply to glean a lesson from him about preaching? Is it necessary to discuss Theodore Beza’s Tabula Praedestinationis and defend it from contemporary misunderstanding? Does the reader, for the purpose of this book, need to know the general history of the Dutch Nadere Reformatie? In a book like this one, it seems unnecessary to make even passing references to these things.
Finally, the selection of exemplary preachers is at least partly questionable. This is because of some odd inclusions and some striking exclusions. The inclusion of Thomas Shepherd is especially odd, considering the number of cautions apparently required to offset his over-scrupulousness and absurd requirement that content resignation to hell is a necessary prerequisite to salvation (216). One might think his inclusion has to do with some unique contribution of his to the concept of Reformed experiential preaching, but this does not seem to be the case, as most of the principles he illustrates are also illustrated by Bunyan or Halyburton.
The inclusion of the contentious Frelinghuysen is also striking. His biographical sketch is longer than many of the others (282-7), and does not exactly endear him to the reader. At the very least, this may be another example of unhelpful, extraneous material in this book.
There is also a striking absence from part two: Not a single African American preacher. One would think that if Beeke wished to illustrate the breadth and depth of the Reformed preaching tradition, he might have at least mentioned Lemuel Haynes, Henry Highland Garnet, or Francis Grimkè. Any of these three might have helpfully illustrated the aspect of Reformed experiential preaching that condemns not only personal but also grievous cultural sins. This oversight is especially disappointing when one considers that there are five representatives only from the Netherlands, not counting the full chapter on the Nadere Reformatie.
As stated above, this book succeeds in its primary stated goals, and is of more than a little benefit to anyone preparing for ministry. Its usefulness is hampered, however, by its page count being unnecessarily inflated by a historical survey that distracts more than it helps. Parts one and three are rewarding and edifying. Part two might have functioned better, with some changes, as a standalone book.
---
Beeke’s thesis is perhaps best summed up in his statement that “the truth of Christ must be brought home to the heart by the Holy Spirit in order to produce love. That’s the kind of preaching we need” (23). He certainly proves this thesis through parts one and three of this book, and offers real, practical steps toward cultivating this sort of preaching. As described in the content summary above, he presses the need for experiential preaching which is not only intellectual, not only emotional, not only moral, but all three at once.
Part one also succeeds at showing the historic nature of this sort of preaching. This is what God’s people have done during those times when the ministry was healthiest. This is what the church’s great ministers advocated, at least from the Reformation onward. This is what the Scriptures themselves call for.
Moreover, the doctrinal and practical advice given in part three shows all the signs of accumulated wisdom one would hope to see from a veteran minister of God’s Word. Personally, the points that I find the most striking are these: First, that the best way of preaching with balance is to allow the text to set the agenda, to let it say what it says—the balance will come through faithful exegetical preaching over time. Second, that effective preaching requires prayer not only during preparation but also during the act of proclaiming the Word. Last, that preaching Christ-centered sermons from every text demands both a broad Christology and a broad familiarity with all Scripture. The preacher must train his mind to find the connections.
The trouble with this book comes with the longest portion, part two. While the material in part two is not at all bad, it does raise a few issues. First, it does not serve Beeke’s stated aim the way parts one or three do. Second, it is filled with extraneous detail. Third, the selection of exemplary preachers is at least partly questionable.
First, part two does not serve Beeke’s stated aim the way parts one or three do. While the title of this part is “Reformed Experiential Preaching Illustrated,” it is debatable that every example in this 251-page section really does illustrate the sort of preaching Beeke endorses here. For example, the segment on Richard Rogers speaks not so much about his preaching as about his Seven Treatises, a manual of good Puritan ethics. While this is surely not entirely unrelated to experiential preaching (which does involve preaching about the moral law), it does not seem entirely relevant to this book’s main purpose either.
It may have been better if Beeke had incorporated some of these relevant examples as specific illustrations within parts one or two, rather than separating them out. The net effect of this tome’s structure is to make the reader feel as though one book has been interrupted by another. Part two might have worked better as a standalone work.
Second, allowing that plenty of part two is at least somewhat relevant to Beeke’s overall thesis, it is still bloated with extraneous details that are not. Is it really necessary to report that Richard Sibbes graduated from his bachelor’s program at Cambridge in 1599, if the aim is simply to glean a lesson from him about preaching? Is it necessary to discuss Theodore Beza’s Tabula Praedestinationis and defend it from contemporary misunderstanding? Does the reader, for the purpose of this book, need to know the general history of the Dutch Nadere Reformatie? In a book like this one, it seems unnecessary to make even passing references to these things.
Finally, the selection of exemplary preachers is at least partly questionable. This is because of some odd inclusions and some striking exclusions. The inclusion of Thomas Shepherd is especially odd, considering the number of cautions apparently required to offset his over-scrupulousness and absurd requirement that content resignation to hell is a necessary prerequisite to salvation (216). One might think his inclusion has to do with some unique contribution of his to the concept of Reformed experiential preaching, but this does not seem to be the case, as most of the principles he illustrates are also illustrated by Bunyan or Halyburton.
The inclusion of the contentious Frelinghuysen is also striking. His biographical sketch is longer than many of the others (282-7), and does not exactly endear him to the reader. At the very least, this may be another example of unhelpful, extraneous material in this book.
There is also a striking absence from part two: Not a single African American preacher. One would think that if Beeke wished to illustrate the breadth and depth of the Reformed preaching tradition, he might have at least mentioned Lemuel Haynes, Henry Highland Garnet, or Francis Grimkè. Any of these three might have helpfully illustrated the aspect of Reformed experiential preaching that condemns not only personal but also grievous cultural sins. This oversight is especially disappointing when one considers that there are five representatives only from the Netherlands, not counting the full chapter on the Nadere Reformatie.
As stated above, this book succeeds in its primary stated goals, and is of more than a little benefit to anyone preparing for ministry. Its usefulness is hampered, however, by its page count being unnecessarily inflated by a historical survey that distracts more than it helps. Parts one and three are rewarding and edifying. Part two might have functioned better, with some changes, as a standalone book.
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November 22, 2025There’s some good stuff in this book, there’s some helpful stuff in this book.
Maybe I’m burned out with reading for school or maybe I’m just a hater, but this book probably should have been 250-300 pages shorter.
I think if he took out part 2 (280 pages of him talking about his favorite preachers from church history. 64% of the entire book by the way, not that I’m doing the math) this would be a better book.
Maybe I’m burned out with reading for school or maybe I’m just a hater, but this book probably should have been 250-300 pages shorter.
I think if he took out part 2 (280 pages of him talking about his favorite preachers from church history. 64% of the entire book by the way, not that I’m doing the math) this would be a better book.
January 9, 2020
This book is transformative, and I strongly encourage all of those in pastoral ministry or those who preach to read it. Out of all the books that I have read on preaching, this one was both different and memorable. Why? Four Reasons:
Biblically Faithful: Beeke roots his book in God's Word and the best of the Reformed and Puritan theological tradition. He understands the significance and purpose of preaching, which is why he is careful to keep us focused on the faithful proclamation of God's Word.
Historically Insightful: Most of the book is filled with examples of godly and influential Reformed experiential preachers. However, it does not merely serve to provide biographical sketches, but to help us glean insights from their gospel ministry. And many of the quotes are worth their weight in gold!
Deeply Inspirational: Reading this book stoked the fire in my heart to preach God's Word for His glory and to magnify the name of Jesus Christ. It encouraged my confidence in the Holy Spirit's work as Scripture is preached. It reminded me of the blessings Christ gives to His undershepherds as we proclaim His gospel.
Practically Helpful: Beeke applies what we learn throughout his book to the life and ministry of preachers. The last section is filled with wisdom and counsel to help our preaching ministries. I know that I will be returning to my notes throughout this book over and over again!
Biblically Faithful: Beeke roots his book in God's Word and the best of the Reformed and Puritan theological tradition. He understands the significance and purpose of preaching, which is why he is careful to keep us focused on the faithful proclamation of God's Word.
Historically Insightful: Most of the book is filled with examples of godly and influential Reformed experiential preachers. However, it does not merely serve to provide biographical sketches, but to help us glean insights from their gospel ministry. And many of the quotes are worth their weight in gold!
Deeply Inspirational: Reading this book stoked the fire in my heart to preach God's Word for His glory and to magnify the name of Jesus Christ. It encouraged my confidence in the Holy Spirit's work as Scripture is preached. It reminded me of the blessings Christ gives to His undershepherds as we proclaim His gospel.
Practically Helpful: Beeke applies what we learn throughout his book to the life and ministry of preachers. The last section is filled with wisdom and counsel to help our preaching ministries. I know that I will be returning to my notes throughout this book over and over again!
February 5, 2021
This books gives practical advice for pastors on how to preach expositionally and experientially. The first portion of the book clearly articulates what text-driven reformed preaching is. The second part of the book walks through how the Reformers, Puritans, and some 20th century pastors underwent the work of preaching expositionally. This section may be the beat as it provides real examples for how preach in such a way. The third part closes with exhortations for the pastor on what to preach. This book is an encouragement to run the race and proclaim the truth.
May 20, 2024
Easily the best book on preaching I have ever read.
“reformed experiential preaching is preaching that applies the truth of God to the hearts of people to show how things ought to go, do go, and ultimately will go in the Christian’s experience with respect to God and his neighbors — including his family members, his fellow church members, and people in the world around him. Even more simply, we could say that the reformed experiential preacher receives God’s word into his heart, and then preaches it to the minds, hearts, and lives of his people.”
“reformed experiential preaching is preaching that applies the truth of God to the hearts of people to show how things ought to go, do go, and ultimately will go in the Christian’s experience with respect to God and his neighbors — including his family members, his fellow church members, and people in the world around him. Even more simply, we could say that the reformed experiential preacher receives God’s word into his heart, and then preaches it to the minds, hearts, and lives of his people.”
September 18, 2024
Preaching is a duty and must be taken seriously. What stood out most for me is the necessity for application in preaching - no application then there is no point in preaching - almost like as Paul referenced a clanging bell. The preacher should he careful of this fact.
I have read all the experiential parts of this book - I foresee that I will continue to refer back to the “case studies” of preachers time and time again.
I have read all the experiential parts of this book - I foresee that I will continue to refer back to the “case studies” of preachers time and time again.
September 21, 2018
Review coming soon ...
January 10, 2019
A modern day classic. No book on preaching that I've read since Preaching and Preachers by Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks with this type of unction. It's more than mere mechanics and homiletics. It's logic on fire.
February 21, 2019
When you listen to Joel Beeke preach, you hear exactly what he’s talking about in this book.
January 14, 2025
Good book. A bit repetitive. Biography section is really intriguing and worth reading.
April 8, 2024
Great book. Excellent mixture of helpful instruction and encouragement from great preachers from church history. Must read for all preachers.
February 15, 2019
This book is a treasure. Anyone who aspires to preach in a Reformed pulpit should read this book. Why? "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness" (James 3:1). Because the standard is high, to speak on behalf of God who can think of a mightier task? Beeke reminds us that in our own strength we are failures, but let us haste to cast ourselves down before the throne of grace, lean upon Christ for strength, wisdom, hope, and holiness.
Let us be true Reformed preachers. Humble preachers. Lovers of Christ, pursuers of holiness, content to be nothing, if in that way Christ can be all in all.
Let us be true Reformed preachers. Humble preachers. Lovers of Christ, pursuers of holiness, content to be nothing, if in that way Christ can be all in all.
June 14, 2021
I loved this book. It is both a love letter to preaching and an explanation of what makes reformed preaching great. The greatest strength of the book is the middle section covering the preaching of different reformed preachers through the ages. I loved seeing how each of these men preached in a unique way.
My one complaint is that some of those historical chapters seemed uneven in their coverage. Some would explain their style, their sermon length, and even method of sermon prep. Then other chapters would just focus on one particular theological bent the preacher had. I still deeply enjoyed each chapter, but some were more enjoyable than others.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves preaching. It is not written primarily as a textbook on how to preach, but it will fill you with a love for preaching.
If you are not a part of the reformed tradition then you may not appreciate it as much. But I think the middle sections would be enjoyable for anyone who loves preaching history.
My one complaint is that some of those historical chapters seemed uneven in their coverage. Some would explain their style, their sermon length, and even method of sermon prep. Then other chapters would just focus on one particular theological bent the preacher had. I still deeply enjoyed each chapter, but some were more enjoyable than others.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves preaching. It is not written primarily as a textbook on how to preach, but it will fill you with a love for preaching.
If you are not a part of the reformed tradition then you may not appreciate it as much. But I think the middle sections would be enjoyable for anyone who loves preaching history.
October 4, 2020
I read this book over a period of a few months, in between other books.
This book helps addresses one of the pastoral challenges of the day - deep, expositional, Christ centered preaching. How do pastors preach effectively to an inter generational church with different needs?
But the message to the church is almost largely the same.
The need for Christ, by all sinners.
And so, Beeke runs through what preaching should aim for, how preaching has been done over the centuries by famous preachers, and ends off with practical tips for preachers.
5 stars for the book. Meant for each pastor.
This book helps addresses one of the pastoral challenges of the day - deep, expositional, Christ centered preaching. How do pastors preach effectively to an inter generational church with different needs?
But the message to the church is almost largely the same.
The need for Christ, by all sinners.
And so, Beeke runs through what preaching should aim for, how preaching has been done over the centuries by famous preachers, and ends off with practical tips for preachers.
5 stars for the book. Meant for each pastor.
January 25, 2020
I really, really enjoyed this book. I loved the format of defining what reformed preaching is, giving historical/biographical examples and then giving practical pointers. I found it insightful, challenging and inspiring. A must read for anyone who preaches.
Had to take one star off as in my opinion the book could be shorter while still keeping all the things that make it great. It could have had fewer / more in depth historical case studies for example. I also found the very frequent use of quotes slightly annoying and the use of the KJV throughout. Still a fantastic book.
Had to take one star off as in my opinion the book could be shorter while still keeping all the things that make it great. It could have had fewer / more in depth historical case studies for example. I also found the very frequent use of quotes slightly annoying and the use of the KJV throughout. Still a fantastic book.
May 14, 2024
“In many ways, the Reformed experiential preacher walks greased tightrope. He may feel that in order to secure his grip on one aspect of Christianity, he needs to loosen his hold on another aspect. In trying not to fall into semi-Pelagianism, he may slip into hyper-Calvinism. In seeking to avoid emotionalism without substance, he must beware of falling into cold intellectualism. Sin and Satan do not make it easy to walk the line. But the preacher must embrace the whole counsel of God as it impacts the whole man.”
June 10, 2022
Informative, encouraging, and challenging. Beeke breaks down each angle of experiential preaching in part 1 and provides more detailed examples of each facet in part 3. Part 2 is a historical overview of experiential preaching that covers the standard landscape of Reformation history that characterizes some of Beeke's other works. This is Beeke at his finest expounding his greatest gift, experiential preaching.
May 3, 2025
if you ever read anything about the heart of preaching, read this. It is biblically searching, historically instructive, and experientially challenging.
Brilliant writing that is ultimately Christological and deeply humbling.
Brilliant writing that is ultimately Christological and deeply humbling.
August 15, 2019
First of all I am glad I read the Kindle version. I feel that if I saw the physical copy of this book I may have turned away. The volume is chock full of material. In typical Beeke fashion this volume is well researched, well documented and well presented. This is not just a book on how to write a sermon.
I was also intrigued by the title as I am used to seeing books about expository preaching, topical preaching, extemporaneous preaching, preaching to felt needs etc. My first wrong assumption was a book on Reformed Preaching is a book about intellectual, conservative lectures.
Beeke points out that Reformed Preaching is Experiential preaching. By that he says It uses the truth of Scripture to shine glory of God into the depths of the soul to call people to live solely and wholly for God . . stresses the need to know the great truths of the Word of God by personal experience. It also tests our personal experience by the doctrines of the Bible.
The goal is not head knowledge (that is important) but also heart change. He says Head knowledge is not evil in itself. Most of the great Christian ministers and leaders of the Reformation and Post-reformation eras were highly educated men. They valued a thorough Christian education. But this education must be sanctified by the Holy Spirit to our hearts. Head knowledge remains insufficient for our spiritual good without the Spirits’s heart application. That is why writers of previous centuries counseled people to seek to fill their heads with knowledge while seeking the Lord in hope that he would bless it to their hearts.
I appreciate the fact that Beeke drives home the fact that Reformed Preaching is well researched but also fueled by the Holy Spirit. I was impressed by the heavy emphasis on the place Beeke placed on the Holy Spirit’s place in the preparation, delivery and reception of the sermon.
After defining Reformed Preaching Beeke present a historical picture of Reformed Preaching, giving examples of preachers, their ministries and their messages. Some names are very familiar and many more names unknown. In the end Beeke shows the rich heritage of Reformed Preaching worldwide, even if we never knew that was what it was called. I will admit that I almost gave up at this point. There were so many examples over a long history, I thought this book was a history of Reformed Preachers. Fortunately, I kept going.
Part 3 is a great section. Here Beeke starts unpacking sermon development. This is not a process of how often to read the text, then the studies, commentaries application etc. Beeke stresses deeper issues. Things like the character and quality of the preacher and how deeply he knows His God. How deeply does he know his congregation? How intimate is the preacher with the Scripture? The preacher is called to know His God, the Scripture and the congregation. Then the preacher can take the text, draw out the biblical doctrines and address it to the spiritual health of his congregation.
Beeke says Christian preaching must revolve around the objective focus of the truth about God in Christ and His saving work accomplished for His people. …preaching must also revolve around the subjective focus of the experience of God in Christ.
The heart of the sermon is how reliant was the preacher on the Holy Spirit and how much did the Spirit fuel the sermon to reveal Christ to the hearer. Maybe if more sermons were rooted in biblical doctrine applied to the spiritual needs of people we would get past twitter feed sermons about feeling good about yourself and see hearts transformed towards holiness and Christlike qualities.
Beeke says we need to preach sermons enriched by all of these elements: biblical, doctrinal, experiential, and practical. Then Beeke adds to the final chapters examples of topics to explore and questions to ask as the Scripture if finally applied to meet the truth of God and the experience of the hearer.
If you are involved in sermon preparation and feeding the sheep, this is a must read. If you are like me and struggle with the amount of historical content press on. It is worth it.
The publisher provided a copy for review.
I was also intrigued by the title as I am used to seeing books about expository preaching, topical preaching, extemporaneous preaching, preaching to felt needs etc. My first wrong assumption was a book on Reformed Preaching is a book about intellectual, conservative lectures.
Beeke points out that Reformed Preaching is Experiential preaching. By that he says It uses the truth of Scripture to shine glory of God into the depths of the soul to call people to live solely and wholly for God . . stresses the need to know the great truths of the Word of God by personal experience. It also tests our personal experience by the doctrines of the Bible.
The goal is not head knowledge (that is important) but also heart change. He says Head knowledge is not evil in itself. Most of the great Christian ministers and leaders of the Reformation and Post-reformation eras were highly educated men. They valued a thorough Christian education. But this education must be sanctified by the Holy Spirit to our hearts. Head knowledge remains insufficient for our spiritual good without the Spirits’s heart application. That is why writers of previous centuries counseled people to seek to fill their heads with knowledge while seeking the Lord in hope that he would bless it to their hearts.
I appreciate the fact that Beeke drives home the fact that Reformed Preaching is well researched but also fueled by the Holy Spirit. I was impressed by the heavy emphasis on the place Beeke placed on the Holy Spirit’s place in the preparation, delivery and reception of the sermon.
After defining Reformed Preaching Beeke present a historical picture of Reformed Preaching, giving examples of preachers, their ministries and their messages. Some names are very familiar and many more names unknown. In the end Beeke shows the rich heritage of Reformed Preaching worldwide, even if we never knew that was what it was called. I will admit that I almost gave up at this point. There were so many examples over a long history, I thought this book was a history of Reformed Preachers. Fortunately, I kept going.
Part 3 is a great section. Here Beeke starts unpacking sermon development. This is not a process of how often to read the text, then the studies, commentaries application etc. Beeke stresses deeper issues. Things like the character and quality of the preacher and how deeply he knows His God. How deeply does he know his congregation? How intimate is the preacher with the Scripture? The preacher is called to know His God, the Scripture and the congregation. Then the preacher can take the text, draw out the biblical doctrines and address it to the spiritual health of his congregation.
Beeke says Christian preaching must revolve around the objective focus of the truth about God in Christ and His saving work accomplished for His people. …preaching must also revolve around the subjective focus of the experience of God in Christ.
The heart of the sermon is how reliant was the preacher on the Holy Spirit and how much did the Spirit fuel the sermon to reveal Christ to the hearer. Maybe if more sermons were rooted in biblical doctrine applied to the spiritual needs of people we would get past twitter feed sermons about feeling good about yourself and see hearts transformed towards holiness and Christlike qualities.
Beeke says we need to preach sermons enriched by all of these elements: biblical, doctrinal, experiential, and practical. Then Beeke adds to the final chapters examples of topics to explore and questions to ask as the Scripture if finally applied to meet the truth of God and the experience of the hearer.
If you are involved in sermon preparation and feeding the sheep, this is a must read. If you are like me and struggle with the amount of historical content press on. It is worth it.
The publisher provided a copy for review.
December 9, 2024
4/5 (I would recommend)
Beeke's "Reformed Preaching" would have been an excellent book to read outside of seminary. I would recommend it to prospective pastors or current pastors to work through thoughtfully during their devotional time, but it’s not a book I would want to read quickly. Unfortunately, I fell into the latter camp, reading this 450-page volume in just a few days. As a result, Part 3 felt more tedious than I would have liked.
The book is easy to read, and I believe Beeke effectively conveys his message about what Reformed Experiential Preaching is. He begins by defining the concept, moves on to examine how Reformed pastors throughout church history employed it, and concludes with practical applications for the Christian life.
Many of my peers took issue with Part 2, feeling it was too lengthy. While I also found some issues with this section, I wouldn’t describe it as overly long. Most chapters, except for the one on John Bunyan, were fairly consistent in length, covering one to three preachers each. Notable exceptions were the chapters on "The Westminster Directory on Preaching" and the "Synod of Dort.” I appreciated how each chapter served as a concise and positive introduction to a Reformed preacher from history, highlighting one to three elements of their preaching that made it experiential. The point of this section seemed to imply that if one doesn’t mirror these preachers, they aren’t truly following the Reformed experiential preaching.
While I have a few minor quibbles with this work, the most glaring issue is Beeke’s omission of Spurgeon in the chapter on 19th-century preachers. I can’t think of a valid reason for this exclusion. If it was due to Spurgeon’s name recognition, the book already includes figures like Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones. If it was to limit the number of preachers in the chapter, previous chapters include three preachers each. If it was for the sake of page length, the chapter on John Bunyan is longer than even the multi-preacher chapters. Moreover, if the omission stems from the idea that Spurgeon wasn’t Reformed because he was a Baptist, that argument falls flat since Bunyan, also a Baptist, is included.
What makes this omission even more striking is Beeke’s critique of Ryle for not being a clear preacher, despite the fact that one of the hallmarks of Experiential Preaching is simplicity. Spurgeon arguably exemplifies this kind of preaching, yet he is omitted in favor of someone who, by Beeke’s own definition, doesn’t align with Experiential Preaching.
All that grief about Spurgeon aside, like most good works, this one made me reflect on my own preaching and the preaching of my time. Repeatedly throughout Reformed history, preachers have insisted on avoiding jokes behind the pulpit. The gravity of the message being delivered, and the reverence owed to God, should not be taken lightly. Preaching to ease tension, they argued, might even dilute or undermine the message.
I am already an intense person—passionate about things others often overlook. This self-awareness has led me to include a couple of lighthearted quips in my preaching to ease tension. After all, there is no scriptural prohibition against it. In fact, even some of the prophets used humor at times! So, what do I do with all of this? For now, I ponder it and consider the example of those who came before me. Perhaps I need to work on my character. Perhaps I need to work on my preaching. Or perhaps both.
Beeke's "Reformed Preaching" would have been an excellent book to read outside of seminary. I would recommend it to prospective pastors or current pastors to work through thoughtfully during their devotional time, but it’s not a book I would want to read quickly. Unfortunately, I fell into the latter camp, reading this 450-page volume in just a few days. As a result, Part 3 felt more tedious than I would have liked.
The book is easy to read, and I believe Beeke effectively conveys his message about what Reformed Experiential Preaching is. He begins by defining the concept, moves on to examine how Reformed pastors throughout church history employed it, and concludes with practical applications for the Christian life.
Many of my peers took issue with Part 2, feeling it was too lengthy. While I also found some issues with this section, I wouldn’t describe it as overly long. Most chapters, except for the one on John Bunyan, were fairly consistent in length, covering one to three preachers each. Notable exceptions were the chapters on "The Westminster Directory on Preaching" and the "Synod of Dort.” I appreciated how each chapter served as a concise and positive introduction to a Reformed preacher from history, highlighting one to three elements of their preaching that made it experiential. The point of this section seemed to imply that if one doesn’t mirror these preachers, they aren’t truly following the Reformed experiential preaching.
While I have a few minor quibbles with this work, the most glaring issue is Beeke’s omission of Spurgeon in the chapter on 19th-century preachers. I can’t think of a valid reason for this exclusion. If it was due to Spurgeon’s name recognition, the book already includes figures like Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones. If it was to limit the number of preachers in the chapter, previous chapters include three preachers each. If it was for the sake of page length, the chapter on John Bunyan is longer than even the multi-preacher chapters. Moreover, if the omission stems from the idea that Spurgeon wasn’t Reformed because he was a Baptist, that argument falls flat since Bunyan, also a Baptist, is included.
What makes this omission even more striking is Beeke’s critique of Ryle for not being a clear preacher, despite the fact that one of the hallmarks of Experiential Preaching is simplicity. Spurgeon arguably exemplifies this kind of preaching, yet he is omitted in favor of someone who, by Beeke’s own definition, doesn’t align with Experiential Preaching.
All that grief about Spurgeon aside, like most good works, this one made me reflect on my own preaching and the preaching of my time. Repeatedly throughout Reformed history, preachers have insisted on avoiding jokes behind the pulpit. The gravity of the message being delivered, and the reverence owed to God, should not be taken lightly. Preaching to ease tension, they argued, might even dilute or undermine the message.
I am already an intense person—passionate about things others often overlook. This self-awareness has led me to include a couple of lighthearted quips in my preaching to ease tension. After all, there is no scriptural prohibition against it. In fact, even some of the prophets used humor at times! So, what do I do with all of this? For now, I ponder it and consider the example of those who came before me. Perhaps I need to work on my character. Perhaps I need to work on my preaching. Or perhaps both.
December 7, 2018
The Centrality Of Preaching
Preaching the Word of God is the central task of every Christian minister. Christ himself commissioned his ministers to feed Christ’s flock with the delicious life-giving food of God’s Word. Faith comes through hearing the Word of God. People are convicted, encouraged, rebuked, comforted, built up and matured by the means of the Scriptures. One cannot overstate the importance of preaching. Without faithful preaching, the Church ceases to exist. On account of these realites, teaching people to preach is an indispensable task.
What is ‘Reformed Preaching’ about?
This is the clear aim of Reformed Preaching by Joel Beeke. The author’s burden is to train his readers in ‘proclaiming God’s word from the heart of the preacher to the heart of his people’. However, this is not your ordinary ‘How-to’ book. Unlike many contemporary approaches, pragmatism, new psychological or rhetorical tricks are not the motivators of this book. Instead, Beeke grounds this book in the rich heritage of Reformed preaching. Like a skilful archaeologist, he carefully digs into the past to recover fundamental truths about the forgotten art of preaching. He invites us to journey with him, to see for ourselves what true reformed preaching ought to be.
Reformed Preaching is chunked into three sections. The first part lays the foundation by attentively clarifying the aims of this book. It skilfully paints a portrait of ‘The Experiential Preacher’. The second part is the meatiest and largest section of the book. It shows us what ‘experiential preaching’ looks like. Here, Beeke acts as a Museum guide by slowly taking us through the lives and pulpits of Reformed Giants like Calvin, Goodwin, Bunyan, Edwards, and Lloyd-Jones. He aptly tells us about their preaching styles, habits and processes in such a way that readers feel like close acquaintances of these great men. The final part of the book steers to ‘preaching experientially today’. After carefully taking us through the lives of experiential preachers, Beeke methodologically deduces principles which can be effective in our world. In essence, he tells us what it means to be an experiential preacher today.
Possible Audiences?
While the assumed audience for this book is ministers who preach regularly, Beeke encourages and welcomes lay readers to use this book. He writes in such a way that both a lay and ordained audience can easily understand and benefit. In other words, readability is certainly a great strength of this book.
My View?
This book has challenged and encouraged me in many ways. It has made me confess many times that I am not a good experiential preacher and I have a long way to go. But it didn’t leave me in that discouraging and dark place, but like a good friend, it spurred me on to continue to pursue godliness and faithfulness in ministry. I am challenged to preach more earnestly, with gravity, zeal and passion that communicates God’s glory to his people, for their joy.
In my view, Reformed Preaching is a necessary and important book that every pastor should read carefully. Strongly recommended.
I thank Crossway Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Preaching the Word of God is the central task of every Christian minister. Christ himself commissioned his ministers to feed Christ’s flock with the delicious life-giving food of God’s Word. Faith comes through hearing the Word of God. People are convicted, encouraged, rebuked, comforted, built up and matured by the means of the Scriptures. One cannot overstate the importance of preaching. Without faithful preaching, the Church ceases to exist. On account of these realites, teaching people to preach is an indispensable task.
What is ‘Reformed Preaching’ about?
This is the clear aim of Reformed Preaching by Joel Beeke. The author’s burden is to train his readers in ‘proclaiming God’s word from the heart of the preacher to the heart of his people’. However, this is not your ordinary ‘How-to’ book. Unlike many contemporary approaches, pragmatism, new psychological or rhetorical tricks are not the motivators of this book. Instead, Beeke grounds this book in the rich heritage of Reformed preaching. Like a skilful archaeologist, he carefully digs into the past to recover fundamental truths about the forgotten art of preaching. He invites us to journey with him, to see for ourselves what true reformed preaching ought to be.
Reformed Preaching is chunked into three sections. The first part lays the foundation by attentively clarifying the aims of this book. It skilfully paints a portrait of ‘The Experiential Preacher’. The second part is the meatiest and largest section of the book. It shows us what ‘experiential preaching’ looks like. Here, Beeke acts as a Museum guide by slowly taking us through the lives and pulpits of Reformed Giants like Calvin, Goodwin, Bunyan, Edwards, and Lloyd-Jones. He aptly tells us about their preaching styles, habits and processes in such a way that readers feel like close acquaintances of these great men. The final part of the book steers to ‘preaching experientially today’. After carefully taking us through the lives of experiential preachers, Beeke methodologically deduces principles which can be effective in our world. In essence, he tells us what it means to be an experiential preacher today.
Possible Audiences?
While the assumed audience for this book is ministers who preach regularly, Beeke encourages and welcomes lay readers to use this book. He writes in such a way that both a lay and ordained audience can easily understand and benefit. In other words, readability is certainly a great strength of this book.
My View?
This book has challenged and encouraged me in many ways. It has made me confess many times that I am not a good experiential preacher and I have a long way to go. But it didn’t leave me in that discouraging and dark place, but like a good friend, it spurred me on to continue to pursue godliness and faithfulness in ministry. I am challenged to preach more earnestly, with gravity, zeal and passion that communicates God’s glory to his people, for their joy.
In my view, Reformed Preaching is a necessary and important book that every pastor should read carefully. Strongly recommended.
I thank Crossway Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2019
When it comes to Christian theology and the application of biblical truths, the Puritans are among my favorite to read and study. Aside from the Puritans themselves, the name that comes to mind when I think of them is Joel Beeke, a Puritan scholar of the highest order. Having been acquainted with the writings of the Puritans and the Reformers from his youth, he has read hundreds (perhaps thousands) of books filled with Puritan and reformed sermons.
When I saw that Beeke released Reformed Preaching, I knew I wanted to get my hands on it. I had already come across his lectures on reformed experiential preaching, and I wanted to get my hands on a copy of the book so I could dive into the topic even further. To say it immediately impacted my preaching is an understatement. I have begun to weave application throughout my sermons, with extra focus on helping believers live in light of the truths of Scripture.
Beeke’s premise—the opposite of the most preconceived notions of reformed preaching—is that preaching shouldn’t simply be a rehearsing of exegesis in front of a crowd of people. For preaching to follow in the footsteps of the Reformation, it needs inform the mind of a the believer, but it fails if it doesn't pierce the heart and reach into the life of the hearer. That begins with the preacher who has experienced God and His Word in such a way before he ever proclaims it to the church. Only then can he powerfully deliver God’s Word in a life-changing way.
It is important that preachers don’t unnecessarily separate the objective realities of scripture with the subjective experiences of God’s presence and the working of His Word in everyday life. As those who are called to build up the church and preach sound doctrine, we must never lose sight of the reality that in our teaching, we are also discipling people to love God and obey all that He has commanded them. This is far from dry, dead orthodoxy. It should lead to lively, obedient doxology.
Two excellent features of the books are the biographical sketches of reformed preachers and their impact on theology and preaching today. These small biographical sections highlight the emphases of these preachers, their impacts on reformed preaching, and their productivity as men of God. These are sure to inspire and spur preachers on to the glorious and weighty task of pulpit ministry. At the same time, rather than a sentimental fascination with the preachers of old, Beeke reminds us of the importance of carrying the biblical and theological emphases from the reformation preachers into the present.
Preachers and those aspiring to the proclamation of God’s word should purchase a copy of this book and study it thoroughly. Though a hefty volume indeed (512 pages), it is jam-packed with encouraging and inspiring teaching on reformed experiential preaching.
Make sure you get a copy (or maybe one for your pastor!) and devote some time to work through this excellent and much-needed volume by Dr. Beeke!
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review.
When I saw that Beeke released Reformed Preaching, I knew I wanted to get my hands on it. I had already come across his lectures on reformed experiential preaching, and I wanted to get my hands on a copy of the book so I could dive into the topic even further. To say it immediately impacted my preaching is an understatement. I have begun to weave application throughout my sermons, with extra focus on helping believers live in light of the truths of Scripture.
Beeke’s premise—the opposite of the most preconceived notions of reformed preaching—is that preaching shouldn’t simply be a rehearsing of exegesis in front of a crowd of people. For preaching to follow in the footsteps of the Reformation, it needs inform the mind of a the believer, but it fails if it doesn't pierce the heart and reach into the life of the hearer. That begins with the preacher who has experienced God and His Word in such a way before he ever proclaims it to the church. Only then can he powerfully deliver God’s Word in a life-changing way.
It is important that preachers don’t unnecessarily separate the objective realities of scripture with the subjective experiences of God’s presence and the working of His Word in everyday life. As those who are called to build up the church and preach sound doctrine, we must never lose sight of the reality that in our teaching, we are also discipling people to love God and obey all that He has commanded them. This is far from dry, dead orthodoxy. It should lead to lively, obedient doxology.
Two excellent features of the books are the biographical sketches of reformed preachers and their impact on theology and preaching today. These small biographical sections highlight the emphases of these preachers, their impacts on reformed preaching, and their productivity as men of God. These are sure to inspire and spur preachers on to the glorious and weighty task of pulpit ministry. At the same time, rather than a sentimental fascination with the preachers of old, Beeke reminds us of the importance of carrying the biblical and theological emphases from the reformation preachers into the present.
Preachers and those aspiring to the proclamation of God’s word should purchase a copy of this book and study it thoroughly. Though a hefty volume indeed (512 pages), it is jam-packed with encouraging and inspiring teaching on reformed experiential preaching.
Make sure you get a copy (or maybe one for your pastor!) and devote some time to work through this excellent and much-needed volume by Dr. Beeke!
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review.
February 1, 2019
Speaking of the pastoral task of preaching Theodore Beza says this, "The Lord does not want only that we believe, but he wants us to believe from the heart. . . . [N]ever will a man be recognized as a Christian before God, unless he believes inwardly and shows it clearly on the outside." I don't have the responsibility of providing a weekly sermon but I am sure that it is safe to assume that this is the goal of many pastors, that their parishioners believe from the depth of their innermost being. Such belief enters the mind then affects the heart and herein lies the challenge. To preach to the mind of believers in such a way as to impact the heart so that it shows clearly on the outside.
That is the sub-title of Joel Beeke's book, Reformed Preaching (RP): Proclaiming God's Word From The Heart Of The Preacher To The Heart Of His People. This is exactly what Beeke successfully conveys. He begins by explaining the pitfalls of opposite extremes. On the one hand, there is preaching that attempts to impart knowledge, nothing else. That kind of preaching results in a mind that is puffed up and not very suitable for the Christian life. Conversely, there is the emotionally driven form of preaching that lacks the substance to sustain an actively obedient Christian life. To this Beeke opts for a third approach which is to preach from the head to the heart. This approach seems to make sense because what truly stirs our heart is the information received by the mind.
Part two of RP is a fascinating read. Here Beeke presents preaching as its been done by some of the most notable preachers in Church history. It is fascinating to read about historical preachers like Zwlingli, Calvin, Beza, Bunyan, Edwards, and Lloyd-Jones. It stands to reason that a book on Reformed preaching would look to the bright lights of the past as models for preaching today. Here Beeke discusses topics such as preaching styles, habits, and processes. As the reader, you gain an intimate understanding of these historic figures and how the preached experientially.
In the final section of RP Beeke discusses the principles of part 2 and applies them to contemporary preaching principles that can be used in our world. This is where Beeke discusses what it means to be an experiential preacher today. Overall RP is a very good and accessible read. Even if one is not interested in the subject the historical readings are fantastic. It is quite interesting to read how these faithful preachers handled the text and why they did things the way that the did. While RP is a good book for preachers I think its interesting for the laity as well. My personal rating is 5 out of 5 stars.
Disclosure of Material Connection: 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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
That is the sub-title of Joel Beeke's book, Reformed Preaching (RP): Proclaiming God's Word From The Heart Of The Preacher To The Heart Of His People. This is exactly what Beeke successfully conveys. He begins by explaining the pitfalls of opposite extremes. On the one hand, there is preaching that attempts to impart knowledge, nothing else. That kind of preaching results in a mind that is puffed up and not very suitable for the Christian life. Conversely, there is the emotionally driven form of preaching that lacks the substance to sustain an actively obedient Christian life. To this Beeke opts for a third approach which is to preach from the head to the heart. This approach seems to make sense because what truly stirs our heart is the information received by the mind.
Part two of RP is a fascinating read. Here Beeke presents preaching as its been done by some of the most notable preachers in Church history. It is fascinating to read about historical preachers like Zwlingli, Calvin, Beza, Bunyan, Edwards, and Lloyd-Jones. It stands to reason that a book on Reformed preaching would look to the bright lights of the past as models for preaching today. Here Beeke discusses topics such as preaching styles, habits, and processes. As the reader, you gain an intimate understanding of these historic figures and how the preached experientially.
In the final section of RP Beeke discusses the principles of part 2 and applies them to contemporary preaching principles that can be used in our world. This is where Beeke discusses what it means to be an experiential preacher today. Overall RP is a very good and accessible read. Even if one is not interested in the subject the historical readings are fantastic. It is quite interesting to read how these faithful preachers handled the text and why they did things the way that the did. While RP is a good book for preachers I think its interesting for the laity as well. My personal rating is 5 out of 5 stars.
Disclosure of Material Connection: 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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
June 11, 2024
What would the Reformers say about how we proclaim God’s word today? In Reformed Preaching, Joel Beeke writes on the art of proclaiming God’s word from the heart of the preacher to the heart of his people.
Reformed Experiential Preaching
Part One delineates reformed experiential preaching. It is preaching that applies the truth of God to the hearts of people to show how things ought to go, do go, and ultimately will go in the Christian’s experience with respect to God and his neighbors. The reformed experiential preacher receives God’s word into his heart, and then preaches it to the minds, hearts, and lives of his people. When examining the traits of the experiential preacher, I was challenged for more authenticity in my preaching about knowing God himself and not just talking about him, as well as exemplifying growth in my personal experience of my sin and Christ’s grace.
Lives and Examples
Part Two examines, the lives and examples of great reformed preachers through the centuries. When moving to the Puritan preachers, Beeke highlights their primacy of preaching, their program for preaching, their passion for preaching, their power in preaching, and their plainness in preaching. He also emphasizes the overwhelming personal quality in the life of the Puritan preacher. Ending with Lloyd-Jones, I was inspired to preach with the unction of the Holy Spirit. It is preaching through the enabling of the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, and having his presence through his word rest heavily on the hearts of the hearers.
Preaching Experientially Today
Part Three concludes the book with what it means to preach experientially today. I was most impacted by Beeke’s exhortation to embrace diversity and application. Preachers need to be aware of always addressing the same cases in the congregation or the same spiritual problems. Beeke goes on to explain that application starts in the heart of the preacher. He calls us to walk closely with God, study books and people, pray for dependence on the Spirit, speak from our hearts, and cultivate pure motivation.
Proclaiming Christ Across the Centuries
After reading this book, I am better prepared to proclaim God’s word with authenticity, conviction, and enduring relevance. I am better equipped to bridge divine truths with the lived experiences of believers. Reformed Preaching offers profound riches that proclaim Christ across the centuries and continue in our churches and congregations today.
I received a media copy of Reformed Preaching and this is my honest review.
Reformed Experiential Preaching
Part One delineates reformed experiential preaching. It is preaching that applies the truth of God to the hearts of people to show how things ought to go, do go, and ultimately will go in the Christian’s experience with respect to God and his neighbors. The reformed experiential preacher receives God’s word into his heart, and then preaches it to the minds, hearts, and lives of his people. When examining the traits of the experiential preacher, I was challenged for more authenticity in my preaching about knowing God himself and not just talking about him, as well as exemplifying growth in my personal experience of my sin and Christ’s grace.
Lives and Examples
Part Two examines, the lives and examples of great reformed preachers through the centuries. When moving to the Puritan preachers, Beeke highlights their primacy of preaching, their program for preaching, their passion for preaching, their power in preaching, and their plainness in preaching. He also emphasizes the overwhelming personal quality in the life of the Puritan preacher. Ending with Lloyd-Jones, I was inspired to preach with the unction of the Holy Spirit. It is preaching through the enabling of the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, and having his presence through his word rest heavily on the hearts of the hearers.
Preaching Experientially Today
Part Three concludes the book with what it means to preach experientially today. I was most impacted by Beeke’s exhortation to embrace diversity and application. Preachers need to be aware of always addressing the same cases in the congregation or the same spiritual problems. Beeke goes on to explain that application starts in the heart of the preacher. He calls us to walk closely with God, study books and people, pray for dependence on the Spirit, speak from our hearts, and cultivate pure motivation.
Proclaiming Christ Across the Centuries
After reading this book, I am better prepared to proclaim God’s word with authenticity, conviction, and enduring relevance. I am better equipped to bridge divine truths with the lived experiences of believers. Reformed Preaching offers profound riches that proclaim Christ across the centuries and continue in our churches and congregations today.
I received a media copy of Reformed Preaching and this is my honest review.
November 2, 2018
This is a valuable resource for all preachers to have, and to read. In it Beeke outlines what is called "Reformed experimental preaching." This is preaching that
-tests genuine Christian experience by the standard of biblical truth--idealistically, realistically, and optimistically;
-draws lines distinguishing believers and unbelievers;
-makes frequent and wise application of truth to life;
-balances biblical, doctrinal, experiential, and practical elements;
-cultivates a life of communion with our God and Savior;
-builds experience upon the foundation of Holy Scripture, God's Word;
-goes beyond contemporary superficiality into the deep wisdom of old paths;
-offers food to satisfy the new spiritual sense of the believer's soul;
-touches the heart with the bitterness of sin and the sweetness of grace. (41)
After describing these details, Beeke illustrates them from great preachers of the past. This is the lion's share of the book. It is NOT just a bunch of quoted sermons. In fact, very little of that. It is brief biographical sketches followed by major emphases in these men's ministries: Zwingli, Calvin, Beza, Perkins, Sibbes, Goodwin, Bunyan, Edwards, Ryle, Lloyd-Jones, and many many more. Pride of place for me goes to the most overlooked of the Reformers, Heinrich Bullinger, whose influence at the time equaled Calvin's. This section can be read straight through, but sampling it will also prove fruitful.
The final third of the book is perhaps the most helpful, the most "practical." Here Beeke applies all that he has shown throughout his book to modern preaching. This is most definitely NOT a how-to; he leaves that for Chapell and others. But it is a great resource for preaching that exalts Christ and applies the gospel truths of the text to listeners' hearts. I've heard preachers excellent at the first; I've heard preachers excellent at the second. I've heard only a very select few who excel at both. I've never heard Beeke's preaching, but his book at least shows the way.
-tests genuine Christian experience by the standard of biblical truth--idealistically, realistically, and optimistically;
-draws lines distinguishing believers and unbelievers;
-makes frequent and wise application of truth to life;
-balances biblical, doctrinal, experiential, and practical elements;
-cultivates a life of communion with our God and Savior;
-builds experience upon the foundation of Holy Scripture, God's Word;
-goes beyond contemporary superficiality into the deep wisdom of old paths;
-offers food to satisfy the new spiritual sense of the believer's soul;
-touches the heart with the bitterness of sin and the sweetness of grace. (41)
After describing these details, Beeke illustrates them from great preachers of the past. This is the lion's share of the book. It is NOT just a bunch of quoted sermons. In fact, very little of that. It is brief biographical sketches followed by major emphases in these men's ministries: Zwingli, Calvin, Beza, Perkins, Sibbes, Goodwin, Bunyan, Edwards, Ryle, Lloyd-Jones, and many many more. Pride of place for me goes to the most overlooked of the Reformers, Heinrich Bullinger, whose influence at the time equaled Calvin's. This section can be read straight through, but sampling it will also prove fruitful.
The final third of the book is perhaps the most helpful, the most "practical." Here Beeke applies all that he has shown throughout his book to modern preaching. This is most definitely NOT a how-to; he leaves that for Chapell and others. But it is a great resource for preaching that exalts Christ and applies the gospel truths of the text to listeners' hearts. I've heard preachers excellent at the first; I've heard preachers excellent at the second. I've heard only a very select few who excel at both. I've never heard Beeke's preaching, but his book at least shows the way.
January 9, 2019
Joel Beeke has come out with a call for reformed preaching. Reformed Preaching discusses what Joel calls Experiential Preaching. This is not to be confused with experimental.
The book begins with an examination of what experiential preaching is and challenges preachers to look at their methods of preaching to see if they are preaching to the heart and soul of those who hear the message. Beeke then proceeds to explain the elements of reformed preaching.
*
Reformed Truth
*
Christ
*
The Sovereignty of God
*
Reformed Spirituality
*
Holiness of the Preacher
*
Holiness of the People
After examining the areas of reformed preaching, Beeke turns to the center of that preaching, the preacher himself. What does a reformed preacher look like? What does he sound like? How does he live? He examines specific categories or elements of a reformed preacher.
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A Passionate Preacher
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A Prayerful Preacher
*
An Authentic Preacher
*
A Growing Preacher
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A Large Life With God
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A Varied Life With God
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An Original Life With God
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A Decreasing Preacher
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A Prioritized Preacher
The second part of the book is dedicated to illustrations of reformed experiential preaching. Beeke examines the reformers including Calvin and Zwingli. He then looks to the Puritan preachers and finally the Dutch reformers.
The third and final part of the book examines how we can preach experientially today. He urges the need for preaching with balance as well as preaching the Gospel and the truth about God and man. Finally, he concludes with preaching for holiness.
Any pastor or preacher, and even teachers, will benefit from this book. You will learn methods that are time-tested and principles that will enrich you spiritually.
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
The book begins with an examination of what experiential preaching is and challenges preachers to look at their methods of preaching to see if they are preaching to the heart and soul of those who hear the message. Beeke then proceeds to explain the elements of reformed preaching.
*
Reformed Truth
*
Christ
*
The Sovereignty of God
*
Reformed Spirituality
*
Holiness of the Preacher
*
Holiness of the People
After examining the areas of reformed preaching, Beeke turns to the center of that preaching, the preacher himself. What does a reformed preacher look like? What does he sound like? How does he live? He examines specific categories or elements of a reformed preacher.
*
A Passionate Preacher
*
A Prayerful Preacher
*
An Authentic Preacher
*
A Growing Preacher
*
A Large Life With God
*
A Varied Life With God
*
An Original Life With God
*
A Decreasing Preacher
*
A Prioritized Preacher
The second part of the book is dedicated to illustrations of reformed experiential preaching. Beeke examines the reformers including Calvin and Zwingli. He then looks to the Puritan preachers and finally the Dutch reformers.
The third and final part of the book examines how we can preach experientially today. He urges the need for preaching with balance as well as preaching the Gospel and the truth about God and man. Finally, he concludes with preaching for holiness.
Any pastor or preacher, and even teachers, will benefit from this book. You will learn methods that are time-tested and principles that will enrich you spiritually.
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
November 9, 2024
I read this book to help me become a better preacher so that I might serve our church better and I believe God is using this book to do just that. Beeke’s goal is to help pastors preach reformed doctrine experientially.
Beeke writes, “Reformed experiential preaching uses the truth of Scripture to shine the glory of God into the depths of the soul to call people to live solely and wholly for God. It breaks us and remakes us. It is both exhilarat-ing and humbling. Such preaching brings us face to face with the most glorious and delightful Being in the universe, and also face to face with our own profound wickedness. By such preaching, the holy God binds himself to sinful men heart to heart with a word of blood-bought grace.”
His book is 3 parts:
1. Reformed Experiential Preaching Defined and Described
2. Reformed Experiential Preaching Illustrated
3. Preaching Experientially Today
Part two consists of brief biographies of reformed preachers and how their preaching was not just aimed at the mind but at the heart and saturated with application in order to produce worship. My only criticism is that Spurgeon is not included in the 19th century preachers. I’m assuming it may be because of Spurgeon’s different method of preaching but I would have really loved to see Beeke analyze Spurgeon’s preaching in this particular way.
Last, this book didn’t just help me understand preaching better, it also regularly addresses the personal holiness and character of the preacher and I believe this book will help make me more Christ-like as well. It gave me so many things to think about in regards to prayer, personal holiness, communion with Christ, etc. I will revisit this book often and it might be my favorite read of 2024.
Beeke writes, “Reformed experiential preaching uses the truth of Scripture to shine the glory of God into the depths of the soul to call people to live solely and wholly for God. It breaks us and remakes us. It is both exhilarat-ing and humbling. Such preaching brings us face to face with the most glorious and delightful Being in the universe, and also face to face with our own profound wickedness. By such preaching, the holy God binds himself to sinful men heart to heart with a word of blood-bought grace.”
His book is 3 parts:
1. Reformed Experiential Preaching Defined and Described
2. Reformed Experiential Preaching Illustrated
3. Preaching Experientially Today
Part two consists of brief biographies of reformed preachers and how their preaching was not just aimed at the mind but at the heart and saturated with application in order to produce worship. My only criticism is that Spurgeon is not included in the 19th century preachers. I’m assuming it may be because of Spurgeon’s different method of preaching but I would have really loved to see Beeke analyze Spurgeon’s preaching in this particular way.
Last, this book didn’t just help me understand preaching better, it also regularly addresses the personal holiness and character of the preacher and I believe this book will help make me more Christ-like as well. It gave me so many things to think about in regards to prayer, personal holiness, communion with Christ, etc. I will revisit this book often and it might be my favorite read of 2024.
January 31, 2019
A solid book on "Reformed experiential preaching" full of great quotations, clear and biblical thinking, confessional commitment, historical awareness, and pastoral sensitivity.
To be clear, this is not an instructional manual for sermon preparation. It is basically one long, multifarious essay pressing the point that "the objective always aims at the subjective" (353)--that the preacher proclaims the truth of the gospel in order to transform the affections and move the will. "To preach is to woo," said Richard Sibbes (183).
The unusual chapters are those in the middle--those on particular preachers, ranging from the first Reformers in the 16th-century to Wisse and Lloyd-Jones in the 20th-century. Most of these chapters tracked a preacher's exposition of a particular text, noting strengths and weaknesses in general and also noting experiential elements in the sermon. Several of these chapters introduced me to pastors I knew only by name before; all of the chapters in this section do well to introduce us to many famous pastors as pastors rather than as professional theologians (as though such a category existed before very recently). The parts on the Dutch Further Reformation were especially informative.
To be clear, this is not an instructional manual for sermon preparation. It is basically one long, multifarious essay pressing the point that "the objective always aims at the subjective" (353)--that the preacher proclaims the truth of the gospel in order to transform the affections and move the will. "To preach is to woo," said Richard Sibbes (183).
The unusual chapters are those in the middle--those on particular preachers, ranging from the first Reformers in the 16th-century to Wisse and Lloyd-Jones in the 20th-century. Most of these chapters tracked a preacher's exposition of a particular text, noting strengths and weaknesses in general and also noting experiential elements in the sermon. Several of these chapters introduced me to pastors I knew only by name before; all of the chapters in this section do well to introduce us to many famous pastors as pastors rather than as professional theologians (as though such a category existed before very recently). The parts on the Dutch Further Reformation were especially informative.
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