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The Four Pages of the Sermon, Revised and Updated: A Guide to Biblical Preaching
Doing justice to the complexity of the preaching task and the questions that underlie it, author Paul Scott Wilson organizes both the preparation and the content of the sermon around its "four pages." Each "page" addresses a different theological and creative component of what happens in any sermon. Page One presents the trouble or conflict that takes place in or that underscores the biblical text itself. Page Two looks at similar conflict--sin or brokenness--in our own time. Page Three returns to the Bible to identify where God is at work in or behind the text--in other words, to discover the good news. Page Four points to God at work in our world, particularly in relation to the situations described in Page Two. This approach is about preaching the gospel in nearly any sermonic form. Wilson teaches the ‘what’, ‘why’, and ‘how’ of sermon construction, all rooted in a theology of the Word.
This completely revised edition guides readers through the sermon process step by step, with the aim of composing sermons that challenge and provide hope, by focusing on God more closely than on humans. It has been largely rewritten to include an assessment of where preaching is today in light of propositional preaching, the New Homiletic, African American preaching, the effect of the internet, and use of technology. A chapter on exegesis has been added, plus new focus on the importance of preaching to a felt need, the need for proclamation in addition to teaching, and developing tools to ensure sermon excellence. New sermon examples have been added along with a section that responds to critics and looks to the future.
This completely revised edition guides readers through the sermon process step by step, with the aim of composing sermons that challenge and provide hope, by focusing on God more closely than on humans. It has been largely rewritten to include an assessment of where preaching is today in light of propositional preaching, the New Homiletic, African American preaching, the effect of the internet, and use of technology. A chapter on exegesis has been added, plus new focus on the importance of preaching to a felt need, the need for proclamation in addition to teaching, and developing tools to ensure sermon excellence. New sermon examples have been added along with a section that responds to critics and looks to the future.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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December 18, 2015
This review of Paul Wilson's “The Four Pages of the Sermon” (1999) is presented in three parts. Part One gives an outline of the book's seven sections. Part Two is a critical evaluation of the author's opinions given from my own perspective. Part Three is a reflection of what I've learned from the book.
Part One - An Outline of Wilson's book
In chapter one “Movies, Pages, and God,” Wilson begins by asserting that effective sermons must go beyond preaching a narrative style and ensure attention to theology and God's actions. Furthermore, he insists sermons need to have sensory appeal. He recounts the many sermons that have left him on the verge of boredom because, “their language had little sensory appeal; there was little to see or taste or touch.”
One caution that Wilson highlights is the danger of distortion when moving from the biblical passage to the final sermon presentation, just as in the process of converting a novel to the medium of film. Therefore sermon preparation requires both visual conception and essay writing skills, with the end result aiming to ensure the effectiveness of the spoken word. Wilson utilises the analogies of movies (creative imagination) and pages (theology to shape sermon) since, “... even movies have scripts, and scripts have pages.” A third image analogy is that of a webpage which utilises both written and visual content.
From this conceptual basis Wilson then introduces the practical metaphor of 'Four pages'. Each of these metaphorical pages aims to focus the preacher on four key aspects of the necessary theological preparation by observing, contemplating and discovering sin and grace in the text and our world. Page One looks at the problem in the text, that is, the trouble and conflict in the Bible. Page Two considers the associated problem in the world, that is, similar sin or human brokenness in our time. Page Three is devoted to grace in the text, that is, identifying what God is doing in or behind the biblical text. Page Four perceives where we see grace in the world, that is, how God is graciously at work in our world. The desired goal of using such a homiletic method is, “to sharpen presentation of the biblical and theological material in our sermons.” Wilson rounds off this introductory chapter by listing sociological and theological reasons for why change in preaching is essential.
Section I – Getting Started: Monday
In chapter two “Ensuring Sermon Unity” Wilson suggests six observations that should be made before composing a sermon in order to ensure sermon unity. These observations have been placed in the form of an acronym for convenient remembrance: The Tiny Dog Now Is Mine.
T – One Text
T – One Theme
D – One Doctrine
N – One Need
I – One Image
M – One Mission
In chapter three “Introducing the Sermon” Wilson encourages starting the sermon with:
1.a story that is the flip-side of the theme
2.a not-too-serious experience of the general theme
3.biblical text
4.a social justice issue
5.a news or cultural item, or
6.a fictional account.
Section II – Page One: Tuesday
In chapter four “Trouble in the Bible” Wilson insists that trouble and grace remind us that the Christian message is hope. This sets the scene and focus on the people and their actions, using sensory words. In chapter five “Filming Trouble in the Bible” doctrine and image are prominent concepts.
Section III – Page Two: Wednesday
In chapter six “Trouble in the World” the point is made that trouble is a reality that we all live with and it needs to be addressed. Trouble is transcendent, immanent and personal to us all. Therefore chapter seven “Filming Trouble in the World” is an assertion to turn everyday issues into theological ones. Pointing out the trouble in the world should be done in an empathetic and inclusive way rather than condemning and exclusive.
Section IV – Page Three: Thursday
Chapters eight “God's Action in the Bible” and nine “Filming Grace in the Bible” are about developing doctrine and making direct links to Christ where possible. It's about finding grace even in the tough texts by asking, “What is God doing in or behind the text?”
Section V – Page Four: Friday
Chapters ten “God's Action in the World” and eleven “Filming Grace in the World” complete the quadrant. The four functions of page four are to apply the grace of God that is seen in the biblical text to our own situations, encountering the redemptive work of Christ, contrasting the trouble we see in our world and allowing grace to be seen in light of existing trouble.
Section VI – Varieties of Sermons
Chapters twelve “Imagining a Complete Sermon” and thirteen “Reshuffling and Varying the Four Pages” round off the sermon preparation methodology proposed by Wilson by reminding readers of the bigger picture.
Part Two - A Critical Evaluation
Wilson commences by naming the metaphorical elephant in the room, there have been far too many boring sermons preached. As the beloved fictional character Huckleberry Finn observed, “[The preacher] never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too.”
Wilson makes an astute point about the analogy of movies as validating creative imagination and the use of pages as a way of ensuring theology shapes the sermon. His comment on page 11, “Even movies have scripts, and scripts have pages,” echoes a quote by Humphrey Bogart's character in the 1954 film The Barefoot Contessa, “A script has to make sense, and life doesn't.” In other words, in order to bring grace and truth to an otherwise chaotic and turbulent life a preacher needs to be able to script a sermon that is coherent and accessible to the hearers.
I personally agree with Wilson's use of the image of a movie director as representative of the preacher's role in crafting and presenting sermons. “Movies are a symbol of our audiovisual culture, and I am finding movie making to be better than telling stories as an analogy for preaching.” Wilson goes on to state that, “... if we imagine that we are directing a film we allow ourselves to think and compose sermons in a visual manner – which is how most of us think in any case,” and “... we will create entire worlds that address the senses, the mind, and the heart.”
When evaluating Wilson's model of 'Four Pages' as sermon preparation methodology it is obvious that he takes seriously the role of engaging with the biblical text. This should be the preacher's primary source for telegraphing the desired goal of the sermon. Anglican minister, John Pritchard, concurs, “In all of this the Bible is our touchstone, our authority and our basic raw material.” In light of the film director analogy an appropriate suggestion from actor Michael J. Fox is, “Read the book before you see the movie.”
In some ways, however, the 'Four Pages' model is cumbersome. It requires a four step process that may or may not suit the text being studied. Whether or not a preacher uses four or five literal days to prepare sermons the model still requires a significant amount of time. Having said that it may not be everyone's preferred blueprint for sermon preparation but it does at least provide an efficient and robust criteria for sermon success, one which I intend to use if merely as a mental self-check of my own sermon preparation.
Still, adhering to the 'Four Pages' does not guarantee a sound hermeneutic. The history of biblical interpretation is broad and diverse. The González's suggest hermeneutical pointers that create sermons that truly liberate the audience with the Gospel of grace: read the political situation, include the wider context, consider the politics of the text, reassign the cast of characters, imagine a different setting, consider the direction of the action, and avoid avoidance of the texts we struggle with. Similarly, Walter Brueggemann insists on overcoming subconscious eisegesis by lingering on the text and noticing the unnoticed. In this way he likens a good exegete to a good therapist.
From my perspective one of Wilson's opinions that stands out is the value and necessity of a dominant image. He says, “One single image can add unity to a sermon and can make it more memorable,” and he defines an image as a word picture which differentiates from an abstract idea in that, “an image presents a specific picture created to the mind's eye.” He is absolutely correct in stating that, “Much of human thinking is in mental pictures, and most people remember best what they can visualise.”
An image can be drawn from the biblical text or from our world. The Scriptures are filled with numerous images utilised by the original writers from their worlds. When an image is repeated and reinforced in the text and in the sermon's illustration the listeners then see it over and over. It stands out in their minds. Therefore for an image to be the right one it must naturally emerge and be 'seen' by the audience in the sermon introduction, on one or two other occasions, and in the conclusion. In doing so it adds conceptual and theological unity. It needs to emphasise the theme statement and thus become a visual and memory aid for discerning what God is doing and requires of us. Since the younger generation communicate by visual imagery rather than spoken word the biblical worldview should be presented in a renewed and fresh way as the story of God.
As mentioned in Wilson's book, Barbara Brown Taylor uses images in her sermons. One example is her suggestion that the author of Luke/Acts as a physician adds meaning to his role as a writer using words as “Gospel Medicine” to those who read and hear his transcripts. Taylor gives significant attention to the power of image to provoke imagination and subsequent revelation. In her book, The Preaching Life, she states that imagination is the human ability to form a mental image of something not present to the senses, “The theological word for this experience is revelation, but the process, I believe, is imagination.” John Pritchard adds to this saying, “[Words] need to be visual, using images that stay in the memory because our minds are more like art galleries than libraries. They need to tell stories because stories are the common language of every culture.”
Despite the 'Four Pages' being cumbersome Wilson uses excellent analogies of film directing and image creation.
Part Three - Reflecting on what I've learned from the book
As inferred earlier, I have been impacted by the importance of 'image'. Certainly this appears to be how our Lord Jesus Christ communicated by his instructions to, “Consider the lilies of the field,” (Matt 6:25-34; Luke 12:22-32) and “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees,” (Luke 21:29). He constantly made reference to images that his audience were aware of: seeds, weeds, coins, sheep, nets, pearls, birds, people and their relationships (e.g. Luke 15). “The kingdom of heaven is like …” (Matt 13:44) is a repeated phrase in the synoptic Gospels. “Over and over again, the human imagination turns out to be the place where vision is formed and reformed, where human beings encounter an inner reality with power to transform the other realities of their lives.”
I've learned much from this book. Preaching sermons is a privilege and a responsibility to shape the lives of our audience. We are exhorted to “preach the word” (κήρυξον τὸν λόγον; kēryxon ton logon; 2 Timothy 4:2. See also, 1Tim 2:7; 4:13).
Reflecting of what I have read I'm reminded of a quote by E.M. Bounds, “Preaching is not the performance of an hour. It is the outflow of a life.” It is for this reason preachers must apply themselves very carefully.
- - - -
Part One - An Outline of Wilson's book
In chapter one “Movies, Pages, and God,” Wilson begins by asserting that effective sermons must go beyond preaching a narrative style and ensure attention to theology and God's actions. Furthermore, he insists sermons need to have sensory appeal. He recounts the many sermons that have left him on the verge of boredom because, “their language had little sensory appeal; there was little to see or taste or touch.”
One caution that Wilson highlights is the danger of distortion when moving from the biblical passage to the final sermon presentation, just as in the process of converting a novel to the medium of film. Therefore sermon preparation requires both visual conception and essay writing skills, with the end result aiming to ensure the effectiveness of the spoken word. Wilson utilises the analogies of movies (creative imagination) and pages (theology to shape sermon) since, “... even movies have scripts, and scripts have pages.” A third image analogy is that of a webpage which utilises both written and visual content.
From this conceptual basis Wilson then introduces the practical metaphor of 'Four pages'. Each of these metaphorical pages aims to focus the preacher on four key aspects of the necessary theological preparation by observing, contemplating and discovering sin and grace in the text and our world. Page One looks at the problem in the text, that is, the trouble and conflict in the Bible. Page Two considers the associated problem in the world, that is, similar sin or human brokenness in our time. Page Three is devoted to grace in the text, that is, identifying what God is doing in or behind the biblical text. Page Four perceives where we see grace in the world, that is, how God is graciously at work in our world. The desired goal of using such a homiletic method is, “to sharpen presentation of the biblical and theological material in our sermons.” Wilson rounds off this introductory chapter by listing sociological and theological reasons for why change in preaching is essential.
Section I – Getting Started: Monday
In chapter two “Ensuring Sermon Unity” Wilson suggests six observations that should be made before composing a sermon in order to ensure sermon unity. These observations have been placed in the form of an acronym for convenient remembrance: The Tiny Dog Now Is Mine.
T – One Text
T – One Theme
D – One Doctrine
N – One Need
I – One Image
M – One Mission
In chapter three “Introducing the Sermon” Wilson encourages starting the sermon with:
1.a story that is the flip-side of the theme
2.a not-too-serious experience of the general theme
3.biblical text
4.a social justice issue
5.a news or cultural item, or
6.a fictional account.
Section II – Page One: Tuesday
In chapter four “Trouble in the Bible” Wilson insists that trouble and grace remind us that the Christian message is hope. This sets the scene and focus on the people and their actions, using sensory words. In chapter five “Filming Trouble in the Bible” doctrine and image are prominent concepts.
Section III – Page Two: Wednesday
In chapter six “Trouble in the World” the point is made that trouble is a reality that we all live with and it needs to be addressed. Trouble is transcendent, immanent and personal to us all. Therefore chapter seven “Filming Trouble in the World” is an assertion to turn everyday issues into theological ones. Pointing out the trouble in the world should be done in an empathetic and inclusive way rather than condemning and exclusive.
Section IV – Page Three: Thursday
Chapters eight “God's Action in the Bible” and nine “Filming Grace in the Bible” are about developing doctrine and making direct links to Christ where possible. It's about finding grace even in the tough texts by asking, “What is God doing in or behind the text?”
Section V – Page Four: Friday
Chapters ten “God's Action in the World” and eleven “Filming Grace in the World” complete the quadrant. The four functions of page four are to apply the grace of God that is seen in the biblical text to our own situations, encountering the redemptive work of Christ, contrasting the trouble we see in our world and allowing grace to be seen in light of existing trouble.
Section VI – Varieties of Sermons
Chapters twelve “Imagining a Complete Sermon” and thirteen “Reshuffling and Varying the Four Pages” round off the sermon preparation methodology proposed by Wilson by reminding readers of the bigger picture.
Part Two - A Critical Evaluation
Wilson commences by naming the metaphorical elephant in the room, there have been far too many boring sermons preached. As the beloved fictional character Huckleberry Finn observed, “[The preacher] never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too.”
Wilson makes an astute point about the analogy of movies as validating creative imagination and the use of pages as a way of ensuring theology shapes the sermon. His comment on page 11, “Even movies have scripts, and scripts have pages,” echoes a quote by Humphrey Bogart's character in the 1954 film The Barefoot Contessa, “A script has to make sense, and life doesn't.” In other words, in order to bring grace and truth to an otherwise chaotic and turbulent life a preacher needs to be able to script a sermon that is coherent and accessible to the hearers.
I personally agree with Wilson's use of the image of a movie director as representative of the preacher's role in crafting and presenting sermons. “Movies are a symbol of our audiovisual culture, and I am finding movie making to be better than telling stories as an analogy for preaching.” Wilson goes on to state that, “... if we imagine that we are directing a film we allow ourselves to think and compose sermons in a visual manner – which is how most of us think in any case,” and “... we will create entire worlds that address the senses, the mind, and the heart.”
When evaluating Wilson's model of 'Four Pages' as sermon preparation methodology it is obvious that he takes seriously the role of engaging with the biblical text. This should be the preacher's primary source for telegraphing the desired goal of the sermon. Anglican minister, John Pritchard, concurs, “In all of this the Bible is our touchstone, our authority and our basic raw material.” In light of the film director analogy an appropriate suggestion from actor Michael J. Fox is, “Read the book before you see the movie.”
In some ways, however, the 'Four Pages' model is cumbersome. It requires a four step process that may or may not suit the text being studied. Whether or not a preacher uses four or five literal days to prepare sermons the model still requires a significant amount of time. Having said that it may not be everyone's preferred blueprint for sermon preparation but it does at least provide an efficient and robust criteria for sermon success, one which I intend to use if merely as a mental self-check of my own sermon preparation.
Still, adhering to the 'Four Pages' does not guarantee a sound hermeneutic. The history of biblical interpretation is broad and diverse. The González's suggest hermeneutical pointers that create sermons that truly liberate the audience with the Gospel of grace: read the political situation, include the wider context, consider the politics of the text, reassign the cast of characters, imagine a different setting, consider the direction of the action, and avoid avoidance of the texts we struggle with. Similarly, Walter Brueggemann insists on overcoming subconscious eisegesis by lingering on the text and noticing the unnoticed. In this way he likens a good exegete to a good therapist.
From my perspective one of Wilson's opinions that stands out is the value and necessity of a dominant image. He says, “One single image can add unity to a sermon and can make it more memorable,” and he defines an image as a word picture which differentiates from an abstract idea in that, “an image presents a specific picture created to the mind's eye.” He is absolutely correct in stating that, “Much of human thinking is in mental pictures, and most people remember best what they can visualise.”
An image can be drawn from the biblical text or from our world. The Scriptures are filled with numerous images utilised by the original writers from their worlds. When an image is repeated and reinforced in the text and in the sermon's illustration the listeners then see it over and over. It stands out in their minds. Therefore for an image to be the right one it must naturally emerge and be 'seen' by the audience in the sermon introduction, on one or two other occasions, and in the conclusion. In doing so it adds conceptual and theological unity. It needs to emphasise the theme statement and thus become a visual and memory aid for discerning what God is doing and requires of us. Since the younger generation communicate by visual imagery rather than spoken word the biblical worldview should be presented in a renewed and fresh way as the story of God.
As mentioned in Wilson's book, Barbara Brown Taylor uses images in her sermons. One example is her suggestion that the author of Luke/Acts as a physician adds meaning to his role as a writer using words as “Gospel Medicine” to those who read and hear his transcripts. Taylor gives significant attention to the power of image to provoke imagination and subsequent revelation. In her book, The Preaching Life, she states that imagination is the human ability to form a mental image of something not present to the senses, “The theological word for this experience is revelation, but the process, I believe, is imagination.” John Pritchard adds to this saying, “[Words] need to be visual, using images that stay in the memory because our minds are more like art galleries than libraries. They need to tell stories because stories are the common language of every culture.”
Despite the 'Four Pages' being cumbersome Wilson uses excellent analogies of film directing and image creation.
Part Three - Reflecting on what I've learned from the book
As inferred earlier, I have been impacted by the importance of 'image'. Certainly this appears to be how our Lord Jesus Christ communicated by his instructions to, “Consider the lilies of the field,” (Matt 6:25-34; Luke 12:22-32) and “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees,” (Luke 21:29). He constantly made reference to images that his audience were aware of: seeds, weeds, coins, sheep, nets, pearls, birds, people and their relationships (e.g. Luke 15). “The kingdom of heaven is like …” (Matt 13:44) is a repeated phrase in the synoptic Gospels. “Over and over again, the human imagination turns out to be the place where vision is formed and reformed, where human beings encounter an inner reality with power to transform the other realities of their lives.”
I've learned much from this book. Preaching sermons is a privilege and a responsibility to shape the lives of our audience. We are exhorted to “preach the word” (κήρυξον τὸν λόγον; kēryxon ton logon; 2 Timothy 4:2. See also, 1Tim 2:7; 4:13).
Reflecting of what I have read I'm reminded of a quote by E.M. Bounds, “Preaching is not the performance of an hour. It is the outflow of a life.” It is for this reason preachers must apply themselves very carefully.
- - - -
July 18, 2019
Incredible sermon writing method, presented in an accessible and easy to
adapt way. I read this for a class and am adapting it for my own sermon prep. I own this version and the previous. I updated because this version has substantial improvements.
adapt way. I read this for a class and am adapting it for my own sermon prep. I own this version and the previous. I updated because this version has substantial improvements.
September 2, 2019
This book enraptured me in seminary 15 years ago, challenging everything that I knew about preaching. This new edition, almost entirely reworked, has equally -- if not more -- enraptured me. Wilson remains one of homiletics' modern masters, as this will remain his magnum opus for years to come.
March 27, 2019
This is EXCELLENT. One of the best books I've read on preaching. Highly recommend.
October 10, 2019
Excellent and practical emphasis on how to preach grace.
October 16, 2021
Presents a clear structure that allows for good preaching
January 20, 2021
Paul Scott Wilson’s book, The Four Pages of the Sermon, illustrates the 4 movements of a sermon and combines the how, why, and what of sermon construction. Using the five days of the week, Wilson parses out what is expected, what to avoid, and how to outline your sermon so that each point is covered, and the sermon compliments the 4-page method. The 4 pages are "Page One is trouble in the biblical text; Page Two is trouble in our world; Page Three is grace in the biblical text; and Page Four is grace in our world." Page One focuses on the trouble identified in the Bible, by playing with the text it opens up new paths of discovery and focuses the preacher on drawing out the friction that is taking place. Page Two focuses on the trouble in our world. Wilson wants the preacher to hold the tension of the sinful nature of the world with the grace that is only given by God. Wilson defines the trouble as whatever leads to death or puts the burden on humans to do something. Wilson does not want to leave grace out of the picture as Page Three and Four handle the movement of grace. Page Three is grace in the Bible, God's unconditional love is put on full display. and the primary goal is not to speak about God abstractly but is rather to render God’s actions in a way that is as visual as possible through the events and ideas that the text itself represents. As Page Four is grace in our world, the preacher takes the text and brings it into their congregant’s world. Overall, the Four Pages can function as analytical tools to read sermons no matter what form is used. The goal of the Four Pages is not to preach trouble on Pages One and Two and then erase it with grace on Pages Three and Four. The point is to establish tension between trouble and grace because both are true.
The overall framework that Paul outlined I found most compelling. His practical application to structuring a sermon makes sense and keeps the Scripture as the centerpiece but is not afraid to add other elements of media to lift up the text. I am excited to use this framework in my future sermon preparation, especially in a lectionary church as I can map out larger movements over the year.
The overall framework that Paul outlined I found most compelling. His practical application to structuring a sermon makes sense and keeps the Scripture as the centerpiece but is not afraid to add other elements of media to lift up the text. I am excited to use this framework in my future sermon preparation, especially in a lectionary church as I can map out larger movements over the year.
November 12, 2017
Great sermon structure
This is a great book about an easy to use and easy to follow sermon structure. Wilson does a great job explaining and illustrating how to use his 4 page structure.
This is a great book about an easy to use and easy to follow sermon structure. Wilson does a great job explaining and illustrating how to use his 4 page structure.
March 2, 2023
Wilson provides a helpful outline that can be adopted by preachers in their own practice. I found some of his points of emphasis more helpful than others. Overall, the book is a somewhat helpful guide to preaching and gives a good starting place for new (or old) preachers.
March 19, 2022
Awesome reference book!! Simple and engaging
September 22, 2022
Very helpful book on sermon preparation and organization
May 27, 2023
Great book that I read to sharpen and hone my skill as a preacher. Good content with examples. I gleaned good stuff from it.
January 26, 2022
In all, Wilson offers a sound structure for writing effective sermons. He presents his structure as a grammar, the idea being sermons are a common language and these are the guiding principles of that language.
I would argue he does not present grammar for one singular language but the syntax for one specific language. His guidelines are excellent for his specific purpose and style. There are, however, other "languages" for sermons.
His language is orthodoxy (white, cishet, American, upper-middle class, and male) which focuses on a specific approach and objective. There are other "languages" for sermons, such as liberation, womanist, or queer, and they will have their own syntax.
The goal of each language is the same (communicate gospel) but how we approach and organize the sermon and what elements we need to stress vary by time, place, and community. We cannot set anyone one "language" as primary or default without loosing the diversity of God's creation and God's actions.
I would argue he does not present grammar for one singular language but the syntax for one specific language. His guidelines are excellent for his specific purpose and style. There are, however, other "languages" for sermons.
His language is orthodoxy (white, cishet, American, upper-middle class, and male) which focuses on a specific approach and objective. There are other "languages" for sermons, such as liberation, womanist, or queer, and they will have their own syntax.
The goal of each language is the same (communicate gospel) but how we approach and organize the sermon and what elements we need to stress vary by time, place, and community. We cannot set anyone one "language" as primary or default without loosing the diversity of God's creation and God's actions.
Read
January 20, 2021The overall framework that Paul outlined I found most compelling. His practical application to structuring a sermon makes sense and keeps the Scripture as the centerpiece but is not afraid to add other elements of media to lift up the text. I am excited to use this framework in my future sermon preparation, especially in a lectionary church as I can map out larger movements over the year.
I really enjoyed this reading and did not find myself objecting to anything that Paul Scott Wilson presented. I believe that his argument and presentation was sound. He brought in various voices and backgrounds, which I greatly appreciated. I like that he included criticisms that other professors have presented to him and his response. It was very academic and thought provoking, which is something you do not see in today's atmosphere.
I really enjoyed this reading and did not find myself objecting to anything that Paul Scott Wilson presented. I believe that his argument and presentation was sound. He brought in various voices and backgrounds, which I greatly appreciated. I like that he included criticisms that other professors have presented to him and his response. It was very academic and thought provoking, which is something you do not see in today's atmosphere.
October 22, 2019
A fantastic book for any young preacher. The author outlines a theology of preaching, a model for sermon prep during the week, practical steps, analysis of preaching trends over the last 50+ years and more.
I'll recommend that every young preacher spends his/her first year preaching with this book on their desk. It helps with storytelling, biblical interpretation, the centrality of Christ and confidence that you'll have spent enough time preparing appropriate material to preach God’s word to his people.
I'll recommend that every young preacher spends his/her first year preaching with this book on their desk. It helps with storytelling, biblical interpretation, the centrality of Christ and confidence that you'll have spent enough time preparing appropriate material to preach God’s word to his people.
April 2, 2009
I love this book. Wilson doesn't provide the theological backbone that Chapell does, but his method is very helpful. Wilson emphasizes the need to cover the whole task in the sermon -- addressing the "4 pages" -- as he calls them -- 1) the sin/problem in the text; 2) the corollary sin/problem in our day; 3) the salvation/redemption in the text; 4) the salvation/redemption in our day. I'd encourage all young preachers to read and follow this book... it's a great starting place.
August 19, 2021
A very practical book for preachers. Those four Pages are quite a structure to learn to prepare for any sermon, though I believe that the life of preachers, and their relationship with God, and His word are much more important than a structure of a sermon. Content is always more important than the form, though the form does work as a good guide for where we can go with the content that's already grasped.
March 26, 2024
Good on the need to preach grace and the gospel in every sermon. I wholeheartedly agree with Paul Scott Wilson that many sermons are law and “trouble” and don’t get to God’s grace and the gospel. But, I think there are better books out there that teach you how to preach grace and the gospel in a way that honors the Biblical text.
October 13, 2024
I appreciated the trouble / grace emphasis and was pleasantly surprised by the breadth of preachers referenced in the book. I do think this lends more to traditional preaching styles, and may not be a great fit when preaching to those who are not accustom to church. The updates regarding technology already feel outdated again.
January 18, 2012
One of the best preaching methodolgy books I've ever read. Wilson's method is easy to apply, adaptable, and very effective. He walks the reader through it step by step and the checklist of questions at the end of each chapter is worth its weight in gold! A must have for preachers.
January 4, 2009
required reading for my preaching class.
February 11, 2010
This is my go-to book for when I have to preach.
April 22, 2012
An over simplification of the sermon development process, but the 4page model's a great tool for advance sermon prep and planning.
(CS214W-Homelitics/Practice of Preaching)
(CS214W-Homelitics/Practice of Preaching)
October 29, 2014
Whew! Finally finished this one. Really helpful for me in trying to develop a more scripture-centric style of preaching while maintaining the narrative approach that I suits me.
February 1, 2014
Useful for the outline, but SO REDUNDANT! Read the first five chapters, and then the headers for the rest of the book.
January 31, 2015
Mooi en handig model voor preekvoorbereiding
April 11, 2015
Mooi model voor preken maken. Met veel tips om een preek op te bouwen. Erg leerzaam.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews