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Feed My Sheep: A Passionate Plea for Preaching
Jesus told Peter, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17). Such is the mission for all Christ’s shepherds. But when preaching is neglected, those who have been called to feed the sheep do little more than pet them. In the Old Testament, God decried the fact that His people were perishing for lack of knowledge about Him. The same seems to be occurring today. There is “sharing,” “suggesting,” plenty of storytelling, and lots of preaching to “felt needs” in modern pulpits. But the authoritative, expositional opening of the Word of God is becoming scarcer all the time. In this book, eleven pastors and scholars issue a fervent plea for preachers to “preach the Word.” Here is encouragement for pastors to persevere in their calling and wisdom to guide congregations in holding their shepherds to the biblical standards.
156 pages, Hardcover
First published October 31, 2002
45 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
R. Albert Mohler Jr.
113 books415 followersDr. R. Albert Mohler Jr. serves as president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention and one of the largest seminaries in the world.
Dr. Mohler has been recognized by such influential publications as Time and Christianity Today as a leader among American evangelicals. In fact, Time.com called him the “reigning intellectual of the evangelical movement in the U.S.”
In addition to his presidential duties, Dr. Mohler hosts two programs: “The Briefing,” a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview; and “Thinking in Public,” a series of conversations with the day’s leading thinkers. He also writes a popular blog and a regular commentary on moral, cultural and theological issues. All of these can be accessed through Dr. Mohler’s website, www.AlbertMohler.com. Called “an articulate voice for conservative Christianity at large” by The Chicago Tribune, Dr. Mohler’s mission is to address contemporary issues from a consistent and explicit Christian worldview.
Dr. Mohler has been recognized by such influential publications as Time and Christianity Today as a leader among American evangelicals. In fact, Time.com called him the “reigning intellectual of the evangelical movement in the U.S.”
In addition to his presidential duties, Dr. Mohler hosts two programs: “The Briefing,” a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview; and “Thinking in Public,” a series of conversations with the day’s leading thinkers. He also writes a popular blog and a regular commentary on moral, cultural and theological issues. All of these can be accessed through Dr. Mohler’s website, www.AlbertMohler.com. Called “an articulate voice for conservative Christianity at large” by The Chicago Tribune, Dr. Mohler’s mission is to address contemporary issues from a consistent and explicit Christian worldview.
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March 1, 2021
A collection of 11 essays on preaching, some better than others.
This book is worth buying if only for the following excellent chapters:
- "Expository Preaching" by Derek Thomas (ch. 3)
- "Experiential Preaching" by Joel Beeke (ch. 4)
- "Preaching to the Heart" by Sinclair Ferguson (ch. 7)
- "Preaching to Suffering People" by John Piper (ch. 10)
Even though the book was directed only at "Reformed" preachers, the authors did not just write stuff their audience would agree with. Several of the authors directed their applications to weaknesses common in Reformed guys.
This book is worth buying if only for the following excellent chapters:
- "Expository Preaching" by Derek Thomas (ch. 3)
- "Experiential Preaching" by Joel Beeke (ch. 4)
- "Preaching to the Heart" by Sinclair Ferguson (ch. 7)
- "Preaching to Suffering People" by John Piper (ch. 10)
Even though the book was directed only at "Reformed" preachers, the authors did not just write stuff their audience would agree with. Several of the authors directed their applications to weaknesses common in Reformed guys.
November 22, 2024
A book that should be in every pastor's library. Ignore the three star reviews.
February 5, 2019
When Jesus reinstates Peter, he invites him to “feed my sheep.” This is the invitation and call of the pastor, to feed the flock of God. We are called to feed the flock of God with the Word of God. "Feed My Sheep" is a collection of essays from reformed pastors about the call to preach.
Albert Mohler kicks off the book with a reminder of the supremacy of this call: “When the minister of the gospel faces the Lord God as judge, there will be many questions addressed to him. There will be many standards of accountability. There will be many criteria of judgment. But in the end, the most essential criterion of judgment for the minister of God is, "Did you preach the Word? Did you fully carry out the ministry of the Word? In season and out of season, was the priority of your ministry the preaching of the Word?”
Mohler believes that pastors have veered from their call to feed the sheep the Word of God. Instead, the church has accommodated to the culture and become a purveyor of programs. In his words, “But rarely do you hear a church described, first and foremost, by the character, power, and content of its preaching. This is because few preachers today are true servants of the Word.”
Both Mohler and RC Sproul paint a bleak picture regarding the state of preaching. To them storytelling and felt needs dominate the pulpit. Mohler, Kistler, and Sproul spend most of their time punching at preaching models in the megachurch and the Mainline church. They expend a fair amount of energy trying to knock down models in seeker churches and liberal Christianity. In general I find this handwringing overblown and irksome. There is some measure of self-righteousness in pointing at different traditions and pointing out the issues in their camps. Later authors are more helpful in focusing on the audience of the book: those already broadly within the camp of reformed evangelicalism.
Highlights of the book were Sinclair Ferguson’s excellent chapter on preaching to the heart, and John Piper’s fantastic chapter on “Preaching to Suffering People.” The latter is worth the price of the book alone. Any pastor ought to read Piper’s chapter. Piper tells us that good preaching prepares a Christian for the suffering that is inevitable in the Christian life so that when that suffering comes the heart is prepared for it and that the core truths of the gospel and God’s character are already anchored in our hearts.
Two other concerns I had with the book were Thomas and Spoul’s overly narrow call to expository preaching and Sproul’s focus on preaching as a matter of intellectual persuasion. That perspective is pushed back against by Beeke and Ferguson (and even Sproul Jr., to a lesser extent), which I’m grateful for. To me, faithful preaching has the heart of the listener, not the mind, as its aim.
All in all, this is a helpful, if not uneven, volume that is worth the preacher’s time.
Chapters
• The Primacy of Preaching by Albert Mohler
• The Foolishness of Preaching by James Montgomery Boice
• Expository Preaching by Derek Thomas
• Experiential Preaching by Joel Beeke
• The Teaching Preacher by RC Sproul
• Preaching to the Mind by RC Sproul, Jr.
• Preaching to the Heart by Sinclair Ferguson
• Preaching with Authority by Don Kistler
• Evangelistic Preaching by Eric Alexander
• Preaching to Suffering People by John Piper
• A Reminder to Shepherds by John MacArthur
Albert Mohler kicks off the book with a reminder of the supremacy of this call: “When the minister of the gospel faces the Lord God as judge, there will be many questions addressed to him. There will be many standards of accountability. There will be many criteria of judgment. But in the end, the most essential criterion of judgment for the minister of God is, "Did you preach the Word? Did you fully carry out the ministry of the Word? In season and out of season, was the priority of your ministry the preaching of the Word?”
Mohler believes that pastors have veered from their call to feed the sheep the Word of God. Instead, the church has accommodated to the culture and become a purveyor of programs. In his words, “But rarely do you hear a church described, first and foremost, by the character, power, and content of its preaching. This is because few preachers today are true servants of the Word.”
Both Mohler and RC Sproul paint a bleak picture regarding the state of preaching. To them storytelling and felt needs dominate the pulpit. Mohler, Kistler, and Sproul spend most of their time punching at preaching models in the megachurch and the Mainline church. They expend a fair amount of energy trying to knock down models in seeker churches and liberal Christianity. In general I find this handwringing overblown and irksome. There is some measure of self-righteousness in pointing at different traditions and pointing out the issues in their camps. Later authors are more helpful in focusing on the audience of the book: those already broadly within the camp of reformed evangelicalism.
Highlights of the book were Sinclair Ferguson’s excellent chapter on preaching to the heart, and John Piper’s fantastic chapter on “Preaching to Suffering People.” The latter is worth the price of the book alone. Any pastor ought to read Piper’s chapter. Piper tells us that good preaching prepares a Christian for the suffering that is inevitable in the Christian life so that when that suffering comes the heart is prepared for it and that the core truths of the gospel and God’s character are already anchored in our hearts.
Two other concerns I had with the book were Thomas and Spoul’s overly narrow call to expository preaching and Sproul’s focus on preaching as a matter of intellectual persuasion. That perspective is pushed back against by Beeke and Ferguson (and even Sproul Jr., to a lesser extent), which I’m grateful for. To me, faithful preaching has the heart of the listener, not the mind, as its aim.
All in all, this is a helpful, if not uneven, volume that is worth the preacher’s time.
Chapters
• The Primacy of Preaching by Albert Mohler
• The Foolishness of Preaching by James Montgomery Boice
• Expository Preaching by Derek Thomas
• Experiential Preaching by Joel Beeke
• The Teaching Preacher by RC Sproul
• Preaching to the Mind by RC Sproul, Jr.
• Preaching to the Heart by Sinclair Ferguson
• Preaching with Authority by Don Kistler
• Evangelistic Preaching by Eric Alexander
• Preaching to Suffering People by John Piper
• A Reminder to Shepherds by John MacArthur
January 14, 2021
A valuable exhortation to pastors to "preach the word...in season and out of season" (2 Tim. 4:2) by some of the most well-known Reformed pastor-theologians of our day. Piper's chapter on preaching to those who are suffering is especially powerful and thought-provoking.
June 12, 2012
This book was originally written and published in the late 90s by Soli Deo Gloria Publications and then was republished again in 2004 by Ligonier Ministries. The newest publication of the book is the second edition published by Reformation Trust now in an attractive hardback cover. The work consists of eleven chapters, each chapter written by the eleven contributing pastors listed above. The overall theme as indicated by the book's subtitle is "a passionate plea for preaching." The book, then, is a biblical defense of preaching in general and of the lectio continua method in particular. Specific topics discussed are the primacy of preaching, the foolishness of preaching, expository preaching, experiential preaching, preaching to the mind, preaching with authority, and evangelistic preaching.
The two chapters that made the deepest impressions upon me were Ferguson's on "Preaching to the Heart" and Piper's on "Preaching to Suffering People." Ferguson gives five characteristics of heart preaching:
1. A right use of the Bible.
2. Nourishment of the whole person.
3. An understanding of the condition of the hearers.
4. The use of imagination.
5. Grace in Christ.
I like what he says here: "Preaching to the heart, then, is not merely a matter of technique or homiletic style. These things have their proper place and relevance. But the more fundamental, indeed, the more essential thing for the preacher is surely the fact that something has happened in his own heart; it has been laid bare before God by His Word. He, in turn, lays his heart bare before those to whom he ministers. And within that context, the goal he has in view is so to lay bare the truth of the Word of God that the hearts of those who hear are opened vertically to God and horizontally to one anther." (104)
He goes on to say: "In the last analysis, this is what preaching to the heart is intended to produce: inner prostration of the hearts of our listeners through a consciousness of the presence and glory of God. This result distinguishes authentic biblical preaching from any cheap substitute; it marks the difference between preaching about the Word of God and preaching the Word of God." (104-5)
In discussing grace in Christ as it affects the manner of our preaching: "For while preaching involves bringing the world of the Bible to bear upon the world of our contemporaries, it also involves bringing the message-in-words of the Scriptures through the message-in-manner of the preacher. There needs to be a marriage between the message and the manner; therein lies the heart of the mystery of preaching." (114)
Piper, in his chapter on Preaching to Suffering People, begins with five assumptions:
1. Preaching is expository exultation.
2. Preaching is a normative event in the gathered church.
3. The aim of preaching is the glory of God through Jesus Christ.
4. God is most glorified in our people when our people are most satisfied in Him.
5. Suffering is a universal human experience, designed by God for His glory, but endangering every Christian's faith.
If all these assumptions are true which they are, then "our preaching must aim, week in and week out, to help our people be satisfied in God while suffering. Indeed, we must help them count suffering as part of why they should be satisfied in God. We must build into their minds and hearts a vision of God and His ways that helps them see suffering not merely as a threat to their satisfaction if God (which it is), but also as a means to their satisfaction in God (which it is). We must preach so as to make suffering seem normal and purposeful, and not surprising in this fallen age." (131)
God uses our own suffering as preachers to affect our preaching to suffering people in the following ways:
1. God has ordained that our preaching becomes deeper and more winsome as we are broken, humbled, and made low and desperately dependent on grace by the trials of our lives.
2. God has ordained that when we preach from weakness and suffering sustained by joy in Christ, the people see that Christ is treasured and they are loved.
3. The suffering of the preacher helps him see from Scripture what he must say to his suffering people.
Piper's conclusion: "We must preach with a passion to produce people whose satisfaction in God is so solid, so deep, and so unshakable that suffering and death will not make our people murmur or curse God, but will help them count it all joy and say with Paul, 'To live is Christ and to die is gain.' How will that happen? I said that the preacher must suffer. That is what I have tried to show thus far. And then the preacher must rejoice. He must be hurt in the ministry, and he must be happy in God." (138)
I have found this a helpful resource on preaching that I want to reread in the future. It was greatly convicting and encouraging at the same time. I would highly recommend it to my fellow preachers.
The two chapters that made the deepest impressions upon me were Ferguson's on "Preaching to the Heart" and Piper's on "Preaching to Suffering People." Ferguson gives five characteristics of heart preaching:
1. A right use of the Bible.
2. Nourishment of the whole person.
3. An understanding of the condition of the hearers.
4. The use of imagination.
5. Grace in Christ.
I like what he says here: "Preaching to the heart, then, is not merely a matter of technique or homiletic style. These things have their proper place and relevance. But the more fundamental, indeed, the more essential thing for the preacher is surely the fact that something has happened in his own heart; it has been laid bare before God by His Word. He, in turn, lays his heart bare before those to whom he ministers. And within that context, the goal he has in view is so to lay bare the truth of the Word of God that the hearts of those who hear are opened vertically to God and horizontally to one anther." (104)
He goes on to say: "In the last analysis, this is what preaching to the heart is intended to produce: inner prostration of the hearts of our listeners through a consciousness of the presence and glory of God. This result distinguishes authentic biblical preaching from any cheap substitute; it marks the difference between preaching about the Word of God and preaching the Word of God." (104-5)
In discussing grace in Christ as it affects the manner of our preaching: "For while preaching involves bringing the world of the Bible to bear upon the world of our contemporaries, it also involves bringing the message-in-words of the Scriptures through the message-in-manner of the preacher. There needs to be a marriage between the message and the manner; therein lies the heart of the mystery of preaching." (114)
Piper, in his chapter on Preaching to Suffering People, begins with five assumptions:
1. Preaching is expository exultation.
2. Preaching is a normative event in the gathered church.
3. The aim of preaching is the glory of God through Jesus Christ.
4. God is most glorified in our people when our people are most satisfied in Him.
5. Suffering is a universal human experience, designed by God for His glory, but endangering every Christian's faith.
If all these assumptions are true which they are, then "our preaching must aim, week in and week out, to help our people be satisfied in God while suffering. Indeed, we must help them count suffering as part of why they should be satisfied in God. We must build into their minds and hearts a vision of God and His ways that helps them see suffering not merely as a threat to their satisfaction if God (which it is), but also as a means to their satisfaction in God (which it is). We must preach so as to make suffering seem normal and purposeful, and not surprising in this fallen age." (131)
God uses our own suffering as preachers to affect our preaching to suffering people in the following ways:
1. God has ordained that our preaching becomes deeper and more winsome as we are broken, humbled, and made low and desperately dependent on grace by the trials of our lives.
2. God has ordained that when we preach from weakness and suffering sustained by joy in Christ, the people see that Christ is treasured and they are loved.
3. The suffering of the preacher helps him see from Scripture what he must say to his suffering people.
Piper's conclusion: "We must preach with a passion to produce people whose satisfaction in God is so solid, so deep, and so unshakable that suffering and death will not make our people murmur or curse God, but will help them count it all joy and say with Paul, 'To live is Christ and to die is gain.' How will that happen? I said that the preacher must suffer. That is what I have tried to show thus far. And then the preacher must rejoice. He must be hurt in the ministry, and he must be happy in God." (138)
I have found this a helpful resource on preaching that I want to reread in the future. It was greatly convicting and encouraging at the same time. I would highly recommend it to my fellow preachers.
November 12, 2014
I have to admit a few things as I begin writing about this book. I love preaching. I love to hear preaching. I love to read preached sermons. I love to read about preaching: mechanics, theory, necessity, etc. I love preaching.
I also love preachers. I feel greatly indebted to the men who have given their lives to the public proclamation of God’s Word. I love to read their sermons. I love to read their books. I love to learn about them, their lives, and their faith. I just am sincerely blessed by God-fearing Bible-believing Gospel preachers. So when I had the opportunity through the program with Reformation Trust Publishing to read this book and review it, I was eager to do so.
The contributors to this text are top notch. The topics they cover are varied and interesting. As I began reading this book, I was quite excited—diving through the first four chapters in no time. To see what is covered and by whom it would be best to quote Ligon Duncan’s foreword extensively, as he gives a great breakdown of what this book contains.
The subjects covered…commend this volume…
R. Albert Mohler Jr. dares to implore the overstretched, multi-tasking modern technician and spiritual therapist called a “pastor” to prioritize his ministry in such a way that the preaching of the Word becomes so central that everything else must fall into place behind it…
James Boice helps buttress the preacher’s resolve to stick with the “foolishness of preaching” in an age in which biblical authority is at a discount and congregations want their ears tickled instead of their hearts and minds challenged and instructed.
Derek Thomas’s piece on expository preaching is a gem, one of the best short treatments of this issue you’ll ever read…
Joel R. Beeke makes a strong case for the classical Reformed view of ministerial piety and experiential preaching…
R. C. Sproul, in his usual engaging style, urges preachers to know the truth and teach it…
R. C. Sproul Jr. urges us to aim to preach the Word, and thus to preach to both the minds and hearts of our hearers…
Sinclair Ferguson helpfully addresses the task of preaching to the heart….
Don Kistler urges men to preach with authority…
Eric Alexander, one of the archetypal Reformed preachers of our time, provides us with a Pauline perspective on evangelistic preaching…
John Piper’s timely treatment of preaching to those who are in the seminary of suffering (and that’s all of us!) is simply brilliant…
John MacArthur concludes the book by pointing us away from the messenger to the message preached, surely an important word of spiritual counsel in our success-focused and personality-centered culture. We are not the reason the gospel works; the gospel is the reason the gospel works.
Al Mohler’s chapter entitled, “The Primacy of Preaching,” sets out to support the argument that “we must affirm with Martin Luther that the preaching of the Word is the first essential mark of the church”, and I must confess that Mohler does an excellent job of this. He then goes to work recollecting the neo-orthodox recovery of preaching under HH Farmer. The section of his chapter that most ministered to me was the one entitled, “Hidden Results, Frequent Controversies”. In this section, Mohler shows what I believe to be the toughest challenge facing men who sincerely desires to faithfully proclaim God’s Word.
The preacher may sound like Luther on Sunday, but he feels like bathing in Ecclesiastes on Monday morning: “Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.” Preaching can seem like striving after the wind. We feel like the preacher of Ecclesiastes, who laments in 1:15, “What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted.” Vanity. Such is life for those who are called to preach: Hard work with (often) no tangible, positive result. Furthermore, this line of work has a nasty way of getting you into trouble. It seems that the more faithful one is in preaching, the more trouble one encounters.
Mohler shows how preachers are often subject to “product envy”, desiring to be in any profession that you can see tangible results to your work. The fact is, the preacher will not likely see most of the fruit of his labor until we enter Glory, and the time in between is guaranteed to be rocky.
Indeed, I will go so far as to assert that if you are at peace with the world, you have abdicated your calling. You have become a court preacher to some earthly power, no matter how innocuous it may appear. To put it straight: you have been bought! If there is no controversy in your ministry, there is probably very little content to your preaching. The content of the Word of God is not only alive and active, it is sharper than any two-edged sword, and that means it does some surgery. Cutting leads to bleeding, and by God’s grace healing then comes, but there is always controversy.
Mohler then challenges the reader to “contrast the absolute priority of preaching in Paul’s ministry with the frequent confusion in today’s congregations on the priority of preaching. Mohler then expounds on what should be the “Content of Preaching”, the “Goal of Preaching”, and the “Authority of Preaching before concluding with the fact that, for the man who has responded to God’s call to preach, “(i)n the final analysis, we will know how faithful we have been only in glory. When we see our Savior face to face, and when we see all the saints to whom we have preached, we will discover whether or not our preaching contributed to their completeness in Christ.”
As I began reading the article by James Boice I was struck by the realization that I had never read anything by the man. I had read and heard quotes, but I had not read any sermons, articles or books by this great man of faith. Now I have, and now I desire to read even more. Boice deals with “The Foolishness of Preaching”. Dr. Boice begins by outlining the “foolishness” of the Gospel as perceived by the three dominant worldviews surrounding its inception: Jewish, Roman and Greek and how the “foolishness” of the message was especially folly to the Greek mind. He goes on to point out that “we can say that preaching is that wise means of God by which the wisdom of the world is shown to be foolishness, and the folly of the gospel, as the world conceives it, is shown to be true wisdom” as we see the results of the Gospel, which is conversion. Boice then illustrates new birth by comparing it to human birth, an illustration that you have to read. Boice also encourages the preacher to take some advice from his predecessor at Tenth Presbyterian, DG Barnhouse. Barnhouse viewed his congregants as barrels. Some were empty. Some, unbeknownst to him, had varying levels of gunpowder. His job as a minister of the Gospel was, through Gospel proclamation, to throw lit matches into the barrels. When the Gospel hit the prepared heart it was akin to a lit match hitting a barrel full of gunpowder.
However, preaching is not just for the conversion of lost sinners. It is as much for the building up of the church, if not more so. It is not just the unredeemed who need the Gospel, it is all of us. Boice makes what may seem like an overstatement, but I think he is spot-on when he says, “I do not think it is too much to say that preaching really is an essential means, perhaps even the most important means, of grace,” and because of this, “we should be very careful in our Christian lives to expose ourselves to the best teaching and attend the best churches available.” So what kind of preachers should we be/sit under? Boice takes up the next five pages or so showing us and ends with the example of Enoch, the preacher who walked with God.
Derek Thomas’ chapter “Expository Preaching” definitely ruffled my feathers and I am still trying to determine if I agree or disagree with a few of his more “controversial” points. Thomas makes a great point about preaching from the outset. He says simply that “preaching must enable those who hear it to understand their Bibles.” If this were the aim and focus of all preachers, preaching would be in a much better state in this world. Thomas begins to make his argument for expository preaching with a quote. “William Perkins’ The Arte of Prophecying (1617), included this instruction: ‘The Word of God alone is to be preached, in its perfection and inner consistency. Scripture is the exclusive subject of preaching, the only field in which the preacher is to labour.’ “ Not only does Thomas argue for expository sermons, but he argues that true expository preaching is lectio continua, continuous lecturing from one verse to the next, through books of the Bible(citing great examples including John Calvin and Martin Lloyd-Jones). In defining an expository sermon he quotes Bryan Chappell, “an expository sermon (i)s that which ‘requires that it expound Scripture by deriving from a specific text main points and sub points that disclose the thought of the author, cover the scope of the passage, and are applied to the lives of the listeners.’"
Nothing so far has been too earth shaking, but then Thomas dares to take aim at Puritans, Lloyd-Jones, Spurgeon, and the historic-redemptive model all in one section entitled “Bad Homiletical Models”.(To be fair, Thomas is not really taking aim at any of these but rather pointing out some of the error that results from modeling one’s expository preaching improperly after any of these. He is fair, respectful and from what I can tell, pretty accurate in his critique.) Thomas then gives some warnings against taking our focus off the text when we preach and finishes with an extensive argument for the “lectio continua” model of expository preaching.
Joel Beeke, or “Mr. Puritan” as he is known around my living room, takes on the next topic of “Experiential (Experimental) Preaching”. Beeke sets out to answer five questions as he takes us through this article:
1. What is experiential religion and preaching?
2. Why is the experiential aspect of preaching necessary?
3. What are the essential characteristics of experiential preaching?
4. Why must a minister habitually exhibit holiness to be effective in the ministry?
5. What practical lessons on Christian living can we learn from the experiential preaching of our predecessors?
“Experiential preaching stresses the need to know by experience the great truths of the Word of God. A working definition of experiential preaching might be: “Preaching that seeks to explain in terms of biblical truth how matters ought to go, how they do go, and the goal of the Christian life.” Such preaching aims to apply divine truth to the whole range of the believer’s personal experience, including his relationships with family, the church, and the world around him.”
Beeke explains that experiential preaching is discriminatory, applicatory, stresses an intimate, personal relationship with God(but not at the expense of Scripture), and is Theocentric. When comparing reformed, experiential preaching to what most believers endure today, Beeke says, “The Word of God is too often preached in a way that will not transform listeners because it fails to discriminate and fails to apply.” He continues by pointing out that this type of preaching “is reduced to a lecture or a demonstration as the preacher caters to what people want to hear.” The failure of this type of preaching is its inability to”explain from the Bible what the Reformed called ‘vital religion’: how a sinner must be stripped of his righteousness, driven to Christ alone for salvation, and led to the joy of simple reliance upon Christ.” Beeke then outlines why experiential preaching is necessary and what are its distinguishing marks before finishing with a call to personal holiness and a very practical application section at the end…it is almost like he has been reading Puritan literature for decades!
RC Sproul’s chapter on “The Teaching Preacher” follows. Sproul looks at the preacher as teacher based on the teachings of Martin Luther. “What shepherd would so neglect his sheep that he would fail to feed them? It is the feeding of the sheep, according to Luther, that is the prime task of the ministry. And that feeding comes, principally, through teaching.” Sproul makes a great point on the difference between preaching and teaching. “I make a distinction between preaching—which involves exhortation, exposition, admonition, encouragement, and comfort—and teaching, which involves the transfer of information.”
In speaking of the difference, Sproul states, “I’ve always thought that the primary thing, as Luther understood, that I’m responsible to do as a minister is to teach the people the things of God.” I am not certain I would agree with this statement, especially in light of the distinction Sproul made earlier. I believe the primary responsibility is to preach the Gospel (as a means of grace that grants faith), not “transfer (the) information” of the Gospel.
Sproul then gives some great insight on the proclivity of the seminarian to graduate with a firm grasp of an academic field yet lacking even the ability to converse significantly on the actual Scriptures. Sproul then quotes Luther on the pastor’s need to be assertive on doctrines found in Scripture. Replying to the attitude of Erasmus that the scholar need to be “open” and not firm on difficult doctrines Luther responded, ““Nothing is more familiar or characteristic among Christians than assertion. Take away assertions and you take away Christianity.” This point is extremely relevant in our age of “Emergent dialogue” that feels compelled to question all and assert nothing, other than the fact that we are bound to question all and assert nothing. The section on Luther’s teaching to guard against false teaching is worth putting to memory and applying daily. “Avoiding Novelties” is a brilliant section that can be summed up with a single quote, “There is no room for (creative invention) in the pulpit, and there is no room for it in the teaching of the people of God.” We are not called as ministers to “create” or come up with something “new”. We are commanded and privileged to proclaim the “old story”, the one that creates faith in the heart of him who hears it.
Sproul completes the chapter with a section on “Aiming at the Heart through the Mind”. On the way to this section Sproul makes my day as, while dealing with the spectrum of conservative/liberal theology, he reminds us of the left-winged liberalness of the Jesus Seminar by referring to them as the “lunatic fringe” of liberal theology. A more apt description has never been administered to this Grand Hotel cast of “theologians” who’s only genuine link to each other is their disdain for the historical Jesus their desire to supplant Him with a “Jesus” of their own creation.
RC Sproul Jr next addresses “Preaching to the Mind” followed by Sinclair Ferguson’s “Preaching to the Heart”, Don Kistler’s chapter entitled “Preaching with Authority” and Eric Alexander on “Evangelistic Preaching”. The book closes with John Piper’s chapter on “Preaching to the Suffering People and John Macarthur’s “A Reminder to the Shepherds”.
Piper has been my favorite living teacher on this subject now for quite a while (although the teachings of Matt Chandler over these past 18 months may have made him my go to source as of late). Piper has a brilliant way of getting to the heart of the matter and encouraging us all to enjoy God, not in spite of difficult circumstances but because of them with the knowledge that God works all things for the good of those called to love Him. Piper contends(with Scripture) that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him and that the universal reality of suffering endangers the faith of every Christian, thus, he asserts that “our preaching must aim, week in and week out, to help our people be satisfied in God while suffering.”
We must help them count suffering as part of why they should be satisfied in God. We must build into their minds and hearts a vi sion of God and His ways that helps them see suffering not merely as a threat to their satisfaction in God (which it is), but also as a means to their satisfaction in God (which it is). We must preach so as to make suffering seem normal and purposeful, and not surprising in this fallen age. The forces of American culture are almost all designed to build the opposite worldview into our people’s minds.
John Macarthur finishes the book with a reminder to pastors from the example of the Apostle Paul. God uses clay pots. He has chosen to use earthen vessels to proclaim His heavenly message and the attraction, validity, focus, love should be on the message, not the vessel. Macarthur assures any who will take up the task of faitfully proclaiming God’s Gospel that they will be attacked. The attacks often come from those the preacher loves most and labors so faithfully to serve. The attacks are sure to come but a response is only necessary in cases where the truth of the Gospel is being compromised. The preacher cares more about the message than he does his reputation, his finances, his comfort, even his own life.
How can God use clay pots when it involves such a glorious message? That is exactly how. God desires the focus to be on the message, not the messenger. The messenger is the grocery bag; the message is the Kobe steak. The messenger is the wooden crate; the message is the sports car. The messenger is the run down feeding trough; the message is the Savior of the World wrapped in swaddling clothes. The messenger is a vessel of clay; the message is God’s glorious Gospel. It is totally about the message, so the messenger should never entertain the idea that it is about him in the least.
This book is excellent. There is not a wasted page. My one and only reservation is that I am not certain how accessible this book is for those not acquainted with/interested in the ministry of preaching from a theoretical or technical aspect. It is not dry academia, but it is definitely academic in nature for the most part. As far as it goes for an academic text, it is very accessible and quite enjoyable. If you have any desire to read this book, you will not be disappointed. If you would like to read this text and review it for a complimentary copy, click here and learn more about Reformation Trust’s program to receive a copy of this book simply for reading it and reviewing it, like I did!
I also love preachers. I feel greatly indebted to the men who have given their lives to the public proclamation of God’s Word. I love to read their sermons. I love to read their books. I love to learn about them, their lives, and their faith. I just am sincerely blessed by God-fearing Bible-believing Gospel preachers. So when I had the opportunity through the program with Reformation Trust Publishing to read this book and review it, I was eager to do so.
The contributors to this text are top notch. The topics they cover are varied and interesting. As I began reading this book, I was quite excited—diving through the first four chapters in no time. To see what is covered and by whom it would be best to quote Ligon Duncan’s foreword extensively, as he gives a great breakdown of what this book contains.
The subjects covered…commend this volume…
R. Albert Mohler Jr. dares to implore the overstretched, multi-tasking modern technician and spiritual therapist called a “pastor” to prioritize his ministry in such a way that the preaching of the Word becomes so central that everything else must fall into place behind it…
James Boice helps buttress the preacher’s resolve to stick with the “foolishness of preaching” in an age in which biblical authority is at a discount and congregations want their ears tickled instead of their hearts and minds challenged and instructed.
Derek Thomas’s piece on expository preaching is a gem, one of the best short treatments of this issue you’ll ever read…
Joel R. Beeke makes a strong case for the classical Reformed view of ministerial piety and experiential preaching…
R. C. Sproul, in his usual engaging style, urges preachers to know the truth and teach it…
R. C. Sproul Jr. urges us to aim to preach the Word, and thus to preach to both the minds and hearts of our hearers…
Sinclair Ferguson helpfully addresses the task of preaching to the heart….
Don Kistler urges men to preach with authority…
Eric Alexander, one of the archetypal Reformed preachers of our time, provides us with a Pauline perspective on evangelistic preaching…
John Piper’s timely treatment of preaching to those who are in the seminary of suffering (and that’s all of us!) is simply brilliant…
John MacArthur concludes the book by pointing us away from the messenger to the message preached, surely an important word of spiritual counsel in our success-focused and personality-centered culture. We are not the reason the gospel works; the gospel is the reason the gospel works.
Al Mohler’s chapter entitled, “The Primacy of Preaching,” sets out to support the argument that “we must affirm with Martin Luther that the preaching of the Word is the first essential mark of the church”, and I must confess that Mohler does an excellent job of this. He then goes to work recollecting the neo-orthodox recovery of preaching under HH Farmer. The section of his chapter that most ministered to me was the one entitled, “Hidden Results, Frequent Controversies”. In this section, Mohler shows what I believe to be the toughest challenge facing men who sincerely desires to faithfully proclaim God’s Word.
The preacher may sound like Luther on Sunday, but he feels like bathing in Ecclesiastes on Monday morning: “Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.” Preaching can seem like striving after the wind. We feel like the preacher of Ecclesiastes, who laments in 1:15, “What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted.” Vanity. Such is life for those who are called to preach: Hard work with (often) no tangible, positive result. Furthermore, this line of work has a nasty way of getting you into trouble. It seems that the more faithful one is in preaching, the more trouble one encounters.
Mohler shows how preachers are often subject to “product envy”, desiring to be in any profession that you can see tangible results to your work. The fact is, the preacher will not likely see most of the fruit of his labor until we enter Glory, and the time in between is guaranteed to be rocky.
Indeed, I will go so far as to assert that if you are at peace with the world, you have abdicated your calling. You have become a court preacher to some earthly power, no matter how innocuous it may appear. To put it straight: you have been bought! If there is no controversy in your ministry, there is probably very little content to your preaching. The content of the Word of God is not only alive and active, it is sharper than any two-edged sword, and that means it does some surgery. Cutting leads to bleeding, and by God’s grace healing then comes, but there is always controversy.
Mohler then challenges the reader to “contrast the absolute priority of preaching in Paul’s ministry with the frequent confusion in today’s congregations on the priority of preaching. Mohler then expounds on what should be the “Content of Preaching”, the “Goal of Preaching”, and the “Authority of Preaching before concluding with the fact that, for the man who has responded to God’s call to preach, “(i)n the final analysis, we will know how faithful we have been only in glory. When we see our Savior face to face, and when we see all the saints to whom we have preached, we will discover whether or not our preaching contributed to their completeness in Christ.”
As I began reading the article by James Boice I was struck by the realization that I had never read anything by the man. I had read and heard quotes, but I had not read any sermons, articles or books by this great man of faith. Now I have, and now I desire to read even more. Boice deals with “The Foolishness of Preaching”. Dr. Boice begins by outlining the “foolishness” of the Gospel as perceived by the three dominant worldviews surrounding its inception: Jewish, Roman and Greek and how the “foolishness” of the message was especially folly to the Greek mind. He goes on to point out that “we can say that preaching is that wise means of God by which the wisdom of the world is shown to be foolishness, and the folly of the gospel, as the world conceives it, is shown to be true wisdom” as we see the results of the Gospel, which is conversion. Boice then illustrates new birth by comparing it to human birth, an illustration that you have to read. Boice also encourages the preacher to take some advice from his predecessor at Tenth Presbyterian, DG Barnhouse. Barnhouse viewed his congregants as barrels. Some were empty. Some, unbeknownst to him, had varying levels of gunpowder. His job as a minister of the Gospel was, through Gospel proclamation, to throw lit matches into the barrels. When the Gospel hit the prepared heart it was akin to a lit match hitting a barrel full of gunpowder.
However, preaching is not just for the conversion of lost sinners. It is as much for the building up of the church, if not more so. It is not just the unredeemed who need the Gospel, it is all of us. Boice makes what may seem like an overstatement, but I think he is spot-on when he says, “I do not think it is too much to say that preaching really is an essential means, perhaps even the most important means, of grace,” and because of this, “we should be very careful in our Christian lives to expose ourselves to the best teaching and attend the best churches available.” So what kind of preachers should we be/sit under? Boice takes up the next five pages or so showing us and ends with the example of Enoch, the preacher who walked with God.
Derek Thomas’ chapter “Expository Preaching” definitely ruffled my feathers and I am still trying to determine if I agree or disagree with a few of his more “controversial” points. Thomas makes a great point about preaching from the outset. He says simply that “preaching must enable those who hear it to understand their Bibles.” If this were the aim and focus of all preachers, preaching would be in a much better state in this world. Thomas begins to make his argument for expository preaching with a quote. “William Perkins’ The Arte of Prophecying (1617), included this instruction: ‘The Word of God alone is to be preached, in its perfection and inner consistency. Scripture is the exclusive subject of preaching, the only field in which the preacher is to labour.’ “ Not only does Thomas argue for expository sermons, but he argues that true expository preaching is lectio continua, continuous lecturing from one verse to the next, through books of the Bible(citing great examples including John Calvin and Martin Lloyd-Jones). In defining an expository sermon he quotes Bryan Chappell, “an expository sermon (i)s that which ‘requires that it expound Scripture by deriving from a specific text main points and sub points that disclose the thought of the author, cover the scope of the passage, and are applied to the lives of the listeners.’"
Nothing so far has been too earth shaking, but then Thomas dares to take aim at Puritans, Lloyd-Jones, Spurgeon, and the historic-redemptive model all in one section entitled “Bad Homiletical Models”.(To be fair, Thomas is not really taking aim at any of these but rather pointing out some of the error that results from modeling one’s expository preaching improperly after any of these. He is fair, respectful and from what I can tell, pretty accurate in his critique.) Thomas then gives some warnings against taking our focus off the text when we preach and finishes with an extensive argument for the “lectio continua” model of expository preaching.
Joel Beeke, or “Mr. Puritan” as he is known around my living room, takes on the next topic of “Experiential (Experimental) Preaching”. Beeke sets out to answer five questions as he takes us through this article:
1. What is experiential religion and preaching?
2. Why is the experiential aspect of preaching necessary?
3. What are the essential characteristics of experiential preaching?
4. Why must a minister habitually exhibit holiness to be effective in the ministry?
5. What practical lessons on Christian living can we learn from the experiential preaching of our predecessors?
“Experiential preaching stresses the need to know by experience the great truths of the Word of God. A working definition of experiential preaching might be: “Preaching that seeks to explain in terms of biblical truth how matters ought to go, how they do go, and the goal of the Christian life.” Such preaching aims to apply divine truth to the whole range of the believer’s personal experience, including his relationships with family, the church, and the world around him.”
Beeke explains that experiential preaching is discriminatory, applicatory, stresses an intimate, personal relationship with God(but not at the expense of Scripture), and is Theocentric. When comparing reformed, experiential preaching to what most believers endure today, Beeke says, “The Word of God is too often preached in a way that will not transform listeners because it fails to discriminate and fails to apply.” He continues by pointing out that this type of preaching “is reduced to a lecture or a demonstration as the preacher caters to what people want to hear.” The failure of this type of preaching is its inability to”explain from the Bible what the Reformed called ‘vital religion’: how a sinner must be stripped of his righteousness, driven to Christ alone for salvation, and led to the joy of simple reliance upon Christ.” Beeke then outlines why experiential preaching is necessary and what are its distinguishing marks before finishing with a call to personal holiness and a very practical application section at the end…it is almost like he has been reading Puritan literature for decades!
RC Sproul’s chapter on “The Teaching Preacher” follows. Sproul looks at the preacher as teacher based on the teachings of Martin Luther. “What shepherd would so neglect his sheep that he would fail to feed them? It is the feeding of the sheep, according to Luther, that is the prime task of the ministry. And that feeding comes, principally, through teaching.” Sproul makes a great point on the difference between preaching and teaching. “I make a distinction between preaching—which involves exhortation, exposition, admonition, encouragement, and comfort—and teaching, which involves the transfer of information.”
In speaking of the difference, Sproul states, “I’ve always thought that the primary thing, as Luther understood, that I’m responsible to do as a minister is to teach the people the things of God.” I am not certain I would agree with this statement, especially in light of the distinction Sproul made earlier. I believe the primary responsibility is to preach the Gospel (as a means of grace that grants faith), not “transfer (the) information” of the Gospel.
Sproul then gives some great insight on the proclivity of the seminarian to graduate with a firm grasp of an academic field yet lacking even the ability to converse significantly on the actual Scriptures. Sproul then quotes Luther on the pastor’s need to be assertive on doctrines found in Scripture. Replying to the attitude of Erasmus that the scholar need to be “open” and not firm on difficult doctrines Luther responded, ““Nothing is more familiar or characteristic among Christians than assertion. Take away assertions and you take away Christianity.” This point is extremely relevant in our age of “Emergent dialogue” that feels compelled to question all and assert nothing, other than the fact that we are bound to question all and assert nothing. The section on Luther’s teaching to guard against false teaching is worth putting to memory and applying daily. “Avoiding Novelties” is a brilliant section that can be summed up with a single quote, “There is no room for (creative invention) in the pulpit, and there is no room for it in the teaching of the people of God.” We are not called as ministers to “create” or come up with something “new”. We are commanded and privileged to proclaim the “old story”, the one that creates faith in the heart of him who hears it.
Sproul completes the chapter with a section on “Aiming at the Heart through the Mind”. On the way to this section Sproul makes my day as, while dealing with the spectrum of conservative/liberal theology, he reminds us of the left-winged liberalness of the Jesus Seminar by referring to them as the “lunatic fringe” of liberal theology. A more apt description has never been administered to this Grand Hotel cast of “theologians” who’s only genuine link to each other is their disdain for the historical Jesus their desire to supplant Him with a “Jesus” of their own creation.
RC Sproul Jr next addresses “Preaching to the Mind” followed by Sinclair Ferguson’s “Preaching to the Heart”, Don Kistler’s chapter entitled “Preaching with Authority” and Eric Alexander on “Evangelistic Preaching”. The book closes with John Piper’s chapter on “Preaching to the Suffering People and John Macarthur’s “A Reminder to the Shepherds”.
Piper has been my favorite living teacher on this subject now for quite a while (although the teachings of Matt Chandler over these past 18 months may have made him my go to source as of late). Piper has a brilliant way of getting to the heart of the matter and encouraging us all to enjoy God, not in spite of difficult circumstances but because of them with the knowledge that God works all things for the good of those called to love Him. Piper contends(with Scripture) that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him and that the universal reality of suffering endangers the faith of every Christian, thus, he asserts that “our preaching must aim, week in and week out, to help our people be satisfied in God while suffering.”
We must help them count suffering as part of why they should be satisfied in God. We must build into their minds and hearts a vi sion of God and His ways that helps them see suffering not merely as a threat to their satisfaction in God (which it is), but also as a means to their satisfaction in God (which it is). We must preach so as to make suffering seem normal and purposeful, and not surprising in this fallen age. The forces of American culture are almost all designed to build the opposite worldview into our people’s minds.
John Macarthur finishes the book with a reminder to pastors from the example of the Apostle Paul. God uses clay pots. He has chosen to use earthen vessels to proclaim His heavenly message and the attraction, validity, focus, love should be on the message, not the vessel. Macarthur assures any who will take up the task of faitfully proclaiming God’s Gospel that they will be attacked. The attacks often come from those the preacher loves most and labors so faithfully to serve. The attacks are sure to come but a response is only necessary in cases where the truth of the Gospel is being compromised. The preacher cares more about the message than he does his reputation, his finances, his comfort, even his own life.
How can God use clay pots when it involves such a glorious message? That is exactly how. God desires the focus to be on the message, not the messenger. The messenger is the grocery bag; the message is the Kobe steak. The messenger is the wooden crate; the message is the sports car. The messenger is the run down feeding trough; the message is the Savior of the World wrapped in swaddling clothes. The messenger is a vessel of clay; the message is God’s glorious Gospel. It is totally about the message, so the messenger should never entertain the idea that it is about him in the least.
This book is excellent. There is not a wasted page. My one and only reservation is that I am not certain how accessible this book is for those not acquainted with/interested in the ministry of preaching from a theoretical or technical aspect. It is not dry academia, but it is definitely academic in nature for the most part. As far as it goes for an academic text, it is very accessible and quite enjoyable. If you have any desire to read this book, you will not be disappointed. If you would like to read this text and review it for a complimentary copy, click here and learn more about Reformation Trust’s program to receive a copy of this book simply for reading it and reviewing it, like I did!
February 16, 2019
Very good book. Not phenomenal, but good. Some chapters were mediocre, some were great. I especially enjoyed and benefited from Sinclair Ferguson's "Preaching to the Heart", John Piper's "Preaching to Suffering People" and John MacArthur's "Reminder to Shepherd's." Ferguson's chapter was a refreshing reminder of the main goal of preaching. We preach to the hearts of the people. Their hearts are primarily what need to be changed. He did a great job of explaining the importance of this, but not neglecting the fact that we need to address the heart through the mind. The mind isn't the end goal though. Changed hearts are.
Piper's chapter was the best in the book for me. It was a topic that was least familiar to me so I benefited from it from that standpoint. The emphasis in Scripture on suffering is overwhelming. The admonitions to preach on God's purposes in suffering before great tragedy strikes our people, was phenomenal. They need to see their pastors rejoice in suffering themselves, and they need to hear their shepherds preach on God's good designs in suffering to make us like Christ so that God may be fully glorified in our suffering and so we don't fall away from the faith when testing comes.
MacArthur's reminder was extremely comforting as a reminder that God uses weak, earthen vessels to carry his Gospel. It's not about us as messengers. It's about God and His glorious Gospel. It was a great reminder to humility and at the same time an uplifting and encouraging reminder that our weakness is not a hindrance to God speaking to His people what they need to hear.
Piper's chapter was the best in the book for me. It was a topic that was least familiar to me so I benefited from it from that standpoint. The emphasis in Scripture on suffering is overwhelming. The admonitions to preach on God's purposes in suffering before great tragedy strikes our people, was phenomenal. They need to see their pastors rejoice in suffering themselves, and they need to hear their shepherds preach on God's good designs in suffering to make us like Christ so that God may be fully glorified in our suffering and so we don't fall away from the faith when testing comes.
MacArthur's reminder was extremely comforting as a reminder that God uses weak, earthen vessels to carry his Gospel. It's not about us as messengers. It's about God and His glorious Gospel. It was a great reminder to humility and at the same time an uplifting and encouraging reminder that our weakness is not a hindrance to God speaking to His people what they need to hear.
January 19, 2022
Some essays were better than others. I particularly enjoyed Derek Thomas's case for expository preaching. Then John Piper's essay on suffering was outstanding, as was John MacArthur's chapter on the humanity of the preacher. However, this book takes on an intramural / interleague / inner-ring kind of tone to anyone not coming from the Reformed perspective. Have you ever come to a party and found out that you're not on the invite list? You're excited to participate, but your stomach drops when you discover that you weren't only excluded, but perhaps even reviled? This is how I felt as a Pentecostal reading some chapters, especially chapter four. In it, Joel Beeke goes as far as to equate expository preaching with reformed preaching. And then warns his reader to be selective with what they read, stating, "So much of Christian literature today is froth, riddled with Arminian Theology or secular thinking. Time is too precious to waste on nonsense." Ouch. There are many Pentecostals who would love to grow in expository preaching, but work largely from an Arminian framework. What are they supposed to think of this? In essence, Beeke ostracized them - putting their theology on par of secularism and calling their way of thinking nonsense. Was that necessary? I give the whole work 4 stars. Tempted to give it 4.5. It's a great introduction to preaching for anyone who holds a high view of Scripture. But it's disappointing, as a non-reformed practitioner, to know the authors hold such a low view of you. So, as long as you can be secure in who you are as a Pentecostal/Charismatic or simply non-reformed, come and get what you need, but don't expect you'll be invited to stay.
December 22, 2021
Price received this book at the 2021 ARBCA GA. I stole it first thing. 😁 This may sound funny, but this may be the best book for a pastor's wife that I've read so far. It helped me better understand my husband’s inner turmoil and equipped me to be encouraging to him when he's fragile, broken, or weighed down.
It was interesting, as I was reading, to see how the Presbyterian doctrines of pedobaptism have filled their membership roles with unbelievers. Several of them said that the first thing about preaching was the preach had to actually be a believer. Baptist have many unbelievers sharing our pews, for sure, but we do try as finite men to reserve membership for those with credible confessions of faith only. So, seeing that contrasted so strongly was interesting.
Two Baptists are included, Piper and MacArthur, and while I found their articles helpful, I do wish they could include some 2LBCF guys like Renihan or Barsellos.
But, all in all, a great book. Something useful for pastors, pastor's wives, and for every church member. It would bless a pastor so much if church members read books like this and really valued the preaching, as well as realizing the burden and work a pastor carries.
It was interesting, as I was reading, to see how the Presbyterian doctrines of pedobaptism have filled their membership roles with unbelievers. Several of them said that the first thing about preaching was the preach had to actually be a believer. Baptist have many unbelievers sharing our pews, for sure, but we do try as finite men to reserve membership for those with credible confessions of faith only. So, seeing that contrasted so strongly was interesting.
Two Baptists are included, Piper and MacArthur, and while I found their articles helpful, I do wish they could include some 2LBCF guys like Renihan or Barsellos.
But, all in all, a great book. Something useful for pastors, pastor's wives, and for every church member. It would bless a pastor so much if church members read books like this and really valued the preaching, as well as realizing the burden and work a pastor carries.
June 24, 2018
outstanding truth from outstanding teachers! what great truth and reminders that are becoming harder to hear and easier to forget. whether a pastor or a sheep, man or woman... these great truth a remind us of the great privilege and position of our pastors. personally encouraged to serve and encourage and pray for our pastors and SUPER thankful for the few great pastors that the Lord has blessed us with. also reminded of the importance of sound , biblical preaching and equipped leaders which is getting harder to find. Maranatha!
October 12, 2018
Solid resource. Some essays were better than others. One of the chapters had the often misquoted text attributed to Charles Spurgeon about "making a b-line to the cross" in every sermon. Not only has it never been proven that Spurgeon ever said this, but it is a thoroughly unbiblical approach to preaching that has confused a lot of preachers and congregants. Piper does a wonderful job of refuting this in his much better book on preaching entitled, Expository Exultation. Read Piper's book. It is better.
January 16, 2023
This book was really helpful and encouraging. Helpful in that it reaffirmed how important it is to make sure my family and I are in church every Sunday; helpful in that I know better how to pray for my elders; and helpful in that I think I can be more discerning in what I read and what I hear preached. It was encouraging in that I see all these qualities/traits/requirements in my elders, and even increasing in them every week.
November 10, 2017
This book made me feel so unworthy and guilty of not doing enough expository preaching. Mostly textual like Spurgeon, at times dry exegesis, though striving for precision yet lacking in power. I really enjoyed Dr. Boice's chapter on the foolishness of preaching and his insights on Enoch, and Mcarthur's a reminder to Shepherds, was truly encouraging...
April 25, 2019
Great book on preaching. Each chapter is written by different people and focuses on a different aspect of preaching. This book drives us to consider look at what preaching really is from experience pastors.
The first few chapters were more instructional, while the latter ones guided thinking.
The first few chapters were more instructional, while the latter ones guided thinking.
November 8, 2023
Great book on the task of the preacher. He is called to feed the sheep with God's Holy word. Great collection of good expository preachers contribute with their own chapter. I would recommend this book to all young ministers and those thinking about ministry.
May 14, 2024
An interesting book but it is written for pastors/preachers. For the laity, if you think something is missing at your church it probably isn't a new program, different liturgy, or better music. Its better preaching.
February 2, 2025
A great resource for preachers. There are tidbits of insights here and there, as well as massive reminders for those that are regularly behind the pulpit. With an open heart, there is a lot to be gleaned from this book. A good edition to the library!
November 29, 2017
Really good, biblical and practical from some great practitioners. A well balanced offering.
January 9, 2018
Great book. Loved the expository preaching chapter.
November 10, 2018
While I didn't agree with everyone's viewpoint, every chapter had something quite compelling to offer. This book is worth a second, much slower-paced, read. It should be studied.
January 6, 2021
This is a collection of writings, so some are going to be stronger than others. Individual articles would be between 3-5 stars.
March 21, 2022
A must read for pastors, those considering becoming a pastor and for pulpit committees looking for a pastor.
March 23, 2022
Highs and lows nothing unbiblical but a couple essays out shine the rest which makes it worth your time.
March 9, 2023
I just love this book. And have re-read parts of it several times.
July 16, 2012
Feed My Sheep is an indispensable resource for preachers. It’s not a homiletic how-to rather it focuses on what preaching should be and what it should accomplish. And it’s written by some of the best preachers and communicators of our generation. You have essays by Ligon Duncan, Al Mohler, James Montgomery Boice, Derek Thomas, Joel Beeke, R. C. Sproul, R. C. Sproul Jr., Sincalir Ferguson, Don Kistler, Eric Alexander, John Piper, and John MacArthur. If you could create a list of more qualified expositors I would be surprised.
They argue from the basic reformation principle that expository preaching (preaching that’s necessarily tied to the text) is a mark of the true church. Mohler argues for its primacy in the church. Boice discusses the foolishness of preaching. This chapter is littered with marginalia and highlights. Here is one of my favorite sections,
One of my predecessors at Tenth Presbyterian Church, Donald Grey Barnhouse, used to say that when he preached to an audience, he used to think of them as barrels sitting on the pews. Most of them were empty. But some of them had gunpowder inside, and his job was to produce explosions. He did it by striking the matches of the Word and throwing them into the barrels. When he hit one that had gunpowder, there would be an explosion. God put the gunpowder there. Then, as the Word was preached, there was a spiritual ignition or rebirth. This is one of the reasons we should value preaching so highly. (23)
Thomas explains the Scriptural basis for expository preaching and recommends the lectio continua (“continuous expositions” p. 36). Beeke stresses the need for preaching out of our experience which emphasizes “the intimate, personal knowledge of God in Christ” (54; one of my favorite chapters). He says exposition is not enough; we must apply the word (56). R. C. Sproul argues for preachers who teach. Preachers should be silent when the Word is silent but they should not shy away from assertions when Scripture speaks.
Sproul Jr. discuses preaching to the mind. He shows that this is the primary way the apostles engaged their hearers. Ferguson contrasts that with preaching to the heart which does four things: “instruction in truth, conviction of the conscience, restoration and transformation of life, and equipping for service” (105). Alexander urges for evangelical preaching. He reminds us that only Christ saves but it’s the Christ found in the Bible (125). John Piper in his typically fashion attacks the preacher’s duty through the lens of suffering and joy. He argues the preacher must preach so that his hearers treasure Christ alone and are prepared to suffer. He also must demonstrate this kind of joy through suffering in his own ministry. John MacArthur ends by reminding pastors that their abilities and skills are not necessary for the success of the gospel. They are clay plots. It’s faithfulness in preaching the word that produces God-honoring results.
This review has been more summary than my typical review but I wanted to give the preachers out there a quick taste for what they will find in Feed in My Sheep to encourage you to buy it if you haven’t read it. For young preachers being ordained and installed, this book should be on top of your reading list. It’s practical and Biblical and it might just save you the headache from worrying about which program to invest in and what will be most successful in drawing people to Christ. The short answer is preaching but you need to read the book to get the full impact.
A free copy of this book was provided by Reformation Trust.
They argue from the basic reformation principle that expository preaching (preaching that’s necessarily tied to the text) is a mark of the true church. Mohler argues for its primacy in the church. Boice discusses the foolishness of preaching. This chapter is littered with marginalia and highlights. Here is one of my favorite sections,
One of my predecessors at Tenth Presbyterian Church, Donald Grey Barnhouse, used to say that when he preached to an audience, he used to think of them as barrels sitting on the pews. Most of them were empty. But some of them had gunpowder inside, and his job was to produce explosions. He did it by striking the matches of the Word and throwing them into the barrels. When he hit one that had gunpowder, there would be an explosion. God put the gunpowder there. Then, as the Word was preached, there was a spiritual ignition or rebirth. This is one of the reasons we should value preaching so highly. (23)
Thomas explains the Scriptural basis for expository preaching and recommends the lectio continua (“continuous expositions” p. 36). Beeke stresses the need for preaching out of our experience which emphasizes “the intimate, personal knowledge of God in Christ” (54; one of my favorite chapters). He says exposition is not enough; we must apply the word (56). R. C. Sproul argues for preachers who teach. Preachers should be silent when the Word is silent but they should not shy away from assertions when Scripture speaks.
Sproul Jr. discuses preaching to the mind. He shows that this is the primary way the apostles engaged their hearers. Ferguson contrasts that with preaching to the heart which does four things: “instruction in truth, conviction of the conscience, restoration and transformation of life, and equipping for service” (105). Alexander urges for evangelical preaching. He reminds us that only Christ saves but it’s the Christ found in the Bible (125). John Piper in his typically fashion attacks the preacher’s duty through the lens of suffering and joy. He argues the preacher must preach so that his hearers treasure Christ alone and are prepared to suffer. He also must demonstrate this kind of joy through suffering in his own ministry. John MacArthur ends by reminding pastors that their abilities and skills are not necessary for the success of the gospel. They are clay plots. It’s faithfulness in preaching the word that produces God-honoring results.
This review has been more summary than my typical review but I wanted to give the preachers out there a quick taste for what they will find in Feed in My Sheep to encourage you to buy it if you haven’t read it. For young preachers being ordained and installed, this book should be on top of your reading list. It’s practical and Biblical and it might just save you the headache from worrying about which program to invest in and what will be most successful in drawing people to Christ. The short answer is preaching but you need to read the book to get the full impact.
A free copy of this book was provided by Reformation Trust.
January 26, 2016
This is an important book. It is what the subtitle says, "a passionate plea for preaching." Specifically, this is a needed plea for faithful expositional preaching. The book is an edited volume with 11 contributors, men who make up a pantheon of modern-day expositional preaching giants. Although known for their phenomenal ministries, the humility and passion they speak to this subject with is a clarion call to faithfully preach God's word.
Subjects of the chapters cover the full gamut of relevant topics related to the preaching task. Albert Mohler writes the first chapter on 'the primacy of preaching.' He says "everything ought to build to the preaching of the Word, for that is when the God of whom we have been speaking and singing speaks to us from His eternal and perfect Word." James Montgomery Boice agrees "Preaching is the primary means of growth for the local church." Further chapters by Derek Thomas, John Piper, R.C. Sproul call the reader to preach through suffering, preach to the heart and mind, and preach experientially.
This book is a call to preach, not a manual on 'how' to preach. I think it is sorely needed in the church today. The 11 authors pack a punch with their writing. There is really no minced words here. In around 160 pages the reader gets challenged, admonished, and equipped for the task. This text should grace the shelves of every preacher's library.
Subjects of the chapters cover the full gamut of relevant topics related to the preaching task. Albert Mohler writes the first chapter on 'the primacy of preaching.' He says "everything ought to build to the preaching of the Word, for that is when the God of whom we have been speaking and singing speaks to us from His eternal and perfect Word." James Montgomery Boice agrees "Preaching is the primary means of growth for the local church." Further chapters by Derek Thomas, John Piper, R.C. Sproul call the reader to preach through suffering, preach to the heart and mind, and preach experientially.
This book is a call to preach, not a manual on 'how' to preach. I think it is sorely needed in the church today. The 11 authors pack a punch with their writing. There is really no minced words here. In around 160 pages the reader gets challenged, admonished, and equipped for the task. This text should grace the shelves of every preacher's library.
December 30, 2015
This book is a series of essays by famous Christian pastors about passionate preaching. I dabble. I teach Sunday School and Priesthood lessons on Sunday in my local Mormon congregations and I've never really picked up too many books about preaching even though it is a weekly occurrence for me.
The big takeaway for me on this book was the fact that many of these pastors are dealing with similar problems that our own Mormon congregation is. It was refreshing to hear some of their points of view on how they are handling it.
Some of the pastors' essays were long-winded and verbose, and frankly, poorly written. Others were sincere attempts to advance the word of God by passionate people who loved their ministries.
One thing that has stuck with me is one essay where the pastor was talking about how many churches focus on their ministry (like charity work or service missions), or focus on their music, while their actual preaching is taking up less and less time and emphasis because the actual preaching isn't popular. I think that is a fascinating trend that I had never thought about.
The big takeaway for me on this book was the fact that many of these pastors are dealing with similar problems that our own Mormon congregation is. It was refreshing to hear some of their points of view on how they are handling it.
Some of the pastors' essays were long-winded and verbose, and frankly, poorly written. Others were sincere attempts to advance the word of God by passionate people who loved their ministries.
One thing that has stuck with me is one essay where the pastor was talking about how many churches focus on their ministry (like charity work or service missions), or focus on their music, while their actual preaching is taking up less and less time and emphasis because the actual preaching isn't popular. I think that is a fascinating trend that I had never thought about.
November 16, 2010
This is a series of articles on preaching, and I really enjoyed a few of them, while I found others a bit dry.
I thought the Expository Preaching article was good because it talked about the importance of teaching from the entire Bible and not just the comfort passages that everyone recognizes.
I also enjoyed the Preaching With Authority article because it boldly points out that God's Word hasn't changed even though our society openly accepts many things that are not based on New Testament teachings.
I thought the Preaching to Suffering People article was good a reminder that being a Christian means we will endure hardships just like everybody else, and even more so because we can be persecuted for our beliefs.
Finally, I thought A Reminder to Shepherds was an excellent point that preachers and teachers are just clay pots full of the knowledge and glory of God (see 2 Corinthians 4:5-7). The important thing to remember is the Gospel is much greater than those who deliver it.
I thought the Expository Preaching article was good because it talked about the importance of teaching from the entire Bible and not just the comfort passages that everyone recognizes.
I also enjoyed the Preaching With Authority article because it boldly points out that God's Word hasn't changed even though our society openly accepts many things that are not based on New Testament teachings.
I thought the Preaching to Suffering People article was good a reminder that being a Christian means we will endure hardships just like everybody else, and even more so because we can be persecuted for our beliefs.
Finally, I thought A Reminder to Shepherds was an excellent point that preachers and teachers are just clay pots full of the knowledge and glory of God (see 2 Corinthians 4:5-7). The important thing to remember is the Gospel is much greater than those who deliver it.
November 19, 2008
A collection of articles on preaching from some of the greatest authorities on the subject. Mohler, MacArthur, Piper, Ferguson, Boice, Sproul etc...
This book is not however, the standard plea for 'we need more expository preaching' over & over. That is one of the articles, but there is much more focus on the task of preaching... why homelitics is so important, the teaching preacher, preaching to the mind, to the heart, to suffering people, preaching with authority, preaching in evangelism and on & on.
This book is both encouraging & convicting, i commend it to all who take up the mantle of preacher/teacher.
This book is not however, the standard plea for 'we need more expository preaching' over & over. That is one of the articles, but there is much more focus on the task of preaching... why homelitics is so important, the teaching preacher, preaching to the mind, to the heart, to suffering people, preaching with authority, preaching in evangelism and on & on.
This book is both encouraging & convicting, i commend it to all who take up the mantle of preacher/teacher.
July 17, 2016
Does God want You to be a preacher?
I loved this book. I am a clay pot and I know it. I know I am to serve Jesus Christ but have not known for sure, how I am to serve Him. I've been thinking about ministry but just was not sure if I could be good enough. This book made me realise that I am worthy of just such a calling. I need to be exercised into the ministry slowly - but I am sure that before I die I will pass Jesus Christ onward to somebody else who will make great use of the information.
Great book. Buy it in hardcover it is worthy of a space in your library.
I loved this book. I am a clay pot and I know it. I know I am to serve Jesus Christ but have not known for sure, how I am to serve Him. I've been thinking about ministry but just was not sure if I could be good enough. This book made me realise that I am worthy of just such a calling. I need to be exercised into the ministry slowly - but I am sure that before I die I will pass Jesus Christ onward to somebody else who will make great use of the information.
Great book. Buy it in hardcover it is worthy of a space in your library.
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