The Jazz of Preaching: How to Preach with Great Freedom and Joy

by Kirk Byron Jones

What if preachers were as contagiously joyful in their preaching as Louis Armstrong was in his playing and singing? As rich in their sermonic renderings as Sarah Vaughan was in her musical vocals? As honest about heartache as Billie Holiday was every time she sang about the blues of life? As alluringly clear as the angelic voice of Ella Fitzgerald? As tenaciously uninhibited in the action of creating as Duke Ellington?

Of course, this is too much to ask of people, even those called by God. However, it is not too much to ask this Can preaching be enhanced through the metaphor of jazz? Can an understanding of the inner dynamics of jazz--its particular forms, rules, and styles--inform one's practice of preaching as well? Can jazz's simultaneous structure and spontaneity help preachers better understand their own art?

The answer to these questions, says Jones, is an unqualified yes. He explains how one can dramatically improve one's preaching through understanding and applying key elements of the musical art form known as jazz. No musical background is necessary; all examples are well explained and tied in with preaching. The key elements include innovation (what one commentator refers to as "the experimental disposition of jazz"), improvisation, rhythm, call and response, honesty about heartaches, and delight. After discussing the reality and role of each of these elements in jazz, and how they can be important for preaching as well, each chapter concludes with five exercises for applying the jazz element to preaching preparation and performance.

Drawing on a deep love of jazz and enlivening the discussion with insights drawn from the realities of African American preaching, Jones introduces readers to rich and rewarding possibilities for constructing and delivering the sermon.

140 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2004

Reviews

[Demetrius Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered a great new author - Kirk Byron Jones! He speaks out of the African-American preaching tradition, and I'm discerning he's somewhat of a contemplative/mystic. I particularly enjoy the softer and more circumspect voices. They might not be as pragmatic, but they're chock full of insight and wisdom. This book is somewhat like that. Not very practical, but studded with insight and layered over with creativity. His passion for jazz is highly contagious. And I think I may have caught the bug! My jazz playlist is burgeoning. My only criticism is that his jazz analogy was a bit lopsided because he didn't always bring it home to the preaching event. At times he seemed to leave his reader to make their own connections. My favorite part of the book was the way he closed each chapter with "Exercises and Resources." In this section, he includes some of his favorite artists and albums, interesting books, sections of books, and a ton of creative activities to infuse and reinfuse the act of preaching with freedom and joy.

[Adam Tomlinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Byron Jones illustrates the way that Spirit guided preaching can aptly be compared to Jazz music through improvisation, "dialogue" between preacher(s) and the audience, and the power and need to persevere through sorrow.

While the book felt often more like a book on Jazz than preaching, I appreciated his self-disclosure and willingness to give action steps after each chapter.

I found the book worth reading, though not the best starting place for a preacher.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I try to read a preaching book a year, and this one was a fun one about creativity, improvisation, mood, dialogue, and the 'swing' of preaching. All in conversation with Jazz! Nice exercises, resources, and musical suggestions too.

[Phil Whittall · Rating 2 out of 5]

I try and read a book on preaching on a regular basis as it helps me keep my thoughts on how to preach broad, gives me fresh creativity and hopefully makes me a better preacher. The subtitle to this book is ‘how to preach with great freedom and joy’ and asks questions such as can we preach with the same freedom and joy and honesty that we find in great jazz. Interestingly, I’ve just noted that it has an endorsement from Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama’s controversial preacher.

I think it works best if a) you like Jazz and I do b) you’re African American and I’m not. Or at least American, there were cultural styles, heritage and references which even though I’ve been to church all my life I simply didn’t connect with. If I’d taken his preaching class and worked through all the suggested exercises, listened to all the suggested music, thought deeply about all the suggested themes then I’d probably have benefited much more. It is after all true that you often get out what you put in and I put ‘in’ very little into this book. But then again what I did read didn’t fire me up to put in any more. There was the occasional gem but on the whole you had to dig hard. Not for these shores, in my humble opinion.

[Amos Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is all about finding your flow in the pulpit and trusting the process of improvisation. The best preachers like the best jazz musicians are masters of improvisation. I took a class from Kirk Byron Jones entitled "The Jazz of Preaching." Jones had us watch jazz artists and commented on their improvisational style. Yes the Holy Spirit moves in the moment improvising along the way! Highly recommended!
-Amos Smith (author of Healing The Divide: Recovering Christianity's Mystic Roots)

[Annabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed reading this book. Jones' writing style is laidback and easy to understand, but what he has to say is powerful - like any good sermon! The connection of preaching with jazz music has helped me to view proclamation in musical terms, which has helped bring more passion to my preaching. Jones' exercises and questions are thought-provoking and I look forward to working through them in the future.

[Heather Djama · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book compared preaching to playing jazz music and uses principles that can be found in jazz music to teach effective preaching. This book encouraged creativity and discussed the importance of being flexiable and preaching out of a full life and relationship with God. Good book for anyone who has to preach regurally.

[JD Brenke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The marriage of Jazz and Preaching. How can it not be good? Revolutionized the way I preach. Game changer.