The Preaching Event

by John Claypool

John Claypool is one of this country's foremost preachers. In "The Preaching Event, the text of the Lyman Beecher Lectures on Preaching, delivered by Claypool in 1979, he talks about the what, why, how, and when of preaching. What are the basic objectives of the preacher? Why do we preach? How should we preach? When is it done? Claypool's book is an excellent companion for new or seasoned preachers.

139 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[M Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never met John Claypool but was twice a member of one of the churches where he had previously pastored and have a long acquaintance with his son. As a result of hearing Rowan talk about his dad and members of that church reminisce about him, I wished I'd experienced his pastorate. This slim volume on preaching makes me feel so again. There's nothing earthshattering here, just good commonsense and insight from a seasoned practitioner of the "preaching event." There are fine lessons here for the novice and important reminders for the veteran of the pulpit. The task has not changed in 40 years, only, perhaps, grown more critically needed.

[Bill Hooten · Rating 4 out of 5]

In February of 1979, John Claypool was the chosen speaker for the "Lyman Beecher Lectures on Preaching" at Yale Divinity School. This book, and its subject matter, was the result of the preparation and delivery of those messages. I have been more familiar with Claypool's book on grief, "Tracks of a Fellow Struggler", but I am glad that I decided to read some older works on preaching -- and this one in particular. Claypool gave four lectures on "The Preaching Event"; and he dealt with the what, why, how, and when of preaching. The chapters were designated: (1) "The Preacher as Reconciler"; (2) "The Preacher as Gift-Giver"; (3) "The Preacher as Witness"; and (4) "The Preacher as Nurturer." Claypool bares himself, his struggles, and his doubts in this short work (139 pages) -- and some of them are ones that I have dealt with myself. I believe that if you have an interest in preaching -- either because you preach, someone you loves preaches, or you just have empathy with the preach -- this book will be of great profit to you. I would recommend it highly.

[E. · Rating 1 out of 5]

While in college at Oklahoma Baptist University, Jacob Zimmer, who lived across the hall, gave me a cassette copy of the sermon John Claypool preached at Crescent Hill Baptist Church in Louisville, KY sometime when Claypool came back to preach at an anniversary. By that time Claypool was an Episcopalian. He preached on the Parable of the Day Laborers, and it was the best sermon I had ever heard. I played it often over the years and eventually lost it when I loaned it to someone. Though I later googled that sermon and found a similar one. I've preached excerpts of it at the last two churches when that text came around in the lectionary.

This particular volume has been in my library since college. When I was still a student the pastor emeritus of my home church decided to give me his entire library. It was a great treasure to a student. Over the years many volumes from that original treasure have been culled from my library as I've grown my own, but occasionally one of those volumes will still influence my work. This particular volume I've been intending to read for at least a decade.

It is the book developed from Claypool's Lyman Beecher Lectures at Yale. I've read a few of the lectures of other preachers and even a great book talking about all the lectures and lecturers up through the mid 20th century. I finally decided to get around to reading this volume.

Claypool preached in a very confessional way that shared intimately from the minister's own life. Chapter four of this book gives the essence of this method. At the time, late 70's, this was a rather radical idea and not how most ministers preached. He writes about the shock in congregants who want the minister to present a perfect persona and don't want to hear about the ministers struggles, doubts, and suffering.

This turn was important for preaching, though since the 1970's this method has gone to its own extreme and one hears sermons that are more about the pastor and his/her family than about God, scripture, or theology. I have my confessional moments, but it is not the dominate mode in my preaching. And now many who write on preaching really caution about sharing too many personal stories.

Outside of that chapter, much of the rest of the material was not all that interesting to me. It was very Southern Baptist -- he writes that the goal of preaching is to reconnect (notice the "re") people to God by sharing of our experience of grace. I wonder what Claypool would have lectured years later when he had switched denominations?

There is much reliance on developmental views current at the time, and many anecdotes that are corny and dated. In the Introduction he writes of his spiritual experience while preparing the lectures, but the story left me unmoved. He writes that the question that has dominated him throughout his life is "In the drama of everyday events, what does God do and what do we humans do?" That has not been a question that has particularly troubled or interested me.

So, I would not recommend this work on preaching. The best book on preaching I've read is Fred Craddock's book simply entitled Preaching.