Preaching the Cross

by Mark Dever (Contributor), J. Ligon Duncan III (Contributor), R. Albert Mohler Jr. (Contributor)

Proclaiming the gospel is without a doubt the most important task of pastoral ministry, yet often other, seemingly more urgent activities obscure it. From time to time all pastors and preachers need to be reminded of the primacy of the gospel. Preaching the Cross does just this. It is a call to expository, gospel-centered preaching as the center of pastoral ministry. This volume showcases an unprecedented combination of pastors representing a variety of evangelical traditions. Though they differ on some secondary points of church practice, they all enthusiastically celebrate the centrality of the cross of Christ-keeping the main thing the main thing. That message every reader can take away from this book and adopt in his pastoral ministry. Authors Mark Dever, J. Ligon Ducan III, R. Albert Mohler Jr., and C. J. Mahaney are joined by colleagues John MacArthur, John Piper, and R. C. Sproul in calling pastors to pursue gospel-saturated, preaching-centered ministries.  

Genres: Theology, Christian, Ecclesiology, Christianity

176 pages, Hardcover

First published April 5, 2007

About the author

Mark E. Dever serves as the senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC. Since his ordination to the ministry in 1985, Dr. Dever has served on the pastoral staffs of four churches, the second being a church he planted in Massachusetts. Prior to moving to Washington in 1994, Dr. Dever taught for the faculty of Divinity at Cambridge University while serving two years as an associate pastor of Eden Baptist Church.

In an effort to build biblically faithful churches in America, Dr. Dever serves as the executive director for 9Marks (formerly The Center for Church Reform, CCR) in Washington, D.C. 9Marks encourages pastors of local churches look to the Bible for instruction on how to organize and lead their churches. Dr. Dever also teaches periodically at various conferences, speaking everywhere from South Africa to Brazil to the United Kingdom to Alabama. Feeling a deep burden for student ministry, Dr. Dever often addresses student ministry groups at campuses throughout the country. He has also taught at a number of seminaries, including Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, AL, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. Dr. Dever’s scholarly interests include Puritanism and ecclesiology.

Dr. Dever currently serves as a trustee of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; he also serves as a member of the board, vice-chairman, and chairman of the Forum for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. From 1995 until 2001, he served on the steering committee for Founders Ministries, a pastoral movement for biblical teaching and healthy church life within the Southern Baptist Convention. As Guest Senate Chaplain for two weeks in 1995, Dr. Dever opened the daily sessions of the United States Senate in prayer. He is a member of the American Society of Church History and the Tyndale Fellowship. He also held the J.B. Lightfoot Scholarship at Cambridge University from 1989 to 1991.

Reviews

[Troy Nevitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. I would more recommend that anyone who wishes to read this to instead watch/listen to the sermons that these chapters are transcripts of on the Together for the Gospel website. I believe this was the 2006 conference series. I listened to those before reading the book. I remember the lectures. I don't remember the book contents except for what I remember of the talks.

[Randy Corn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is assigned reading for the online Homiletics class at Welch. Since I am the facilitator for that class, I was given a copy. This book came out of one of the Together for the Gospel Conferences. The essential idea of the book is to inspire pastors to preach the cross, which is call for Christ-centered, expository preaching. I have to say that I really enjoyed reading the book. Each chapter is written by a different man, each well known in the evangelical, men like Piper, Mac Arthur, Dever, and Mohler. The do a compelling job. I think my favorite chapter is by Duncan and is entitled “Preaching Christ In The OT.” It is well written, but I think the reason I like it is all of the work I have done for the Christ In The OT class at Welch.

I am sure that I will be recommending this book to some of my preacher friends. It is an inspirational book on a much-needed subject. I really appreciated the chapter by Mohler on preaching with a consciousness of our culture. He brings in Neibuhr’s analysis as well as that of Augustine. I agree with his conclusion that Augustine has the better approach.

[Greg Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time Measures The Strength of Their Argument

I actually read this book before and have listened to these presentations serves times over the past decade+. I'm not a pastor but have led various Bible studies over the years, so this material is always relevant.

Nonetheless, it is interesting how 'dust' has fallen on some of the original T4G founders. CJ, who spoke on the pastor's need to monitor their lives, has had his testimony deeply challenged with allegation of sexual misconduct within his own denomination. And recently, Mark Dever has aligned himself with the proponents of Critical Race Theory (CRT). There have been other issues since this first conference that has called into question the unity of the leadership; such as the understanding of baptism and denominational membership. Both Dever and Mohler (Baptist) have indicated they would not accept Duncan (Presbyterian) as a member because of his belief in infant baptism.

TOGETHER FOR THE GOSPEL?

[John F Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best reads on true Christianity

First. There is nothing in this book that I did not like. It is very refreshing to see the truth laid out in a clear presice manner . All of the pastors that contributed are certainly commended for bringing forth clear and truthful interpretation of God's Word. Thanks to all of you! Bring on another book.

[Caleb Blevins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preaching the Cross was an excellent read from cover to cover. Pastor John’s chapter was by far my favorite. I would recommend this book to any pastor serving the local church.

[Mark Lickliter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The contributions of Piper, Mahaney and MacArthur were worth the price of the book.

[Matthew Bonzon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright book, though John Piper’s chapter is worth the price of the book (though I’d recommend just reading expository exultation).

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the dangers inherent in any book that has a narrow focus (which is generally an excellent principle in book-writing) is that the strength of emphasis on your thesis opens the door for the reader to become unbalanced in their perspective.

In the case of Preaching the Cross, each of the contributors hammers at a unique angle of a singular premise: the most important element of being a pastor and the only reason the Church exists is to preach the Word, and more specifically the Cross.

While I think the majority of ministers and aspiring ministers today need to be bludgeoned with the strength of this message, there is also a danger in swinging so far on the pendulum that Scripture replaces God as the central purpose of the minister and the local church. The Cross is central because it brings us back into relationship with God. We glorify Him and fulfill our purpose as image bearers by being in His presence, by being with Him. A church that exists only to preach and teach the Word is like a wife who sits in her sitting room pouring endlessly over love letters from her army husband, filled with longing for him, as he sits in the next room. Scripture exists as a vehicle to know God, and while it is holy, and authoritative, and living, and powerful, and transformative, it can never become an end in itself. The Pharisees had the Torah memorized but it never ushered them into God's presence.

I believe that all of the contributing authors agree with this, and live it out much more consistently than I do; I just want readers to be reminded of it as they enter into this work, which in its proper context will lead you to the foot of the Cross, filled with a burning desire to see others brought there as well.

[Wesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is good. It was nice learning a little of the background behind Mahaney, Dever, Duncan and Mohler's friendship and T4G. In terms of the essays, some stand out more than others (I have Mohler's, Mahaney's, MacArthur's and Duncan's particularly in view here) but I have read much finer books on the topics. But each essay is a good intro to a better work (i have in mind here Sproul's essay on Justification by Faith and his many works in the topic). All in all I would say read the book if you can but don't put you backlog in hold for it.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is edited and chapters are authored by the four men who gave birth to "Together for the Gospel" fellowship. I found all the authors to be conservative in their biblical stance and very good in their individual discussions. This would be an excellent book for any who might wonder why biblical preaching matters and why the cross of Christ must be proclaimed.

[Rock Rockwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An all-star line-up of Christian leaders/authors today write a chapter each on how to keep Christ-centric in the pulpit, life, and followers. A great read to inspire Pastors in preaching and living the gospel with power.

[Dennis Thurman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valuable not only in its emphasis on the centrality of the cross in preaching, but in its model of such preaching! This collection of sermons is a needful reminder in days of therapeutic moralism found in far too many evangelical pulpits that the Gospel demands expounding still.

[Zach Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for all those who are called to pastoral ministry, put together by some of the most faithful Biblical preachers of our day. This book is simply a call for pastors to preach the Word above all else; something that is desperately needed in our time.

[Eric]

I listened to the sermons and they gave me the Book at the last T4G. Piper's is the best of 2006 and RC was the best in 2008.

[Todd Coe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative about what we are called to do

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspirational little book that cuts to the heart of the purpose of Preaching.

[Prayson Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put it down till I finished. I would recommend it to all Cross-centred pastors, students and seakers

[Seth Channell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great material but the book is basically sermons turned into a book. Your time would be better spent listening to the messages online.

[J. Rutherford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strong and clear call for Christ centred expository preaching, great read!

[Stephen Willcox · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the transcipt of sermons given at the T4G conference. But there is no need to purchase the book when you can download the sermons and listen to them for free on-line.

[Jon Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid stuff from 2006 Together for the Gospel conference. Of particular note are chapters by Piper and MacArthur