Provides a method of homily preparation that works.

Preaching with power and conviction is too important to be left to chanceIn Preaching, experienced preacher and teacher of preachers, Daniel Overdorf, leads readers through a tested process for sermon preparation that takes proclaiming God's Word seriously yet does not overcomplicate the task or overwhelm the preacher. Overdorf describes and demonstrates consistent, manageable steps to effective preaching, including: Clarifying the convictions that drive your preaching Identifying the main idea of a Scripture text Forming memorable word pictures,/li> Reducing reliance on notes Connecting with the congregation throughout the sermon Speaking authentically Preaching offers guidance for any pastor who desires to communicate God's Word more effectively. Those preparing for the pastorate will find encouragement and exercises that start their teaching ministry off on the right path. Those who preach regularly will discover resources for taking the next step in their unique journey of proclaiming the Scriptures to their congregations with power and presence.

John McClure'sPreaching Wordshighlights the most important ideas in homiletics and preaching, offering short explanations of these ideas, what scholars of preaching are saying about them, and how they can help in today's preaching. Topics range from elements of the sermon (introduction, body, and conclusion) to aspects of delivery, types of preaching in different Christian traditions, and theories of preaching.

Rooted in a clear understanding of the indispensable authority of God's word, Transforming Preaching provides a wealth of practical wisdom and advice for anyone approaching the task of preaching for the first time. It also serves as a useful refresher for all who want to increase the effectiveness of their preaching ministry. Basing his advice on the latest research into the way people listen, learn and grow in the Christian life, David Heywood looks at ways of constructing and delivering successful sermons, while also providing a stimulating guide to the principles and benefits of interactive preaching.

Preaching is not as simple as it may appear. The preacher today is confronted with a dizzying array of homiletic methods and approaches, each holding important insights into how to proclaim the Good News. While pastors wish to learn from these different ways of preaching, they often do not know where to begin (Who are the best representatives of a given approach? How do the different methods relate to one another? How has the preaching scene changed in recent years?). In The Web of Preaching, Richard Eslinger addresses these and other questions about contemporary approaches to preaching. Surveying the most important current theories of preaching, he argues that no homiletic method can be understood on its own. The different schools of thought on preaching all intersect at such common points as Scripture, narrative, and the role of preaching in worship. A strength in one compensates for a weakness in another, and seen together they form one comprehensive "web of preaching." This book is a follow-up to Eslinger's earlier A New Hearing, which has been a standard text in preaching courses since its publication in 1987.

For many years the resolution plot has dominated homiletical theory, made most famous by the ‘Lowry Loop’ – a staple of preaching theory for today’s ministry student. Whilst the approach is important, some have accused ‘resolution plot’ of leaving little room for ambiguity, and failing to reflect the messy reality of life. Offering a ground-breaking approach as a counter to well-worn preaching strategies, 'Preaching That Shows' explores the ‘revelatory plot’, focused more on the gradual revelation of relevant truths within the biblical text through character and embodied insight, and through imaginative and sensory detail rather than through answering the questions ‘how and ‘why’. It will prove an invaluable resource for students, homileticians and preachers alike.

A compelling preacher shares her unique method for creating memorable sermons in this practical, down-to-earth manual that's chock-full of excellent ideas for homiletical preparation. It's an engaging look at what characterizes outstanding preaching as well as a humorous catalog of the hazards facing those who enter the pulpit. Schmitz relates numerous amusing and instructive anecdotes from her own preaching experience and offers valuable advice on how to write and deliver messages with maximum impact. For example, Schmitz notes that compelling stories which resonate with hearers are a crucial ingredient of great sermons -- and Preaching To Myself illustrates how to tap into this endlessly renewable resource. Simple, funny, field-tested in the trenches with real people -- if you want to enjoy a chuckle while learning what makes top-notch sermons that change lives, then this is the book for you. Schmitz has written an entertaining and engaging book full of helpful ideas and sermon examples that will challenge and inspire. This is a very good tool, especially for the newer preacher. Rev. Kevin E. Martin Canon for Congregational Development, Episcopal Diocese of Texas Preaching To Myself will be very useful, particularly for people who feel unorganized about the whole project of preaching. It's written with humor and lots of helpful hints about how to get and stay organized for this crucial ministry. Rt. Rev. Catherine M. Waynick Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis Barbara G. Schmitz is an Episcopal priest who loves to preach. She has served several Episcopal and Lutheran churches in Michigan, as well as at the diocesan and synodical level. She is currently the Assistant to the Bishop of the North/West Lower Michigan Synod (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America). A graduate of Houghton College and Cornell University, Schmitz is the author of The Life Of Christ And The Death Of A Loved One: Crafting The Funeral Homily (CSS).

Preaching from Inside the Story is a book that seeks to carve out an understanding of narrative preaching in an age where there is little agreement about its nature and practice. Capitalizing on the works of Craddock and Lowry, it seeks to find an expanded palette upon which the preacher may engage the larger canvas of narrative preaching. This book will engage the mind by introducing neuroscientific understandings of creativity; build upon the foundations of the philosophy of stories by engaging Aristotle's foundational understanding of narrative; and renew the Lowry Loop by expanding this seminal work and how it should be understood in our current culture. Preaching from Inside the Story breaks new ground by encouraging preachers to move inside stories and tell them from the inside out providing a positive effect, thereby affording non-narrative preachers to connect with storytelling principles. Ultimately, it is filled with examples of how to do narrative in a very practical way. However, in showing these practical examples, the reader is involved in a deep analysis of those narrative sermons and how they fit into an overall narrative understanding of preaching. In the final analysis, it invites the reader to take a fresh journey into narrative preaching.

While admitting particular parameters and priorities for Roman Catholic preachers, this volume was intentionally envisioned as a handbook for "catholic" preaching in the broadest and most universal sense of that term. Cosponsored by the Catholic Academy of Liturgy, the Catholic Association of Teachers of Homiletics, and the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, it covers the role of the Scriptures in preaching, the challenges of preaching in a digital age, sermonizing in an interfaith context, and the need for a liberative and prophetic word that cuts across denominations and even faith traditions. Intended to aid those who teach or direct the preaching arts, the design and writing style of this book are particularly calibrated to graduate students in ministerial studies. Every article is a self-contained overview of a particular historical period, genre of preaching, homiletic theory, or contemporary issue. This more encyclopedic approach—devoid of footnotes, yet supported by pertinent bibliography and an extensive index—provides a sufficiently rich yet thoroughly accessible gateway to major facets of the preaching arts at this stage of the twenty-first century. General Editor: Edward Foley Associate Editors: Catherine Vincie, Richard N. Fragomeni Contributors: Herbert Anderson, John F. Baldovin, Alden Lee Bass, Dianne Bergant, Stephen Bevans, Robert Bireley, John Carr, Anthony Collamati, Michael E. Connors, Guerric DeBona, Frank DeSiano, William T. Ditewig, Con Foley, Edward Foley, Richard N. Fragomeni, Ann M. Garrido, Gregory Heille, Lucy Lind Hogan, Patrick R. Lagges, David J. Lose, Barbara K. Lundblad, Ricky Manalo, Robert F. Morneau, Carolyn Muessig, vanThanh Nguyen, Mary Margaret Pazdan, Patricia Parachini, Jorge Presmanes, Craig Alan Satterlee, Catherine Vincie, Richard Vosko, James A. Wallace, Margaret Moers Wenig, Alex Zenthoefer

Learning a new art requires a knowledge of the fundamentals, and the art of preaching is no exception. In Essentials for Biblical Preaching veteran homiletician Al Fasol covers every aspect the aspiring preacher needs to know. “This volume introduces the preacher to the whole field of biblical preaching,” writes the author. “It takes the novitiate pulpiteer through an understanding of the nature of the preacher, to a grasp of the proclamation task, and on into the mystery of basic sermon preparation.” It can be used effectively on either the graduate or the undergraduate level. After surveying the history of preaching, Fasol offers practical guidelines, peppered with examples, for preparing and delivering effective sermons. Topics include collecting sermon ideas, interpreting the biblical text, organizing the sermon, using illustrations, making applications, varying sermon methods, and employing communication principles.