Famine in the Land: A Passionate Call for Expository Preaching

"The most urgent need in the Christian Church today is true preaching; and as it is the greatest and most urgent need in the Church, it is the greatest need of the world also." So said Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the famous expositor of Westminster Chapel. And so begins this book, a passionate call for a fresh generation of preachers from Steve Lawson, who is himself a gifted expositor of the Word. With the conviction that a preacher is meant to become a mouthpiece for the text of Scripture, this book wonderfully models expository preaching, even as it teaches it. Chapter One, "Feast or Famine? The Priority of Biblical Preaching," is an exposition of Acts 2:42-47, which unfolds the primacy, pattern, purity, passion, and potency of the apostolic teaching in the early church. Chapter Two, "The Need of the Hour: The Power of Biblical Preaching," expounds Jonah 3. It is a rousing study of "of one man (Jonah), equipped with one message (God's), committed to one method (preaching), who effected great spiritual change" (p. 58). The author examines the call to preach, along with the character and consequences of true preaching, highlighting its courageous, compelling, confrontational, and compassionate dimensions, as seen in the life of Jonah. Chapter Three, "Bring the Book! The Pattern of Biblical Preaching," is a study based on Ezra 7:1-10 and Nehemiah 8:1-18. This chapter unfolds the preacher's preparation of the word in study, his personalization of the word in obedience, and his proclamation of the word in preaching. Finally, in Chapter Four, "No Higher Calling: The Passion of Biblical Preaching," an exposition of 1 Timothy 4:13-16 is given. This chapter includes a brief look at Calvin and his "Reformation of Exposition" (p. 110-112), in the course of Lawson's unfolding of the pursuit, pattern, perseverance, pains, and preoccupation of biblical preaching. The author's contagious love for the Word, extensive study of preaching itself (dozens of excellent quotations on preaching are sprinkled throughout the book), and obvious zest for homiletics and the artistry of preaching make this an exciting and encouraging book for preachers which will serve to stoke the fire in many a discouraged preacher's heart. I greatly enjoyed it and recommend it to other pastors and preachers.

This book is a must have for every preacher, in all places, for all times. Steven Lawson has emerged as a pastor that is known for one thing: Passionate Expository Preaching. This book I was expecting to be a mirror of Dr. Lawson's message at the Shepherd's Conference titled, "Bring the Book." But what I found was that this book was an expansion of that sermon and not one could replace the other. I did enjoy the book more, I believe, because I heard Lawson's sermon on the topic first, as I could hear the passion that Lawson preached while reading his words. The book exposits The Priority, Power, Pattern and Passion of Biblical preaching. Lawson accomplishes this through the story of Jonah, Ezra, Paul and Timothy focusing on the passages in the book of Jonah, Ezra 7:10, Nehemiah 8:1-8 and 1 Timothy 4:13-16. Lawson is very clear and I don' t know if it was because I did hear his sermon but it seemed as though the admonishing and exhorting teachings were leaping from the pages to my mind in how I could change the way I teach and preach. This book along with the sermon, "Bring the Book," should be given to every preacher whether seasoned or new to the ministry.

Famine in the Land opens with a quote from the great preacher Martyn Lloyd-Jones. "The most urgent need in the Christian Church today is true preaching; and as it is the greatest and most urgent need in the Church, it is the greatest need of the world also." Author Steven Lawson continues, "If the doctor's diagnosis is correct, and this writer believes it is, then a return to preaching - true preaching, biblical preaching, expository preaching - is the greatest need in this critical hour. If a reformation is to come to the church, it must be preceded by a reformation of the pulpit. As the pulpit goes, so goes the church" (page 17). What follows is four chapters which are, appropriately, expository in nature and which examine the priority, power, pattern and passion of expository preaching. The book is divided into four sections. In the first, the author writes about the priority of biblical preaching, using verses from Acts 2 as his text. He teaches that God's church must be done in God's way in order to thrive and survive in the way the Lord intends. He then goes on to show the priority Jesus and his apostles placed on biblical preaching. The second chapter examines the power of biblical preaching, and examines Jonah and his preaching to the city of Nineveh. He teaches that solid preaching needs to be courageous, compelling, confrontational and compassionate in order to conform to the biblical model. The third chapter, which examines the pattern of biblical preaching, looks back to Ezra as he read and explained the Law to the people of Jerusalem. Lawson writes about the necessary preparation for delivering an expository message and provides a call to preachers to become true teachers of the Word. The final chapter looks at Paul's words to Timothy found in 1 Timothy 4:13-16 and speaks of the passion of biblical preaching. The author shows the pattern of reading, applying and teaching the Word and also speaks of the importance of perseverance in the ministry. The book is laced with effective illustrations, and even better, with multitudes of wonderful quotes about preaching. A personal favorite is found on page 64. "Unfortunately much of contemporary preaching seems out of balance, having become too much like what someone described as 'a mild mannered man standing before mild-mannered people urging them to become more mild-mannered.'" It is followed by words spoken by Philips Brokks. "If you are afraid of men and a slave to their opinion, go and do something else. God and make shoes to fit them. Go even and paint pictures which you know are bad, but which suit their bad taste. But do not keep on all your life preaching sermons which say not what God sent you to declare, but what they have you to say. Be courageous" (page 64,65). The only addition I might have made to this book was a section on how the listener is to prepare to hear an expository sermon. There are many books describing how an expositor is to prepare and deliver such a sermon, bu

This is a great book for anyone who is weary of programs, formulas, or church growth seminars, or if you've ever written down scripture references during a topical message only to be disappointed later, after looking them up on your own and finding out they were used out of context. I mean no disrespect to anyone involved in ministry, but I think a lot of what goes on today centers on what "we can do", rather than what God is doing through us. I think it was D.L. Moody who once said something to the effect, "God didn't give us the Holy Scriptures to make us intellegent as to what they said, He gave them that our lives might be changed by them." MOST IMPORTANTLY, if you have a love for God's word and feel called to preach or teach or witness Christ in any capacity, you should get this book and read it, again and again. It's precepts are simple; "Learn the Word, live the Word, preach the Word from the Word." I bought a copy and read it a few months ago with the idea of lending it out to other like minded believers, but instead I've recently bought 5 more copies to give away to some friends of mine who are actively involved in teaching ministries, so now I can re-read, study, pray about, highlight, and underline my copy. I'm sure you'll find this little book to be a welcome addition to your library and a great encouragement in your walk with the Lord.

This book is a must read for pastors and all believers who desire to have a church centered around biblical, Christ exalted teaching. Dr. Lawson brings the bible to life by expositing four passages that are centered around teaching the Word of God to convert sinners and strengthen believers. Isn't it amazing how the Bible can speak for itself when it is interpreted through expository preaching!? If you are interested in learning the importance of teaching the full counsel of God and the Bible in it's entirety, and not just the popular teachings that tickle the flesh; this book is exactly what you've been looking for.