The Anatomy of Preaching: Identifying the Issues in Preaching Today

The title is a bit misleading: This is not a book about how to prepare sermons, though there is some advice to that end. This book discusses the issues that those who preach need to take into account. Dr. Larsen begins by giving a helpful definition of preaching ("Confident, Spirit-empowered proclamation and application of what the Bible teaches", p.30). He describes the climate for preaching today, noting that there is much ignorance about what the Bible says, and a preference for nonverbal and pictorial teaching. He notes that preachers are not as prayed up and Spirit-filled as they need to be. He feels that preachers need to discover the central proposition of the text and structure their sermons on this foundation. Larsen also wants the preacher to develop clear main points and to use words of power and emotion. He warns about the danger of predictability, and encourages variety in preaching, even preaching first person sermons on occasion. He also stresses that application must run through the sermon and not just be tacked on at the end. But at the same time, Larsen cautions about departing from the main message of the text and becoming too "hortatory." Dr. Larsen also discusses creativity and imagination, noting how Charles Jefferson held hearers spellbound by his description of what may have motivated the nine healed lepers to not come back to thank Jesus for their healings. There is also an important chapter about concluding the sermon and clearly telling people what you want them to do. Larsen identifies this as one of the major problems with preaching today. We leave people hanging, so that they don't know how to respond to the sermon. He shows from Acts 2 how Peter calls for a clear response to his own sermon (Acts 2:36-40). There are also concluding chapters on the difference between persuasion and manipulation, and about the importance of preaching Christ in every sermon. The last chapter discusses style and delivery and watching videotapes to correct annoying gestures that preachers sometimes fall into making. All in all, this was an excellent guide and a wonderful book about preaching. Larsen is very well read, and his humorous quotes and anecdotes entertain throughout.

This is a book for people who already realize the importance of preaching. (If you're looking for a book to teach you how to write sermons, then I suggest other books intead like "Biblical Preaching" by Robinson.) This book forces homileticians to rethink things. It opened my eyes and made me take a second look at some of the stuff I was taught about preaching. Discover what's going on in the field of homiletcs and the critical issues, such as Biblical authority, or relevancy of preaching. This book is a "must read" for preachers who want to go to the next level in understanding homiletics, and especially for those of us who think we already know everything. Highly recommended for all preachers.