Friday, October 16, 2009

The Best Single Chapter on Preaching

One of the best books on preaching is Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell. However, the best single chapter on preaching is a chapter in Chapell's new book on worship: Christ-Centered Worship. Preachers, get this book for chapter 20 (it is worth the price of the book).

Here is a taste:
"Most preachers approach the text with only one question in mind: What does this text instruct me to tell my people to do? But if we only tell people what to do without leading them to understand their dependence on the Savior to obey, then they will either be led to despair (I cannot do this) or false pride (If I work hard enough, I can do this). No one can serve God apart from Christ. A message full of imperatives (e.g., Be like...a commendable Bible character; Be good...by adopting these moral behaviors; Be disciplined...by diligence in these practices) but devoid of grace is antithetical to the gospel. These "be messages" are not wrong in themselves, but by themselves they are spiritually deadly because they imply that our path to God is made by our works."

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