 | Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com | Haddon Robinson's Biblical Preaching has become a modern classic on the preparation and delivery of expository sermons. Much has changed, however, in twenty years and Robinson has undertaken the task of updating his work to benefit a new generation of preachers who will speak to a markedly different world. While retaining the original outline of the book and Robinson's ten-stage process of sermon development, this new edition offers significant improvements. Many of the illustrations and arguments have been updated, the prose has been changed to gender-inclusive language, each chapter is enhanced with suggestions for further study, and the discussions of narrative and inductive preaching have been expanded. |
Average Customer Rating:   Biblical Preaching A very well laid out book that is a help with constructing sermons. This book helps with making your sermons "life applicable" when it can be tough at times. Expository Preaching Haddon Robinson's book provides a very useful introduction to some skills which are helpful in presenting a sermon in a compelling manner. Robinson himself is very gifted with words and his own sermons are very engaging. His advice is useful to anyone, but it seems to me that the style of preaching which he advocates ultimately depends for its success on the preacher having very high literacy, comprehension and communication skills.
As someone who has sat through many expository sermons in which the preacher has taken a Bible passage and made nothing of it, I am not sure about Robinson's advice that sermons should be expository. I agree that all sermons should be on a theme contained in the Bible, because any theme not contained in the Bible is not part of God's revelation. However, the preaching examples in the New Testament are not expository in the sense of flowing from a single Bible passage.
I do agree with Robinson's advice that a sermon should be based on a single idea. If it is not possible to say what the idea communicated by a sermon is, then it is unlikely that the listeners will remember it. Although it makes some old-fashioned ecclesial assumptions, the book contains lots of handy hints for constructing sermons and making them memorable. Besides that, it is well written and affordable. A Manual on Preaching That is Easy to Follow There are many good preaching textbooks worth purchasing, but this one is the best because it is written in simple language with clear and easy steps to take.
Robinson states that "Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers (21)."
But Robinson goes on to say that expository preaching at its core is more of a philosophy than a method. Whether or not a person may be called an expositor depends on how he or she would answer this question: "Do you, as a preacher, endeavor to bend your thought to the Scriptures, or do you use the Scriptures to support your thought?"20
He says we must through study discover the central idea (the big idea) of the text. He counsels that in order to do this, we must select the text, study the text, and determine the exegetical idea of the text (p.51-70). He understands that there will be times (Easter, Christmas, special occasions) when we will need to present topical sermons, but more often than not, the text does not say what we wish it to say, and we have to make sure that the thought of the Scripture shapes the way we present the topic.
He then talks about submitting the exegetical idea of the passage to three developmental questions: What does this mean?" "Is it true," and What difference does it make?" 79-96. "Is it true" seems rather rhetorical. After all, evangelical Christian believers will certainly say "Yes, this is true." Don Sunukjian rephrases the three developmental questions this way: "Do we buy it?" p. 87. Romans 8:28 says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him?" A person could be thinking "My son is dying from leukemia. I have a hard time buying the idea that God might be using this for good. What good could come from my little boy's suffering?"
After running the central idea of the text through the three developmental questions, Robinson urges the rewriting of the exegetical big idea in a memorable timeless way. Then the minister must determine the purpose of the sermon, or what he or she would like the parishioners to do as a result of hearing this sermon.
Then the minister must decide how this idea should be handled to accomplish the sermon's purpose. Perhaps there is an idea to be explained, or a proposition to be proved, a principle to be applied, or a subject to be completed, or a story to be told. 107-125. Having decided how the central idea of the sermon should be expounded, then the outline can be written.
Then expositors can fill in the outline with anecdotes, quotations, illustrations. After this, the introduction and conclusion may be formed, followed by the manuscripting of the outline.
There is a helpful conclusion about style. He discusses vocal clarity and gestures and preaching without notes. This is a great book and if I could only have one book on how to preach, this is the one I would choose. Donald Sunukjian and Bryan Chappell and Ramesh Richard have great textbooks, too, and they have areas in their books where they refine and sharpen some of the things that Robinson posits. But Robinson's book is the easiest to read. You'll also appreciate the exercises and practice sessions he extends at the end of each chapter. Great for the beginner I have had a desire to preach for sometime and in 2008 opportunities became available. I have not had any formal training or any real direction. A preacher recommended this book to me and I'm glad he did. After reading this book, I had direction and an aim for each sermon. This book got me in the right direction. The most useful information I received was the importance of getting the "main idea". Before you begin a sermon you must be able to state the sermon in one clear sentence. I highly recommend this book, to everybody. You will notice the difference between the preacher that does his homework and the one that doesn't! Do I need the 2nd Edition I just looked on one of my shelves. I have the 1980 edition. What is there about the 2nd edition that says I need to buy it? Would love to see recommendations of what are good books on preaching!
Dr. Mike Hughes, D.Min., Th.D.
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