Preaching by Heart: How a Classical Practice Helps Contemporary Pastors to Preach without Notes
There's a seemingly innocuous villain that is taking up residence in the pulpits of countless churches, disrupting the connection between the pastor and the people and keeping the proclamation of God's word from having its full effect. That villain is the preacher's notes. Preachers know this all too well. Many wish that they could "preach by heart" without the aid of notes, but are unsure how to do so--and are left feeling frustrated and discouraged by the presence of that disruptive interloper. Author Ryan Tinetti shares an unexpected solution in the form of an ancient and time-tested practice known as the method of loci, or Memory Palace. Surveying portions of classical rhetoric that are especially relevant for contemporary preachers and diving deep into the theory and practice of the Memory Palace, Preaching by Heart plunders these ancient treasures that have been so formative for preachers through the ages but too oft neglected in our own time. When pastors preach by heart, they find greater satisfaction in the homiletic task and their proclamation is even more effective. Preaching by Heart shows how to pitch the notes and reach that goal.
“In this wonderful exploration of the preacher’s task, Pastor
Ryan Tinetti deftly draws upon classical rhetoric, the thought of
Augustine, communication studies, his own extensive pastoral
experience, and the gospel itself to give us an unforgettable,
practical way of improving our preaching. Ryan meditates upon the
move from the text to our heart to the hearts of our listeners. . .
. An encouraging, useful, so helpful book for us preachers.”
—Will Willimon, Duke Divinity School, author of Preachers Dare:
Speaking for God
“A confession: my worst seminary grade was in Intro to Preaching.
Reading Preaching by Heart all these years later shows me
why. If I could, I would send this book back in time to my younger
self. I certainly would have gotten a higher grade, and, much more
important, I would have preached better sermons in all the
intervening years.”
—Craig Hill, Southern Methodist University
“Tinetti challenges the assumption that preaching without notes is
only for those who speak either ‘from the hip’ or
with a knack for memorizing manuscripts. He demystifies the
practice of ancient orators to strengthen the stickiness of our
memories. When we mentally affix word-pictures on the walls of a
familiar place, we can set aside the script and let God’s Spirit
guide us to deliver well-crafted messages more credibly, and more
delightfully, from the heart.”
—Michael Zeigler, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
“In this wonderful exploration of the preacher’s task, Pastor
Ryan Tinetti deftly draws upon classical rhetoric, the thought of
Augustine, communication studies, his own extensive pastoral
experience, and the gospel itself to give us an unforgettable,
practical way of improving our preaching. Ryan meditates upon the
move from the text to our heart to the hearts of our listeners. . .
. An encouraging, useful, so helpful book for us preachers.”
—Will Willimon, Duke Divinity School, author of Preachers Dare:
Speaking for God
“A confession: my worst seminary grade was in Intro to Preaching.
Reading Preaching by Heart all these years later shows me
why. If I could, I would send this book back in time to my younger
self. I certainly would have gotten a higher grade, and, much more
important, I would have preached better sermons in all the
intervening years.”
—Craig Hill, Southern Methodist University
“Tinetti challenges the assumption that preaching without notes is
only for those who speak either ‘from the hip’ or
with a knack for memorizing manuscripts. He demystifies the
practice of ancient orators to strengthen the stickiness of our
memories. When we mentally affix word-pictures on the walls of a
familiar place, we can set aside the script and let God’s Spirit
guide us to deliver well-crafted messages more credibly, and more
delightfully, from the heart.”
—Michael Zeigler, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour®
- Title: Preaching by Heart: How a Classical Practice Helps Contemporary Pastors to Preach without Notes
- Authors: Richard Lischer, Ryan P. Tinetti
- Publisher: Cascade Books
- Print Publication Date: 2021
- Logos Release Date: 2021
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781725269521, 9781725269507, 9781725269514, 1725269503, 1725269511, 172526952X
- Resource ID: LLS:9781725269521
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-12-11T01:31:31Z
Ryan Tinetti is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Arcadia,
Michigan. He and his wife, Anne, and their four kids, eight
chickens, and two dogs live in the parsonage next door.
