The Kind of Preaching God Blesses
In recent years Steven J. Lawson has been in demand nationwide
as a speaker at major conferences, particularly those for pastors.
The Kind of Preaching God Blesses is a powerful must-read
for every minister who desires to preach God’s Word in a way that
truly exalts the Lord and nourishes His people.
In 1 Corinthians 2:1-9, the apostle Paul wrote about the keys to
effective preaching. In this compact yet dynamic book, readers will
learn about…
- the priority of biblical preaching—an urgent call to every minister
- the poverty of modern preaching—what is lacking in today’s pulpits
- the preeminence of Christ in preaching—making Jesus the dominant theme
- the power of the Spirit in preaching—replacing self-confidence with God-dependence
This is a passionate appeal to Christ-centered preaching—the kind that God blesses, the kind that brings real revival in people’s lives. Great for pastors, Bible teachers, and Christian students aspiring to a teaching ministry.
Top Highlights
“‘The church in America today is so obsessed with being practical, relevant, helpful, successful, and even well-liked that it mirrors the world itself. Aside from the packaging, there is nothing that cannot be found in most churches today that could not be satisfied by any number of secular programs and self-help groups.’” (source)
“Pulpits must be myopically focused upon declaring the sinless humanity, sovereign deity, and saving purposes of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (source)
“If preachers are to be known for anything, they must be known for preaching the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (source)
“The preaching that God blesses must faithfully represent a proper understanding of any passage of Scripture. God will bless only that which rightly interprets the true meaning of the text.” (source)
“The deadliest, most diabolical danger, he said, would be that in each of these filled-to-capacity sanctuaries, Jesus Christ would never be preached.” (source)
Product Details
- Title : The Kind of Preaching God Blesses
- Author: Lawson, Steven J.
- Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
- Publication Date: 2013
- ISBN: 9780736953566
Reviews
1 rating
Richard
5/18/2021
The introduction was a bit much about the author, still from listening to Steven Lawson sermons I know that he is a good and sincere preacher. This book was written in a bit either/or style. I think that the main point is correct in that Christ needs to be elevated in every sermon. However, this does not mean that rhetoric principals do not have their place. As seen in Ben Witherington III, New Testament Rhetoric: An Introductory Guide to the Art of Persuasion in and of the New Testament (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2009). I love Theology which goes deeper than taking one example of St. Paul preaching and base an entire preaching method on it. For example, we can also look at Jesus and how he preached in the Gospels. Another example not to take St. Pauls as the golden rule is: "For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible (2 Corinthians 10:10)." Also, Moses had a hard time with public speaking. This does not mean we all should have this hardship, as some people are by nature better public speakers than others. I think Apollos was a real blessing for the Church and his speech was part of this blessing. "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6)." God can use in His manner. Another point is that this book is extremely short and is more for people who just start in their Christian life. Then the Christ crucified sermon is not the only one since Christ is also resurrected, is coming back and so much more. We need to look in the context of the Corinthian Church, as these people were non-believers. The Christian life is so vast in important topics that the preachers can endlessly preach. But in this Lawson is right, preachers always need to elevate and glorify Christ in their sermons. Especially all the three Persons of the Trinity. He clearly indicated the devastating effect of modern-day clown style preaching. Another good point are some of the strong illustrations he gives throughout his book. Do you want to learn how to preach then this book is not a practical one but more one for starting preachers and especially the preachers who glorify themselves instead of the Risen Lord.