A Consumer’s Guide to Preaching
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
Most preaching is boring.
I don’t get anything out of my preacher’s sermons.
From the minute he reads the text, I know what he is going to say.
These-and dozens of complaints like them-may be heard in many gatherings of Christians talking seriously about their church. What’s the problem? Is it all the preacher’s fault?
Jay Adams says NO! Preaching is not a one-way street where the responsibility for communicating God’s message rests completely on the shoulders of the preacher. The listener plays an active role in the communication process-for good or ill.
This book offers help for the consumers of preaching. It will:
- introduce you to some of the biblical guidelines that point out the listener’s responsibilities.
- confront and offer solutions to many problems encountered in listening to sermons.
- outline a program to help sincere churchgoers sharpen their communication skills.
- deal with the needs of those who must listen to inadequate preaching. And much more.
This is a Logos Reader Edition. Learn more.
- Addresses the common problem of boring or ineffective preaching by focusing on the listener's role
- Outlines the biblical responsibilities of the person listening to a sermon
- Provides solutions and a program to help churchgoers improve their listening skills
- Preface
- Chapter 1 There Is a Problem
- Chapter 2 Before You Begin
- Chapter 3 Preparing for Preaching
- Chapter 4 Your Basic Attitude
- Chapter 5 Expectations, Predisposition, and Spiritual State
- Chapter 6 Work at Getting the Message
- Chapter 7 Understanding the Message
- Chapter 8 How to Handle Poor Preaching
- Chapter 9 Berean Listening
- Chapter 10 Distractions
- Chapter 11 The Preacher and You
- Chapter 12 Implementation
- Chapter 13 God, Your Neighbor, and You
- Chapter 14 Technical Matters
- Chapter 15 Conclusion
- Chapter 16 Sermon Slices
- Title: A Consumer’s Guide to Preaching
- Author: Jay E. Adams
- Publisher: Institute for Nouthetic Studies
- Print Publication Date: 2021
- Logos Release Date: 2025
- Pages: 153
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
- Subjects: Preaching; Listening › Religious aspects--Christianity; Word of God (Christian theology); Christian life
- ISBNs: 9781949737394, 194973739X, 9781949737400, 9780896933989, 1949737403, 0896933989
- Resource ID: LLS:CNSMRSGDPRCHNG
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2025-12-04T21:00:57Z
Jay E. Adams A.B., B.D., S.T.M., Ph.D. (1929-2020) served as a pastor, church planter, denominational executive, seminary professor, author, and lecturer. He taught homiletics at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and was the Director of Advanced Studies at Westminster Seminary in California. He was the founder of the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF), the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (formerly NANC), and the Institute for Nouthetic Studies (INS). He was the author of over 100 books including the best seller Competent to Counsel which launched the modern biblical counseling movement. He was the recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor awarded by the State of South Carolina.