Feed My Sheep: A Passionate Plea for Preaching
Edited by Don Kistler

The contributors to this volume on preaching wrote on many different topics having to do with preaching, but the purpose of their articles were similar: "Preach the Word."  Behind each chapter of this book is the knowledge that preaching is becoming a diminutive part of what churches are doing in their worship of God.  As Lig Duncan says in the introduction, "There is significant pressure on the preacher to truncate and thin out his message, to entertain, to explore alternative media for the advancement of the gospel, and even to abandon historic modes of proclamation altogether" (vii).  The impetus of the book is to get preachers preaching again, and that they would do so well.

Summary

             The book is split up into eleven chapters, each of which focus on a different topic of preaching.  The first chapter discusses the primacy of preaching, not the primacy of "ministry" in the life of the local church (6).  The second chapter is on the foolishness of preaching, in which J. M. Boice looks to answer in what way preaching is foolishness to those in the world, but also how it can be at the same time the wisdom of God unto salvation.  Chapter three is about expository preaching, in which Derek Thomas elucidates the Scotch confession of 1645, which says that, "When raising a point from the text, preachers are to ensure that 'it be a truth contained in or grounded on that text,' and 'that the hearers may discern how God teacheth it from thence'" (61).  The fourth chapter is a lesson on reformed experiential preaching, which discusses "how a Christian experiences the truth of Christian doctrine in his life" (95).  "It aims to apply divine truth to the whole range of the believer's personal experience as well as in his relationships with family, the church, and the world around him" (95-96).  Chapter five is R. C. Sproul's contribution about how preachers should also be teachers.  He separates the two, preacher and teacher, by understanding preaching as that "which involves exhortation, exposition, admonition, encouragement, and comfort," and teaching as that "which involves the transfer of information and instruction in various things of content" (133).  Chapter six is on the topic of preaching to the mind, in which John Armstrong says that in order to preach to the heart, will, and emotions, then one must first preach to the mind, because it affects the whole of our humanity (168).  Chapter seven is a great chapter by Sinclair Ferguson on preaching to the heart.  With the heart being "the governing center of life,"  Ferguson says that we must have hearts marked by a threefold openness: 1. openness of one's heart before God, 2. openness of one's heart to love others, and 3. openness one's heart to the truth (193-94).  Chapter eight by the books editor, Don Kistler, is on the topic of preaching with authority: "Nowadays preachers make suggestions; they do not preach with authority" (218).  The ninth chapter is on evangelistic preaching, in which Alexander sets out two motives to push for evangelistic preaching: the fear of God, and the love of Christ.  The tenth chapter is the one of John Piper, and it focuses on preaching to suffering people.  Piper first focuses on the need for preachers to suffer for the gospel, and only then can they take the gospel to suffering people.  The eleventh and final chapter is by John MacArthur, Jr., in which he does an exposition of 2 Corinthians 4:5-7, reminding the reader of the words of Paul: "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bondservants for Jesus' sake."

Strengths

             There were many great thoughts and quotes in this book that made impressions on me.  The first that comes to mind is a quote of John Piper in his chapter on preaching to suffering people: "Preaching is about doing the impossible: making the rich young ruler fall out of love with his comfortable lifestyle and into love with the King of kings so that he 'joyfully' sells all that he has to gain that treasure (Matthew 13:44)" (243).  He goes on to say, "The aim of preaching is impossible.  No techniques will make it succeed.  'But with God all things are possible'" (243).  The way that one brings one's own preaching into line with God's power is by prayer.  In answering the question, "What...is the best and most effective evangelistic method?," a friend of Eric Alexander rightly said, "Prayer - persistent, believing prayer" (230).  "Now, if you think about it, that reply does not derive from some profound theological insight.  It derives from basic, logical thinking.  If only God can save, then to who do we turn to see our friends brought to salvation?  The logical answer is, 'To God!'" (230).

             Another idea that stands out to me from this book is that the preaching of the Word is the goal of the ministers work, and all other things are servants to it.  Mohler said, "if we are servants of the Word, it will be evident that every other task and priority is submitted to that first priority task - the preaching of the Word - with the promise that it will balance all the others.  For a ministry established in the preaching of the Word of God is going to be an evangelistic ministry" (31).  "Everything comes into proper balance because we do not have to worry about balancing a schedule, balancing a budget, or balancing priorities when we understand that the Word of God will establish those priorities" (31).  In a related quote, Joel Beeke quotes John Trapp as saying, "As water tastes of the soil it runs through, so does the soul taste of the authors that a man reads" (120).

             A final area of interest that made me ponder as I was reading this book is the importance of preaching theology.  John Armstrong says, "Thus all preaching that reaches the mind must be theological preaching.  Yes, we must unabashedly, unashamedly say that preaching must be theological preaching.  Not theology as an end in itself, but as an expression of our attempts to understand God's mind, to understand the revelation of God" (169).  In the chapter on preaching to the heart, Ferguson says, "But such preaching must first be directed to the mind.  When we preach to the heart we are not engaged in rebuking the conscience or cleansing the emotions directly.  Rather preaching to the heart addresses the understanding first, in order to instruct it; but in doing so it also reaches through the mind to inform, rebuke, and cleanse the conscience" (201).  A good reason for theological preaching is brought out by Piper in his chapter on preaching to suffering people: "Preaching involves timing.  Preach the whole truth about suffering and the sovereign goodness of God while it is day, and when the night comes and you stand beside the suicide victim's pool of blood or the ice-cold, ivory body of a one-year-old boy, you won't have to say anything.  This will be a time for embracing" (268).

             There was not much in the book in which I disagreed with the authors.  I do think, however, that Sproul's section on the teaching preacher was pointless and showed little if any significance on preaching.  It was mostly a jaunt through Luther's life and ministry, with the occasional allusion to Scripture and present day history.

Conclusion

             This is a great book.  Most every chapter had information that was helpful for the preacher, as well as thoughts that convicted me as to what I have not done, or have not thought about in relation to preaching.  It is a worthy purpose to bring up the topic of preaching for discussion among the present day landscape of 15 minute sermons, videos, and drama.  This book sets forth the ideal of preaching from some of the greatest preachers and teachers of our time.  The major strength of the book is that each chapter was authored by a different person, giving the person writing a clear direction in which to pour his thought so that the finished product is a close to complete treatment on the subject.  One weakness of the book is that there is little dialogue with history in relation to the role of preachers in the past, and this weakness is also a suggestion for further improvement.  A chapter of a brief overview of preaching history would be helpful in pointing to the current trend of decline in preaching in the life of the church.  Overall, though, this book was extremely helpful in narrowing my view and understanding of preaching, and I would suggest it highly to others who are interested in the topic of preaching.

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