How can we preach persuasively without huckstering, manipulating, or coercing people? Sadly, we are seeing the fall of many pastors not for reasons of sexual immorality, but the pursuit of pride and power. The skillful use of marketing methods creates celebrity pastors who become significant influencers in the evangelical church. The lure of success is seductive, turning pastors into hucksters and Christians into consumers. We need to heed the warnings of the New Testament about the pride of rhetoric and the pursuit of power. David Christensen carefully analyzes the biblical warnings of Paul about the temptations of rhetorical sophistry in the first-century church and applies them to pastoral ministry today. God calls preachers to be ethical and effective persuaders. David develops an ethical grid for pastoral persuasion using principles drawn from the Bible and social science along with practical illustrations from his years of ministry. He calls preachers to be ethical and effective persuaders by emphasizing the centrality of the word of God while depending on the power of the Spirit of God.

Michael Dudit, executive editor of Preaching Magazine, writes in the foreword that "the reader will find in this book a valuable discussion of what persuasion really is, what the Bible has to say about it, how it is modeled in the New Testament, and what role persuasion should and should not play in our own preaching in the twenty-first century. The author has provided solid biblical content and practical guidance that will be a powerful resource for preachers and church leaders. He writes with clarity and--dare I say it?--persuasive power. I hope you will be as blessed by this book as I have been."

Pastor, preacher, and New York Times bestselling author of The Prodigal Prophet Timothy Keller shares his wisdom on communicating the Christian faith from the pulpit as well as from the coffee shop. Most Christians—including pastors—struggle to talk about their faith in a way that applies the power of the Christian gospel to change people’s lives. Timothy Keller is known for his insightful, down-to-earth sermons and talks that help people understand themselves, encounter Jesus, and apply the Bible to their lives. In this accessible guide for pastors and laypeople alike, Keller helps readers learn to present the Christian message of grace in a more engaging, passionate, and compassionate way.

According to the Reformers, preaching is the word of God. As the word of God, preaching is a foundation for the church. It is also vital for the personal growth of a Christian. But Christians are poorly equipped to understand how preaching is the word of God. Some Christians look for preaching that closely reproduces the text in the Bible. Other Christians look for preaching that creates maximal emotional and existential impact. And there is a lot of name-calling with Christians accusing preachers of "not preaching the word." But what type of preaching is the word of God? The purpose of this book is to equip Christians to understand how preaching can be God speaking. It accomplishes this with a survey of the problem in the history of the church, a detailed overview of key biblical texts, and finally the application of the contemporary philosophical tool of speech act theory.

Duane Litfin, former president of Wheaton College, explores how Paul's theology of preaching can inform the church's preaching today. Through a detailed study of 1 Corinthians 1-4, Litfin shows how Paul's method of proclamation differed from Greco-Roman rhetoric and how Pauline preaching can be a model for the contemporary preaching task.

Extremely rare is the preacher whose preaching could not be improved substantially by readdressing his sermon conclusions! Moreover, a sermon conclusion marks the typical preacher’s greatest need for improvement in his preaching. This most significant element of a sermon has been championed for its importance in a sermon and yet the conclusion is trivialized in, if not omitted from, the preaching of sermons. Whether textual, topical, or expository in preaching methodology, the typical preacher has a greater understanding and better implementation of everything else related to preaching in contrast to what is understood and done in concluding sermons. Much is not done, and much more is not understood to conclude sermons with clarity, strength, and persuasiveness. How Effective Sermons End provides a comprehensive approach and thorough examination of the sorely needed and long overlooked instruction regarding that most vital of all elements of a sermon—the sermon conclusion. This book fills the existing void in homiletical pedagogy about concluding sermons, a void that prevents preachers from reaching their full potential of effectiveness in the ministry of preaching the Word of God. The pathway of better preaching is knowledge and skill to effectively conclude sermons and this book floods that pathway with light.

The proclamation of the gospel is the responsibility of the baptized rather than the privilege of the ordained. Preaching is not a solo endeavor. It is a communal practice, a ministry of the whole congregation that is most faithful when the process is shared. In The Peoples' Sermon, Shauna K. Hannan argues that it is no longer faithful for a preacher to craft a sermon in isolation, step into "the pulpit" (literally or metaphorically) on Sunday morning, offer a one-sided monologue, and on Monday start all over, alone, with the process of researching and writing in preparation for the following Sunday. Hannan's goal is to create vital worshipping communities where all know and live out their roles in the preaching ministry of the congregation, where both clergy and laity are empowered and equipped in their roles before, during, and after the sermon. She encourages readers to reflect on what preaching is and why the church engages in this practice, and to explore various roles in the preaching ministry of the congregation. She guides readers and their communities through a process that equips hearers to fulfill their active roles in the preaching ministry of the congregation. The Peoples' Sermon dares to suggest that preaching is most faithful when it is collaborative. Pastors do not own the pulpit; they steward it.