Preachers face a bracing challenge: to proclaim the millenniums-old Scriptures in a way that never grows musty. We can say nothing really new, but it must seem new. Like a resourceful cook finding different ways to whip up a plate of meat and potatoes, we must proclaim the familiar gospel in unfamiliar ways, week after week (perhaps two to five times a week), month after month, year after year. Clearly, the creative demand on a pastor makes working as a restaurant chef on Mother's Day look easy.
Like everyone else, preachers long to be understood. Unfortunately the rules first learned in seminary, if misapplied, can quickly turn homiletic precision into listener boredom. To capture heart and mind, Mark Galli and Craig Larson suggest preachers turn to the lessons of journalism. In Preaching That Connects they show how the same keys used to create effective, captivating communication in the media can transform a sermon.
Amply illustrated from some of today's best preachers, Preaching That Connects walks through the entire sermon, from the critical introduction, to the bridge, to illustrations and final application. Key points include the five key techniques for generating creative ideas, your six options for illustrations, and the ten rules for great story-telling--and why the transition sentence is the hardest sentence you'll write.
Preaching That Connects is for all who seek to hone their craft to communicate the truth of the Gospel effectively.
Mark Galli is managing editor of Christian History and the Preaching Today monthly cassette, both produced by Christianity Today, Inc. He is a contributing editor to Leadership journal and was a pastor for ten years.
Craig Brian Larson is a contributing editor to Leadership journal and was a pastor for fifteen years. He is the author of Running the Midnight Marathon.
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