PEOPLE IN PRINT
January 1, 1990
Putting Spirit into the Sermon Spirit, Word, and Story: A Philosophy of Preaching by Calvin Miller, Word, $14.99 Reviewed by Grant Lovejoy, instructor in preaching, Southwestern Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas Every preacher knows the experience: The sparks fall on damp tinder, or perhaps there are no sparks at all. Frequently, we can finger the trouble: hasty preparation, uninspired delivery. But even sermons grounded in Scripture and fervently delivered can fail. As senior pastor at Westside Church in Omaha, Calvin Miller knows the struggle. But across twenty-four years there, he has found a way to feed a congregation that has grown from ten members to twenty-five hundred, most of whom were added by baptism. He also has crafted two dozen volumes of verse and prose, including the Singer trilogy. In Spirit, Word, and Story: A Philosophy of Preaching, he writes to share the philosophy of preaching that has kept him and his congregation alert, creative, and growing. He organizes it around the three words of the title. A glance at the table of contents shows that this is no standard book on preaching. The first four chapters- nearly a third of the book-offer a challenging and overdue call to include the Spirit in preaching. Miller contends that only the moving of the Spirit can make a sermon truly biblical. "Sermons fall short of all biblical models when they are only the best of study, preparation, and delivery." The Spirit also must inject a touch of mystery. The mystery starts with the preacher's spirituality. Miller suggests that preachers think of themselves (despite the pagan connotation) as a shaman. "The shaman is one (as viewed by his tribe) through whose life strange forces are at play. His whole bearing is one ...
Like the preview? To read this complete article
and 18,013 more in the archive—JOIN NOW!
Easily find high-quality, well-researched materials that provide a Christian perspective on topics ranging from headlines to history.
Start using this invaluable tool TODAY for preparing your Bible studies, presentations, class lectures, sermons, meetings, and more.
|
It's easy and quick to join:
Brought to You by Christianity Today Int'l |  |
|
| 
Find similar articles
E-mail this page
