The preaching of the gospel and the act of worship are two of the principal functions of the church. To be effective, the pastor or leader must be familiar with both the purpose and the techniques of preaching and worship. The following books offer many insights and practical suggestions on these two subjects.
Abbey, Merrill R. Communication in Pulpit and Parish. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1980. An explanation of the communication process and how to best use it in communicating the gospel.
Anderson, Ray S., ed. Theological Foundations for Ministry. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1978. A presentation of the theological basis for ministry issues, including preaching and worship.
Baumann, J. Daniel. An Introduction to Contemporary Preaching. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1972. A study of how to use communication and the truth of the Scriptures to bring about change in the lives of people.
Blackwood, Andrew W. The Fine Art of Preaching. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1976. A book in the style of his earlier work, The Fine Art of Public Worship.
Brooks, Phillips. Lectures on Preaching. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978. Lectures by this famous preacher concerning the elements of preaching, the sermon, the listener, and the compelling nature of preaching.
Crum, Milton. Manual on Preaching: A New Process of Sermon Development. Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1977. A training manual on sermon preparation with specific helps at relating the message to the needs of the congregation.
Daane, James. Preaching With Confidence. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980. Inspiring reading for preachers on the power of the pulpit.
Dodd, C. H. The Apostolic Preaching and Its Developments. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980. A study of the growth and development of preaching in the early church.
Engel, James F. Contemporary Christian Communications: Its Theory and Practice. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1979. A study of all the aspects of communications. The most helpful chapters for the preacher are “Motivating Conversation” and “Motivating Spiritual Growth.”
Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline. New York: Harper & Row, 1978. Excellent meditations for personal and corporate worship.
Hoon, Paul W. The Integrity of Worship. Nashville: Abingdon, 1977. An attempt to temper experimentation in worship by providing the theological framework. Highly recommended.
Kaiser, Walter C. The Old Testament in Contemporary Preaching. Grand Rapids; Baker Book House, 1973. A guide on how to use the Old Testament as an asset in preaching. Focuses on the themes of the Promise, the Law, history, the prophets, and the wisdom literature.
Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn. Preaching and Preachers. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1972. An inspirational work on the nature, preparation, and delivery of sermons. An excellent chapter on the preparation of the preacher.
McLaughlin, Raymond W. The Ethics of Persuasive Preaching. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978. An address of the ethical question a preacher faces: “Should I be influencing the thoughts and behavior of others?”
Massey, James Earl. Designing the Sermon. Nashville: Abingdon, 1980. Speaks on order and movement in preaching. How to give flow to sermons and to know where you’re going.
O’Day, Rey, and Powers, Edward A. Theatre of the Spirit: A Worship Handbook. New York: Pilgrim Press, 1980. A worship handbook designed to assist worship leaders in coordinating the meaning of worship with tradition and innovation.
Perry, Lloyd M., and Strubhar, John R. Evangelistic Preaching. Chicago: Moody Press, 1979. The book provides a step-by-step guide to pulpit evangelism.
Rayburn, Robert G. O Come Let Us Worship. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980. A handbook for ministers on corporate worship in the evangelical church, including a history of worship and suggestions for preparing the order of services. Good section on hymnody.
Sangster, W. E. The Craft of the Sermon. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House 1972. An instructional book on the construction and preparation of a sermon from start to finish.
Skinner, Craig. The Teaching Ministry of the Pulpit. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1979. A blend of history, theology, and psychology to arrive at a teaching emphasis in the approach to preaching.
Von Allmen, Jean-Jacques. Preaching and Congregations. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1962. A concise work on the nature and preparation of sermons. Excellent chapter on “The Sermon in Worship.”
White, James F. Christian Worship in Transition. Nashville: Abingdon, 1976. A confrontation of basic issues faced in worship, including the relationship of the sacraments, culture, and individualism to the worship experience.
White, James F. New Forms of Worship. Nashville: Abingdon, 1971. A definition of Christian worship with applications for all the ingredients of worship, including the role of the preacher.
Wiersbe, Warren, Listening to the Giants. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1979. A collection of great sermons with short biographies of each preacher.
Copyright © 1981 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal. Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.
