Southwestern Journal of Theology 2021 Book of the Year Award (Honorable Mention, Preaching/Ministry/Leadership) A veteran pastor with thirty years of experience guides readers through a ten-step process to preaching Old Testament narratives from text selection to delivery. The first edition received a Christianity Today award of merit and a Preaching magazine Book of the Year award. This edition, now updated and revised throughout for a new generation, includes a new chapter on how to preach Christ from the Old Testament and an exemplary sample sermon from Mathewson. Foreword by Haddon W. Robinson.

The right words for the right occasion A pastor must be able to step with ease into a number of different speaking venues. In addition to a regular preaching schedule, you as a pastor face an endless parade of special occasions at which you are asked to speak. Some occasions are planned, others are unexpected, but for all occasions you must be ready to communicate the Word of God in a way that complements the liturgy and worship. Preaching for Special Services gives you practical guidance on how to develop and deliver clear, listener-sensitive sermons for special occasions such as weddings, baptisms, and funerals. Each chapter examines the history and theology of preaching for a particular occasion and then centers on the development of the sermon for that event. Scott M. Gibson's approach to sermon construction is based on Haddon W. Robinson's central-idea preaching described in his Biblical Preaching. Preaching for Special Services also offers an extensive list of resources for each special occasion and specific exercises to help you put the principles in this book into practice.

Statistics show that the average person watches almost 5 hours of television per day - that's more than 1,700 hours a year. It's obvious from these statistics that television is doing something right, for people to be tuned in for that amount of time. Stop Preaching and Start Communicating has nothing to do with television's content. Instead, it has everything to do with examining television as an effective communications medium, and how oral communicators can learn from it. In this book you will learn: - how to define and get to know your target audience - how to begin and end a message that gets attention and leaves them breathless - how to communicate without notes - how to communicate just one memorable big idea - how to communicate to transform, rather than to simply inform

To communicate God??'s Word effectively in the twenty-first century, you need to know how to connect with and confront an audience of postmodern listeners. With this book, you???ll learn how to change your style of preaching without compromising the substance, take advantage of new opportunities provided by the cultural shift, and show an inattentive society the relevance of God??'s truth. "The world has gone through a major shift in thinking and communication into a postmodern mode, yet much preaching is still ???pre-modern??? and very out of touch. Graham Johnston has made a significant contribution in his book, showing how preaching can be thoroughly biblical, opening up the text of the Bible but also concerned with the openings in the minds of contemporary people." Leighton Ford, president, Leighton Ford Ministries "Communicating God??'s Word is more than just speaking the truth; it??'s being heard and understood as well. This book is designed to help Christian leaders better understand their listeners, so they can communicate biblical truths with effectiveness and clarity." Josh McDowell, author of Evidence That Demands a Verdict "Graham Johnston describes the water in which we exist. . . . Better still, he provides some workable leads on how to communicate the life-giving Word to men and women swimming in the currents of the twenty-first century." Haddon W. Robinson, author of Biblical Preaching "Johnston not only brings a shrewd analysis of the present changes in our culture, he also contributes from the perspective of a skilled practitioner. Such a combination is both rare and valuable." Martin Robinson, director of mission and theology, British and Foreign Bible Society "Foranyone desiring a ministry of impact in today??'s postmodern society, Graham Johnston has provided an understandable and useful focus." Howard G. Hendricks, chairman, Center for Christian Leadership, Dallas Theological Seminary

In Luke's vivid narrative, Jesus comes into Galilee proclaiming "good news to the poor . . . freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind." More than any other Gospel, the Gospel of Luke shows Jesus' great concern for the downtrodden, the oppressed and the marginalized--including women and children and even those outside the house of Israel. Darrell Bock shows why Luke's Gospel is "tailor-made" for the world we live in--a world often divided along ethnic, religious, economic and political lines. After all, the Jesus portrayed by Luke is a source of unity for his disciples and for believers from every walk of life. Tax collectors, Roman soldiers, prostitutes, city officials, religious leaders, widows and fishermen were among the diverse group brought together in the early Christian church. Bock's dual focus on understanding what Luke wanted to communicate to his original readers and on how that message is relevant for today makes this an excellent resource.