The Best Books on Preaching
What are the best books on preaching you have read? If you want to improve your preaching, there is no better way to start by reading every good preaching book you can get your hands on.
Yes, you need a lot of practice. You have to get out there and learn from both good and bad experiences. But beginning with a healthy foundation is critical to fast-tracking your success.
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Solidify your theology of preaching by learning from the many great preachers who have gone before you. Leaders are readers. Devour as many good preaching books as you can.
To help, I have compiled a list the best books on preaching I have read.
The Best Books On Preaching
Biblical Preaching – Haddon Robinson
Biblical Preaching is the standard book on expository preaching. This is the book that most seminaries and bible colleges will make students read. A true classic.
The Art and Craft of Biblical Preaching – Haddon Robinson & Craig Brian Larson
The Art and Craft of Biblical Preaching is the greatest collection of preaching articles I have ever read. What I love most about this book is the incredible variety of opinions from expert preachers: Haddon Robinson, John Stott, Bill Hybels, Dallas Willard, Warren Wiersbe, Larry Osborne, Tim Keller, Rick Warren, D.A. Carson, John Ortberg, Charles Swindoll, John Piper, Andy Stanley… and so many more. It’s a long read, but a must read!
Communicating for a Change – Andy Stanley & Lane Jones
In this book, Andy Stanley breaks down his method for delivering engaging and memorable messages week after week. The first half is a story of a man learning to preach, the second half breaks everything down into practical steps. If you have not yet read this book, seriously, do it now.
Christ-Centered Preaching – Bryan Chapell
Christ-Centered Preaching is a great book on expository preaching centered on Christ. It is a very deep book that might take longer to read than others, but it is filled with nuggets of wisdom.
Preaching and Preachers – D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Preaching and Preachers is classic in the preaching world. The 40th anniversary edition also includes essays from Tim Keller, John Piper, Mark Dever, Kevin DeYoung, and more.
Preaching: The Art of Narrative Exposition – Calvin Miller
Everyone loves a good story. Stories are compelling and memorable. This book does an excellent job of breaking down the art of story telling in preaching from a master story-teller.
What About Youth Ministry?
I am no stranger to the world of youth ministry. I served as a youth pastor for 6 years. If you are a youth pastor, the books above will still be helpful to you. However, if you are looking for something more specific to your ministry to teenagers, here are a few great choices that personally helped me.
Speaking to Teenagers – Doug Fields & Duffy Robbins
There is no better book out there for specifically for youth pastors communicating to teenagers. This book covers every area from thought, creation, to delivery of effective messages. Every youth pastor should own a copy.
How to Speak To Youth and Keep Them Awake at the Same Time – Ken Davis
How to Speak to Youth is a classic book on speaking to teenagers from master communicator, Ken Davis, founder of the SCORRE Conference. Since it’s an older book, a few things mentioned are outdated, but the principles still apply.
There you have it. Check them out. Pick one you haven’t read. Make a goal to finish it in the next month. You will be glad you did.
Shameless Plug: Preaching Nuts & Bolts: The Essential Guide to Sermon Prep – Check out this highly practical book on sermon writing.
QUESTION: Did I miss anything? What book (besides the Bible) has influenced your preaching the most?[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
As a preaching professor I use Haddon Robinson’s text and also Kent Edward’s Deep Preaching that has a focus on the necessity of spirituality for preaching. I teach my students an exegesis to exposition study questions method based on Stephen Farris’ Preaching that Matters: The Bible and Our Lives. I have also found the procedure in Communicating for a Change helpful in esp. connecting with the upcoming generation. @DanielLWong
Thanks for the insight Dr. Wong. I totally agree with the procedure from Communicating for a Change being helpful for the younger generation. I have heard about Deep Preaching and Preaching that Matters. I will definitely add them to my reading list. Thanks!
Thanks for the insights Dr. Wong. I totally agree with the procedure from Communicating for a Change being great for the younger generation. I have heard about Deep Preaching and Preaching that Matters. I will definitely add them to my reading list. Thanks!
Chapell, not Chapels…but his book is one of the best. Also had to read Between Two Worlds by John Stott in seminary and found it immensely helpful.
Thanks for pointing out my typo. Problem fixed.
Adding Between Two Worlds to my reading list. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the list.
Amazingly, now that I think about it, I haven’t really read all that many books about preaching. But I do have some on my reading pile!
However, my favorite books are 1) Stanley & Jones’ “Communicating for a Change,” the approach I’ve been using since 2006 (my 2007 blog post on the book is by far the most popular post on my blog), and 2) Nancy Duarte’s “Resonate” (on presentations, not necessarily preaching). There’s actually a lot of correlation between the two books. (I also wrote a series of posts on Duarte’s books).
Thanks again!
I have yet to read Duarte’s book, but it has definitely been on my list. From what I hear, she is the expert on presentations. Might have to bump it up now and give it a read sooner. Thanks.
I highly recommend this book (no, it’s not mine). It is written by Dr. R. Warren Lathem who pastored one of the largest United Methodist churches in the US for 17 years which led the UMC in profession of faith membership nationwide several years in a row. He also birthed the UMC in Venezuela and birthed the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela.
http://www.amazon.com/Preaching-Response-Believers-Spiritual-Maturity/dp/1885224656/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367282241&sr=8-1&keywords=preaching+for+a+response
Thanks for the suggestion
Chip and Dan Heath have two excellent books on presentations, but they do reference using their books for the church as well. “Made to Stick” is about how to make your presentation (sermon) stick in the minds of your audience, and “Switch” is about how to persuade people to believe in your cause.
The preacher and his preaching by AP Gibbs
Thanks Chris! I love hearing what other pastors have found helpful.
Spirit Empowered Preaching by Arturo Azudia
For a theology and ethic of preaching:
“The Word Before the Powers” by Charles Campbell
and
“The Word of God and the Word of Man” by Karl Barth
“The Homilerical Plot” by Eugene L. Lowry
2 other books; Rediscovering Expository Preaching by John MacArthur and Invitation to Biblical Preaching by Donald Sunukjian.
I would highy recommend the following for the African-American minister:
(1) The Holy Spirit & Preaching, by James Forbes.
(2) The Burdensome Joy of Preaching, by James Earl Massey.
(3) The Certain Sound of the Trumpet: Crafting a Sermon of Authority, Samuel D. Proctor
(4) Preaching Through a Storm, by H. Beecher Hicks.
(5) Preaching to Head and Heart, by Thomas R. Swears
(6) Strength to Love, By Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
(7) Anything by Howard Thurman, especially, “Jesus of the Disinherited.”