Preaching and Preachers

Preaching and Preachers

Based on a series of lectures originally given by Lloyd-Jones to the students of Westminster Theological Seminary in the spring of 1969, this collection of essays on the essence of powerful preaching has become a modern classic. For over 30 years, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones ministered at Westminster Chapel in London. Today, he is widely considered one of the greatest preachers of the 20th century. In Preaching and Preachers , Lloyd-Jones defends the primacy of preaching, showing that there is no substitute, and he challenges preachers to take their calling seriously: "The most urgent need in the Christian Church today is true preaching." He also provides practical direction on the task of preparing a sermon, sharing insights on the shape and form of a message as well as covering such topics as the use of humor, giving invitations in a message and the preacher’s relationship to the congregation. If you can own only one book on preaching, make this the one you read. This 40th anniversary edition includes the original text of Preaching and Preachers along with essays by Bryan Chapell, Mark Dever, Kevin DeYoung, Ligon Duncan, Timothy Keller and John Piper reflecting on the impact this book and the ministry of Lloyd-Jones had on their preaching. This is a book that will continue to speak to a new generation of preachers and teachers for years to come. Born in South Wales, Dr Lloyd-Jones was a practicing physician until leaving medicine to become the minister of a Welsh Presbyterian Church. He is author of numerous books and printed lectures. Preaching and Preachers By D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones ZONDERVAN Copyright © 2011 D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones All right reserved. ISBN: 978-0-310-33129-2 Contents Note from the Editor..................................................9Foreword..............................................................11Preface...............................................................131 THE PRIMACY OF PREACHING............................................172 NO SUBSTITUTE.......................................................373 THE SERMON AND THE PREACHING........................................564 THE FORM OF THE SERMON..............................................755 THE ACT OF PREACHING................................................956 THE PREACHER........................................................1137 THE CONGREGATION....................................................1338 THE CHARACTER OF THE MESSAGE........................................1569 THE PREPARATION OF THE PREACHER.....................................17710 THE PREPARATION OF THE SERMON......................................19911 THE SHAPE OF THE SERMON............................................21812 ILLUSTRATIONS, ELOQUENCE, HUMOUR...................................23613 WHAT TO AVOID......................................................26014 CALLING FOR DECISIONS..............................................28015 THE PITFALLS AND THE ROMANCE.......................................29816 `DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT AND OF THE POWER'.....................321The MLJ Trust.........................................................343Notes.................................................................345 Chapter One THE PRIMACY OF PREACHING Why am I prepared to speak and to lecture on preaching? There are a number of reasons. It has been my life's work. I have been forty-two years in the ministry, and the main part of my work has been preaching; not exclusively, but the main part of it has been preaching. In addition it is something that I have been constantly studying. I am conscious of my inadequacies and my failures as I have been trying to preach for all these years; and that has led inevitably to a good deal of study and of discussion and of general interest in the whole matter. But, ultimately, my reason for being very ready to give these lectures is that to me the work of preaching is the highest and the greatest and the most glorious calling to which anyone can ever be called. If you want something in addition to that I would say without any hesitation that the most urgent need in the Christian Church today is true preaching; and as it is the greatest and the most urgent need in the Church, it is obviously the greatest need of the world also. The statement about its being the most urgent need leads to the first matter that we must discuss together—Is there any need of preaching? Is there any place for preaching in the modern Church and in the modern world, or has preaching become quite outmoded? The very fact that one has to pose such a question, and to consider it, is, it seems to me, the most illuminating commentary on the state of the Church at the present time. I feel that that is the chief explanation of the present more or less parlous condition and ineffectiveness of the Christian Church in the world today. This whole question of the need of preaching, and the place of preaching in