Can Our Words Carry Wonder?: Preaching in the Church Today

This comprehensive guide focuses on much more than the practicalities of preaching and will be welcomed by clergy, ordinands and lay preachers from all denominations. It emphasises the spiritual formation of preachers by the Bible, by life experience and by the Christian tradition and the development of wonder and discusses the many resources available for this before going on to examine the significance of the liturgical and pastoral contexts in which preaching takes place. An overview of past approaches to preaching includes an examination of various strands in the transformation of preaching over the last forty years and consideration of theologies of preaching. From these wide resources, various methodologies are explored culminating in a worked example of the practicalities of preparing and giving a sermon, from first engagement with the Scripture readings to voice control.