Preaching Matters

A fine book on biblical preaching from a master craftsman! Jonathan Lamb is well known for his thoughtful and inspirational expositions of Scripture, and this book opens up for us the spirituality, vision and practice which lies behind his ministry. Peppered with illustrations, worked examples and practical tools, Preaching Matters will challenge and help preachers and congregations alike.

John Risbridger, Chair of Keswick Ministries, and Minister and Team Leader of Above Bar Church, Southampton

Jonathan Lamb has been a pioneer in training expository preaching movements in many countries around the world, including Latin America, and we are delighted that he is now sharing his experience with us. Through Nehemiah and Ezra’s journey, Jonathan shows us the essential elements of biblical preaching. I was very encouraged to see that he has included ‘praying the Word’ as an important part of preparation.

Igor Améstegui, formerly the General Secretary of the Bolivian IFES movement, and now the coordinator for Langham Preaching in Latin America

This is a refreshing, clear, helpful and accessible book which is the fruit of many years of faithful preaching and patient training of preachers. I particularly enjoyed the final section on the two-way dynamic with those who hear, and are shaped by, faithful expository preaching.

Christopher Ash, Director of the Proclamation Trust’s Cornhill Training Course

Like many sporting heroes, some of the best preachers perform well, but are unable to coach others to be better. Jonathan Lamb, however, is a rare combination: an exceptional preacher, a clear writer and an excellent coach. That’s what makes Preaching Matters such a treat: biblical, accessible, practical and quotable! Sell your shirt, extend the mortgage if necessary, but buy, read, mark and learn from this superb guide on the hows, whys and wherefores of preaching.

Dr Steve Brady, Principal of Moorlands College, Christchurch, UK

At last, a book on preaching for both preachers and listeners. If you’re a preacher, Preaching Matters will show you how to preach without resorting to gimmicks and instead rely on the power of God’s Word and Spirit. If you’re a listener (and all of us are), it will show you how to listen to God’s glory and to your benefit. Here is a fitting manifesto not just for the Keswick Convention, but for every local church.

Tim Chester, The Porterbrook Network

This biblical and practical book is very timely because preaching really does matter! New preachers will find it an essential guide to laying good foundations for a lifetime of preaching. ‘Old hands’ will benefit enormously from this refreshing exploration of the preaching ministry.

Stephen Gaukroger, author and Bible teacher, founder and Director of Clarion Trust International

As someone who rarely preaches, I wasn’t sure how helpful I would find this book. But it didn’t take me long before I realized the treasures it contained. Yes, it is great for the person setting out on a preaching ministry (actually, even if you have been preaching for many years this is brilliant revision!). What particularly struck me was that the insights and guidance aimed at preachers for understanding and applying God’s Word are also so valuable for those leading Bible studies, involved in one-to-one work and even for individuals just wanting to understand God’s Word better.

Revd Clare Hendry, Assistant Minister, Grace Church, Muswell Hill, London, and Assistant Tutor in Pastoral Theology at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford

When I heard that Jonathan Lamb had written a book on preaching, I thought, ‘Who else would be in a better position to do so with universal appeal?’ Jonathan Lamb has not only preached most of his life, but he has also observed and taught preaching on all the continents on this planet. Reading this book, I sense that here now is the distillation of his experience, observation and teaching. Do not be deceived by this book’s simplicity of language. Take its instructions to heart, and you will soon be a person sent from God to your hearers.

Dr Conrad Mbewe, Pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church, and Chancellor of the African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia

A direct, readable and wonderfully comprehensive book. Jonathan Lamb is not only himself a very gifted preacher, but has read widely into the subject and ornaments his teaching with apt quotations. I would think that he was writing mainly for those in the earlier days of preaching, but, speaking as one who has put in many miles along that particular road, I was personally helped on every page and found Jonathan Lamb’s book a potent and salutary recall to first principles and basic essentials. I can’t think of any aspect of the preacher or of the preacher’s task left untouched (or unornamented). He is constantly insistent on application, whether we preachers are in our studies, in the pulpit, pastorally engaged with those to whom we preach, or summoned ourselves to Christlike living as the context and required foundation of our spoken word. No reader can fail to be driven more deeply into the Word of God as the preacher’s source book and endless preoccupation, or to be renewed in determination to preach Jesus Christ as Lord. I feel personally very indebted to this book.

Alec Motyer, author and Bible expositor

In our Western culture that no longer believes in truth in any absolute sense, the role of preaching is more important than ever. As Christ works to transform the world, it is imperative that the faithful (both preachers and the laity) regain a deep confidence in the power of God’s Word and Spirit. Jonathan Lamb reminds us of the power of God’s Word to transform lives and the culture around us. He writes from his tremendous wealth of experience in pulpit ministry and training. I couldn’t recommend this book more highly.

Rebecca Manley Pippert, author, evangelist, speaker

Like many, I like to highlight important and memorable points in a book. My copy of Preaching Matters is full of highlights! I wish I could put this book, especially the foundational first three chapters, into the hands of every preacher. Preaching is simply too important to get wrong or do badly, and so Preaching Matters is rightly uncompromising in its assertion: ‘The only true form of preaching is biblical preaching.’ Amen! Forceful, true convictions married with godly practical advice make this one of the best books available on preaching.

Michael Raiter, Director of the Centre for Biblical Preaching, Melbourne, Australia

Jonathan Lamb’s warm and inspiring summary of the important underlying dynamics of preaching will remind you – as it did me – of what really matters in preaching. Richly biblical, clearly written, flowing from a life of pulpit ministry and ministry to others who preach, this volume deserves to be read. I hope that many – preachers and listeners to preaching alike – will take its insights to heart. When they do so, preaching will accomplish more of what God designed it to do.

Revd Dr Greg Scharf, Professor of Pastoral Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois, and author of Prepared to Preach and Relational Preaching, and, with John Stott, The Challenge of Preaching

© Jonathan Lamb, 2014

Jonathan Lamb has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher or the Copyright Licensing Agency.

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Bible quotation marked ESV is taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV® Text Edition: 2011. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

First published 2014

ISBN: 978-1-78359-150-3

Cover image: © Kev Jones

Cover design: Kev Jones

INTER-VARSITY PRESS

Norton Street, Nottingham NG7 3HR, England

Email: ivp@ivpbooks.com

Website: www.ivpbooks.com

Inter-Varsity Press publishes Christian books that are true to the Bible and that communicate the gospel, develop discipleship and strengthen the church for its mission in the world.

Inter-Varsity Press is closely linked with the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship, a student movement connecting Christian Unions in universities and colleges throughout Great Britain, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. Website: www.uccf.org.uk

To the courageous preachers of the Majority World from whom I have gained so much inspiration

Contents

Acknowledgments

Preface

Introduction

Nehemiah 8:1–12

Section A: The Word of God and the heart of preaching

Warm-up

1. Biblical preaching must be centred on God’s Word

2. Biblical preaching must pray God’s Word

3. Biblical preaching must understand God’s Word

Section B: The teacher and the work of preaching

Warm-up

4. Biblical preaching must be focused

5. Biblical preaching must be clear

6. Biblical preaching must be relevant

7. Biblical preaching must be embodied

Section C: The congregation and the purpose of preaching

Warm-up

8. Biblical preaching must involve the congregation

9. Biblical preaching must be applied

10. Biblical preaching must depend on God’s Spirit

11. Biblical preaching must proclaim God’s grace in Christ

Appendix 1: Suggestions for further study

Appendix 2: Worksheet for understanding a Bible passage

Appendix 3: How to work as a group on a manuscript Bible study

Appendix 4: From text to sermon

Appendix 5: Working on the sermon’s content

Appendix 6: Running a preachers’ fellowship group

Appendix 7: Evaluating a sermon

Notes

Acknowledgments

Forty years ago this year, I heard a preacher at the British Keswick Convention speak about the urgency of mission, and I trace my call to full-time Christian service back to that sermon. Subsequently, it has been a privilege for me to have served with Keswick Ministries for many years, both in the UK and elsewhere, and I am grateful to the Council of the UK Keswick – and especially to the Chair of the Literature Committee, Elizabeth McQuoid – for the invitation to contribute to the Keswick Foundations Series. I am also indebted to the thousands of preachers around the world with whom I have enjoyed fellowship in the work of Langham Preaching, establishing indigenous preaching movements in their countries in order to encourage and equip a new generation of Bible preachers. I have been inspired by their courageous commitment to the gospel, their wholehearted commitment to the Word of God and their sacrificial commitment to their churches. I dedicate this small book to them. I am grateful for the constant generosity of my wife, Margaret, who continues to work tirelessly in support of our shared Christian service, and I must also express special thanks to Catherine Nicholson for her careful proofreading of the biblical texts, and to Eleanor Trotter of IVP for her sustained encouragement.

Preface

Our prayer was for deep, clear, powerful teaching, which would take hold of the souls of the people, and overwhelm them, and lead them to a full, definite and all-conquering faith in Jesus.

This simple but profound prayer, expressed by Thomas Harford-Battersby as he reported on the 1880 Keswick Conven­tion, explains why hundreds of thousands of Christians the world over have been committed to the Keswick movement. The purpose is nothing other than to see believers more wholeheartedly committed to Jesus Christ in every area of life, and the means the faithful, clear and relevant exposition of God’s Word. All around the world, the Keswick movement has this purpose and this means. Whether it is to encourage discipleship, to call for holiness, to urge for mission, to appeal for unity, to provoke for life-change, to long for the Spirit, expounding the Bible is central to fulfilling these priorities.

Battersby was speaking at the end of the nineteenth century, but as I have travelled to different continents over recent years, I have frequently met Christians in various spheres of service whose lives have been impacted through meeting Christ in the preached Word, whether at Keswick (and there are many) or in their home congregations. I recall a conversation with a thoughtful physiotherapy student newly arrived at college who, on hearing a sermon on new life in Christ from 2 Corinthians 5:17, was moved from a merely nominal Christianity to an all-conquering faith in Christ which changed his life and his future forever. Or a middle-aged married couple, bravely confronting the terminal illness of the wife, discovering that Jesus was all they needed, through the exposition of Habakkuk’s closing doxology. Or some confident and successful professionals now serving God in Thailand, shaken from their complacency by the call of Christ in the Gospels. Or me, the author, burdened by some of the unexpected sorrows of Christian service, finding the comfort of Christ himself in the preaching of Isaiah’s Servant Songs. Preaching matters, because it is a God-ordained means of encountering Christ.

Keswick Foundations is a series of books which tackle priority themes that have shaped the Keswick movement, themes which we believe are