Manual On Preaching

Abraham Kuruvilla's A Vision for Preaching offered an integrated biblical and theological vision for preaching. A Manual for Preaching addresses the practical (and perennial) issue of how to move from the biblical text to an effective sermon. The author, a well-respected teacher of preachers, shows how to discern the text's theological meaning and let that meaning shape the development of the sermon. Clearly written and illustrated with Old Testament and New Testament examples, the book helps preachers negotiate larger swaths of Scripture and includes two annotated sermon manuscripts from Kuruvilla.

When we preach, we speak in the highest possible authority, the authority of a God who manifests God’s creative power in the reality we experience and God’s benevolent intentions in what happened to Christ. The message of God’s suffering, transforming acceptance of the unacceptable in Christ, is the most critically important message that a suffering, self-serving, and self-destructive humanity needs to hear. Preachers cannot be casual about such a monumental task. Inspired by the spirit of Christ, they will try to develop their gifts to the fullest. This book offers an on-the-job training and self-enhancement course for lay preachers and the ordained clergy. Its interactive approach encourages preachers to discover their own best way of going about their task in a critical dialogue with the author.