Preaching With Relevance: Without Dumbing Down

"People just don't seem to want to listen to good, solid Bible preaching. Yet they crave the things that only the Bible can give them."--from the Introduction And so the battle rages in the heart of every pastor who longs to teach the deep truths of God's Word to a needy congregation, yet finds them reluctant to listen. Must the pastor sacrifice solid biblical preaching in order to be relevant? No, says veteran pastor and teacher of pastors, Keith Willhite. The pastor must preach biblically AND relevantly. Relevance is inherent in the text--God took care of that--but clear communication of relevance in contemporary culture is the responsibility of the pastor. Without lowering the standard on exegetical and expository content, Willhite offers ten strategies for crafting and presenting sermons that will help listeners understand the meaning of the passage, affirm the sermon's homiletical message, and apply God's truth. "If you want to be relevant without being biblical, no problem. Or if you want to be biblical, but not relevant, no problem. But the preacher's task is to be both biblical and relevant. Finally, this book offers strategies on how to do it." --Howard G. HendricksKeith Willhite (Ph.D. in communications, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.; Th.M. Dallas Theological Seminary) is "an ordinary guy who stands up in front of people and tells them where to go," at least according to his daughter when she was three. Keith teaches preaching and communications at Dallas Theological Seminary, where he serves as Chairman and Professor of Pastoral Ministries. Prior to teaching, Keith spent 10 years in the pastorate. He and his wife, Denise, live in Texas with their two children.

About the Author :
Keith Willhite is an ordinary guy who "stands up in front of people and tells them where to go." At least that's the way his daughter described him . . . when she was three. Keith is the Chairman and Professor of Pastoral Ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary. But anyone who knows him well will tell you that his primary occupation is cheering for Kentucky basketball. Keith; his wife, Denise; and their two young children enjoy zoos, fishing, soccer, and almost anything outdoors. Haddon W. Robinson es un conferenciante muy conocido y uno de los maestros del programa radial Descubra la Palabra. En su calidad de profesor distnguido del Seminario Gordon-Conwell, imparte conferencias y es autor de varios libros.

Review :
. . . a cookbook for preachers who want sermons that are more filling and still taste great.-- (06/03/2004) [Preaching with Relevance] is a practical volume and an enjoyable read that will be helpful to anyone who preaches.--Preaching Magazine (06/03/2004) This short, very readable book stimulates sound thinking on how to 'package' biblical truth in a way that is most likely to communicate effectively to our hearers.--Vox Reformata (06/03/2004) Willhite, an EHS founding father, is an expert on the subject of relevance in expository preaching. . . . A particular strength of Willhite's book are the many charts and models that guide the reader through the author's thinking.-- (06/03/2004)