“Preach the Word” isn’t a suggestion but a command from God. The Bible opens with God speaking His Word and creation coming into existence. God uses the preached Word of God to bring sinners from death to life by transforming them from rebels to saints. A lot of articles and books have been written to address the concern that contemporary preaching has gone soft. In his book The Passion Driven Sermon Changing the Way Pastors Preach and Congregations Listen Pastor Jim Shaddix writes to explain that “preaching should be driven by a passion for the glory of God, a passion jointly possesd by both the pastor and the people” (3).

This book is divided into three parts: Part one examines Passion-Driven Scripturology. Part 2 discuses Passion Driven Sheperdology and the final part of the book looks at Passion Driven Sermonology.  The one thing that impressed me about this book is rather than giving a formula for “successful” preaching as many books on preaching do the author focuses on what the Word of God teaches about preaching and how preachers are to preach the Word in order to help the people have a big view of God and the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Preaching is high and holy business to God. To preach the Word of God to the people of God is a high and holy privilege  In a limited sense every Christian is a preacher. Not every Christian will stand before a congregation or even a small group and deliver a message, but every Christian is a theologian and preacher. Men are called to lead their families, which requires preaching and teaching the Word of God to their families. Every single Christian is called to witness and make disciples for the Lord Jesus. This is why preaching is high and holy business because every single Christian is a theologian and a preacher. Not only do we preach to other people we also preach to ourselves.

One of the most impressive parts of this book is the vision of preaching this book gives. The goal of the author is not just to give an instruction manual chalk full of “how-to” preach but rather to help the preacher to have a bigger vision of God in order to convey the greatness of God in all of His glory to His people. This is the kind of book that you want to read if you are serious about preaching. This book will help you to love the people of God better by serving them not with a pragmatic sermon but with the weightiness of all God teaches in His Word. At the end of the day regardless of your preaching style or preference, the goal of preaching is to proclaim the whole Word of God to the people of God to glory of God in order that they may be equipped to serve God among the nations. This book will help preachers to gain a robust vision of all God is in order to make much of Jesus through the preaching of His Word. I recommend this book to preachers and pray it will be a means the Lord uses to give the people of God, a greater vision of God for His glory.

Title: The Passion-Driven Sermon: Changing the Way Pastors Preach and Congregations Listen

Author:  Jim Shaddix

Publisher:  B & H Academic (2012)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the B & H Academic book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”