A Manual for Preaching: The Journey from Text to Sermon - Paperback

by Abraham Kuruvilla (Author)

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.

Back Jacket

"Anyone who preaches . . . needs to read this book"

"Abraham Kuruvilla is a physician-theologian whose work in the field of homiletics is both innovative and firmly Bible based. This manual on preaching is at once practical and theologically rich. It shows not only how-to but also wherefore. Highly recommended!"
--Timothy George, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University

"Kuruvilla, one of our most prolific homileticians, has finally written an introductory textbook, and the guild is better for it. His approach is fresh as he shows students how to discover, apply, organize, illustrate, and deliver the theological thrust of the text."
--Jeffrey Arthurs, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

"Wise, humble, realistic, vividly illustrated, erudite, comprehensive, constructively contrarian, playful, memorable, but above all helpful for the serious preacher, Kuruvilla's magnum opus builds upon decades of preaching, equipping preachers, and writing for them. This book is not for the lazy. It takes seriously the price preachers must pay to prepare, but it will richly reward those who learn from its precepts and examples."
--Greg R. Scharf, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (emeritus)

"This introduction to the science and the art of preaching represents Kuruvilla at his best. Few will agree with him, or me, at every point, but then, effective preachers tend to be idiosyncratic creatures. Our differences aside, whether readers are old hands at the enterprise or novices entering this sacred vocation, anyone who preaches and any church leader who listens to preaching needs to read this book."
--Daniel I. Block, Wheaton College (emeritus)

"In the multitude of books on preaching, Kuruvilla's book will prove to be of more value than most. The book is full of seasoned wisdom, making use of Kuruvilla's own experience--both his successes and, occasionally, his failures. I recommend it not only for personal enrichment but also as a textbook for any class in homiletics."
--Derek Tidball, former principal, London School of Theology

"If Kuruvilla writes it, I read it! Few think or write more deeply or insightfully about preaching and its implications than Kuruvilla. This latest book from his pen is no exception."
--David L. Allen, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Author Biography

Abraham Kuruvilla (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is the Carl E. Bates Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He previously served as senior research professor of preaching and pastoral ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary. Kuruvilla authored A Vision for Preaching (a Preaching Today Book Award winner) and Privilege the Text! A Theological Hermeneutic for Preaching. A past president of the Evangelical Homiletics Society, he blogs regularly at homiletix.com.