Holmes helps to elucidate the connection between the message of faith in the scriptures and compassion required to convey this through the oratorical exhorting of observation.
This helps to highlight once key area of continuity between preaching in Paul's time and in our own. That is, preaching remains a powerful avenue through which to encourage social action, to discourse on political realities and to further distinctly Christian collective goals. In fostering these objectives today, preaching remains deeply connected to its own evolution. Accordingly, Knowles suggests that the evangelical drive to share the gospels is frequently received by those in the greatest need of social, political or economic advocacy. According to the text by Knowles, "in addition to heralding a clash of values between church and state, this is a significant observation in light of the way that evangelism and mission are sometimes conducted, with relatively disadvantaged listeners professing Christian faith…...

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Works Cited:

Elysee, J. (2011). Methods of Evangelism. Methodsofevangelism.com.

Knowles, M.P. (2008). We Preach Not Ourselves: Paul on Proclamation. Brazos Press.

Longman, Robert Jr. (2007). Prophecy in the New Testament. Spirit Home.

PREACHING
In a, insightful, gaduate level, I a book eview Peaching Fed Caddock.

Caddock, F. (1985). Peaching. Abingdon Pess

Fed B. Caddock's book Peaching is designed to be used as a textbook fo seminaians enteing the ministy and a guide fo peaches cuently speading the gospel. It is intentionally designed to be used simultaneously an inspiational text and a 'nuts and bolts' guide to witing and deliveing semons; it guides students who wish to lean moe about the pocess and encouages peaches to make thei cuent deliveies moe effective and esonant with congegants. Even non-peaches could lean fom the wisdom Caddock offes in egads to becoming a bette listene in chuch. Peaching is a complex activity, both pivate and public in natue. Fundamentally, peaching is aticulating the views of a faith community as filteed though the peceptions of the peache (Caddock 1985: 18). Peaches engage in self-disclosue and offe subjective impessions yet they…...

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references, the preacher must not let this get in the way of his ultimate mission. This is important not only so that the preacher does not 'play favorites' but also so that he does not fall into the temptation of trying to ingrate himself unconsciously with the listeners. "Concrete details of experience, circumstance, and relationships, as well as names, faces, and addresses" can be addressed but requires a delicate balance of finesse between acknowledging the particular struggles and needs of congregants and taking the eternal and timeless message the preacher is conveying with great seriousness (Craddock 1985: 90).

The ideal of the pastor- listener relationship is to simultaneously view listeners as an audience, much as a guest preacher would see them with universal needs but also to understand them as congregants with whom the preacher has a particularly intimate knowledge and the ability to convey the gospel in a fashion that they can understand and accept that is uniquely theirs: as congregants "listeners are known as the pastor knows them" (Craddock 1985: 90). This also encompasses how a pastor is both universal and particular in his mission: relating to eternal texts even while he is still a human being grappling with the same issues as those whom he ministers to on a daily basis.

In addition to such general, philosophical issues such as content and audience relationships, Craddock also provides practical information about structuring the sermon. Craddock suggests making Biblical texts a central component of the minister's sermon. He feels that too many modern sermons tend to use only one or two quotes without giving sufficient concern to the Bible. Throughout the text, Craddock emphasizes providing a cohesive theology that is rooted in history and memory while still addressing contemporary needs.

Preaching to a Shifting Culture" by Gibson
In his informative and intriguing compilation titled Preaching to a Shifting Culture:

Perspectives on Communicating that Connects, editor Scott M. Gibson deftly assembles the writing of many renowned preachers, including Haddon Robinson and ryan Chapell, into a practical framework designed to guide both current church leaders and the next generation of clergy. Employing a direct yet casual style, Gibson communicates directly to readers through the book's Introduction, and when he states unequivocally that "the purpose of this collection of essays is to explore some of the issues confronting evangelical preaching at the turn of the millennium,"1 Gibson provides a clear statement of his fundamental thesis. The concept that gradual cultural shifts have occurred while escaping the notice of preachers and churches is not novel by any means, but the way in which Gibson manages to capture this sentiment is entirely unique, as he seeks…...

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Bibliography

Gibson, Scott M., ed. Preaching to a shifting culture: 12 perspectives on communicating that connects. Baker Books, 2004.

If I was a preacher who was having a difficult time being 'biblical', then the above statement would make complete sense to me. The fact is that the iblical Scripture does incorporate numerous concepts, values and regulations that cannot be treated or understood out of the context in which they are presented. Also, the context in which they are present is also intertwined with each other in an intricate web which also needs to be understood first to fully understand the background of the principles thus formed and the guidance given thereof.
In case that this is not done efficiently, the preaching can be a mere backdrop of excerpts of Christ's life and death as well as the incidents in his life without having any really or authentic impact on the lives of the modern community. The downside here, however, is that Long, despite making a valid point, is very…...

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Bibliography

Long, Thomas G, 2005. The Witness of Preaching: Second Edition. Westminster / John Knox.

Preaching orship
Of course this book is about preaching and worship services, and all that takes place within those contexts as the congregation gathers together and responds to the message from the pulpit. All Believers in the audience are there to smoothly, spiritually make the transition from the worldly issues outside to the heart of what God wants people to do. The book goes into great detail about the participation of those in attendance, about the importance of singing together, of praying together, and about the symbolism of breaking bread, which is "…a visible metaphor of how God's word works among the assembly" (Quivik, 14).

But moreover, this book opens the door to understanding and tugs on the sleeves of alert readers to reach out and find new meaning based on the truths, the metaphors, the imagery and the gospel that is presented by the author. Readers are challenged to understand…...

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Works Cited

Christian Broadcasting Network. "Spiritual Life: What is Intercession?" Retrieved March 23, '

2014, from  http://www.cbn.com .

Quivik, Melinda A. Serving the Word: Preaching in Worship. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.

2009.

Christ Preaching or La Petite Tombe
Christ Preaching by Rembrandt

Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn was a prolific artist from seventeenth century, producing at least six hundred paintings, three hundred etchings, and two thousand drawings. His works are known for being dramatic and devoid of the formality that was common among his contemporaries. Rembrandt was born in The Netherland, and later achieved fame in Amsterdam. Having studied at the University of Leiden and as an apprentice under Jacob van Leiden, he opened his own studio by the age of twenty-one, and began taking on his own students. Marriage into a wealthy family brought him into social circles where his work was held in high esteem. After his wife's death, Rembrandt had a child out of wedlock and he was given an official reprimand by the church. Despite "living in sin," Rembrandt's work was often of religious or biblical content. One of his etchings,…...

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Bibliography

Rembrandt. Christ Preaching.

"REMBRANDT VAN RIJN." Hults Reading. Michigan State University.  http://www.msu.edu/course/ha/121/Hults%20Reading.htm

Preaching is speaking the truth about the word of God. In the Second Edition of McDill’s now classic text, The 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching, the author revises the original text to make it relevant to the next generation of preachers and to the general public interested in the fundamentals of delivering the good news. Just as scripture itself needs to be continually revisited to remain relevant to contemporary believers, so too do Christian commentaries and guides like The 12 Essential Skills. McDill’s primary audience is would-be and aspiring preachers, but anyone, Christian or not, can gain essential wisdom from this text. The 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching is divided into four sections, plus the two prefaces (that of the original edition plus a new preface to the second edition), introduction, conclusion, and appendices. In its entirety, the book is only 300 words, offering a concise overview of…...

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References

Hamilton, D.L. (1992). Homiletical Handbook. Nashville: B&H.

McDill, W. (2006). The 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching. Second Edition. Nashville: B&H.

Stockhouse, I. & Crisp, O.D. (2014). Text Message: The Centrality of Scripture in Preaching. Wipf and Stock.

preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. oe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" (1 Corinthians 9:16). Preaching the gospel is a Christian imperative. Yet in a heterogeneous, diverse, and often secular world, the obligation to share the message of Christ can become more challenging to fulfill than it had ever before. Engaging non-Christians with the Bible nevertheless remains a core component of faith, as those who have not heard the ord of God have no opportunity to be saved. Paul repeats this essential Christian value throughout his texts, noting again in Romans, " I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish," (Romans 1:14). Preaching the gospel is critical from an eschatological and theological perspective, whether the audience is "foolish," and perhaps unready to accept the truth of Christ or whether the audience has…...

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Works Cited

Geertz, Clifford. "Religion as Cultural System." In The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic. Digital Copy.

Hunt, Robert. "The Gospel and the Nations: Christian Mission in a Pluralistic World. 2009.

Malone, Fred A. "Is Christ-Centered Preaching a Biblical Mandate?" Founders Journal, Vol. 65, Summer 2006, pp 8-17. Retrieved online:  http://founders.org/fj65/is-christ-centered-preaching-a-biblical-mandate/ 

Mawdudi, Sayyid Abul A'la. Towards Understanding Islam. UKIM Dawah Centre, Digital Text.

Three Books on Preaching How to be a Better Preacher according to Saints
Introduction
We Speak the Word of the Lord: a Practical Plan for More Effective
Preaching by Harris; How to Make Homilies Better, Briefer, and Bolder by McBride and Preaching to the Hungers of the Heart by Wallace all have the same objective in mind, which is to improve one’s preaching. However, their approaches are different and the areas on which they focus reveal the preoccupations of their authors. This paper will discuss the main ideas of the books, their similarities and their differences and show how they all compare and contrast with one another.
Main Ideas
The main idea of the book by Harris is to approach the job of preaching from a practical standpoint. The argument that Harris makes is that preachers lose sight of their immediate objective when they lack a practical plan for their preaching. The immediate objective of the…...

The Call to Preach The divine call to preach is a special message that one receives, and it is different from other divine calls. Some people receive a call—i.e., have a vocation to be a servant of God in a manner that does not involve preaching or caring for souls in that manner. Some are called to be brothers or sisters, contemplatives, or laborers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1-16). There are many types of vocations, and preaching is a special type of vocation that must be tested and tried and affirmed through the assistance of one’s spiritual advisors. This paper will analyze what it means to be called to preach and show how the characteristics of this divine call can be discerned.
A divine call in most cases is more than just a message that one receives and immediately responds to. It is more like a process, or an evolution, that one…...

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References

Earley, D. (2010). Evangelism Is: How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence. Nashville: B & H Academic Publishing Group.

Hooks, B. (1986). Talking back. Discourse, 8, 123-128

The Importance of Preaching in A Multi-Faith WorldWhile Christianity remains among the largest religions in the world today, the church is losing congregants for a number of reasons, including most especially the need to connect with a new, younger generation of worshippers whose faith and priorities are profoundly different from past generations. Against this backdrop, it is clear that the importance of preaching in todays multi-faith environment has assumed new relevance and urgency in recent years. To gain some new insights into this need, the purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion concerning the importance of preaching the gospel in a multi-faith world, followed by a summary of the research in the conclusion.eview and DiscussionAlthough three-quarters of the worlds population practice one of the five major religions (e.g., Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism), there are actually more than 4,000 recognized religions in the world today (World eligion…...

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ReferencesBurnett, J. (2022, December 13). As attendance dips, churches change to stay relevant for a new wave of worshippers. NPR. Retrieved from 1141010320/ as-attendance-dips-churches-change-to-stay-relevant-for-a-new-wave-of-worshipper.Levitt, M. (2022, September 17). America\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Christian majority is on track to end. NPR. Retrieved from  https://www.npr.org/2022/09/17/1123508069/religion-christianity-muslim-atheist-agnostic-church-lds-pew#:~:text=A%20new%20study%20from%20the,  population%20within%20a%20few%20decades.World Religion Day. (2022). National Day Calendar. Retrieved from https://nationalday calendar.com/world-religion-day-third-sunday-in-january/#:~:text= It%20may% 20surprise%20you%20to,of%20the%20five%20major%20religions.https://www.npr.org/2022/12/10/

Essay Topic Examples
1. The Role of Exegesis in Effective Biblical reaching:
     This essay would explore the importance of exegesisthe critical explanation or interpretation of biblical textsin preaching. It would discuss how in-depth analysis of scripture contributes to an accurate and meaningful sermon that stays true to the text's original intent and context.

2. The History and Evolution of Biblical reaching:
     This topic would examine how the art and practice of preaching have changed from ancient times to the present day. It would highlight key historical figures, changes in style and approach, and the impact of cultural and theological shifts on the way the Bible is preached.

3. The Impact of Technology on Contemporary Biblical reaching:
     This essay would look at how modern technology has transformed biblical preaching. It might cover the use of social media, podcasting, and live streaming services in expanding the reach and methods of preaching, and how these tools…...

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Primary Sources

Robinson, Haddon W. Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages. Baker Academic, 2014.

Greidanus, Sidney. The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text: Interpreting and Preaching Biblical Literature. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1988.

Chapell, Bryan. Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon. Baker Academic, 2005.

Stott, John R. W. Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1982.

Goldsworthy, Graeme. Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2000.

The prophetic text of Ezekiel offers important clues to the meaning of the ministry of Jesus. Ezekiel presents one of the central metaphors that Jesus would later use, particularly that of the shepherd leading the flock of the righteous to salvation. Ezekiel discusses the role of the shepherd in two different ways. First, the shepherd is responsible for searching for flock that has scattered or for flock in need of rescue. “I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness,” (Ezekiel 34:12). Second, Ezekiel refers to the shepherd’s role in discerning between the proverbial sheep and goats, administering justice according to measures like obedience. “I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice,” (Ezekiel 34:16). These passages in Ezekiel offer insight…...

A uniquely firm and strong message, James 5:1-6 also lends itself to misinterpretation. As Pilch points out, “James does not really denounce wealth as such,” but rather, “condemns the injustice and inhumanity that so frequently accompany it,” (p. 367). James refers to atonement for labor exploitation, for example, and for unbridled greed at the expense of others. It is fully possible to preach compassion, tolerance, and inclusivity while also warning against the pitfalls of materialism. Pilch also shows how the James passage denounces social status and advocates for a true Christian community.
The Pope’s writings reflect the balanced perspective related to gospel readings that can be reinterpreted as harbingers of their era. Pope Francis speaks of our living in a “turning point in history,” marked by tremendous income and status disparities (p. 38). As much material and technological progress that has been made, the vast majority of the earth’s inhabitants continue…...

Communicative Theory of Biblical Interpretation
Any theory is a composite of residual aspects of earlier theories and fresh compositions illuminated by the present context. The several theories that have been applied to the study of Scriptures are no exception, and this discussion will explore how several theories have come to coalesce in the communicative theory of Biblical interpretation. The relation of literary criticism, structural criticism, and reader-response criticism to the Biblical interpretation as seen through the lens of communicative theory will be discussed. Aspects of contextualization, relevance theory, and speech-act theory are explored with regard to the influence of these constructs on the development of modern communicative theory.

Communicative theory. The written word is a special form of communication -- a mysterious way for people to experience the inner thoughts of another being. The Bible, as a written record of the experiences and history of ancient Israelites and Christians, provides the same…...

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References

Allen, R. (1984). Contemporary Biblical interpretation for preaching. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.

Brown, J.K. (2007). Introducing Biblical hermeneutics: Scripture as communication. Ada, MI: Baker Academics.

Definition of reader response criticism. Critical Approaches. VirtuaLit - Interactive Poetry Tutorial. Retrieved http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/virtualit/poetry/critical_define/crit_reader.html

Fish, S. (1970). Literature in the reader: Affective stylistics. New Literary History, 2 (1), 123-162.

The Puritan Dilemma

The Puritan dilemma, a core tension within Puritan theology and practice, emerged from the inherent conflict between the pursuit of personal salvation and the demands of communal life. As a religious movement that emphasized strict adherence to biblical principles, Puritanism placed a strong emphasis on individual accountability and the need for constant self-examination. However, the Puritan commitment to community and the belief in the importance of collective worship also presented challenges to the primacy of individual conscience.

The Call for Personal Salvation

Puritanism was founded on the central tenet of predestination, the belief that God had elected a chosen few....