Reviewed by Floyd Bresee, secretary, Ministerial Association of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

Baumann is a Baptist minister and former seminary professor. He points out in his introduction, "The volume unfolds as a commentary on my own definition of preaching: Preaching is the communication of biblical truth by man to men with the explicit purpose of eliciting behavioral change." Using this definition, he divides the book into three sections: communication, biblical truth, and behavioral change.

The book is broad in its coverage, including everything from worship to architecture as a part of preaching. It also ranges widely in its sources, bringing ancient rhetoric, classical homiletics, and contemporary communication theory to bear on preaching. Baumann quotes everyone from Aristotle to Reuel Howe to contemporary communication theorists Marshall McLuhan and S. I. Hayakawa. This makes the book unique in its blending of the classical and scientific approaches to preaching.

It includes a significant number of poignant quotations, such as the words of a seminary professor arguing that much theological jargon must be popularized before it can be shared from the Christian pulpit: "It takes three years to get through seminary and 10 years to get over it." And James Stewart's question, which makes the point that the final test of a sermon is what happened to the worshipers: "Did they, or did they not, meet God today?"

Regrettably, the book has more breadth than depth. Trying to include everything, it cannot treat anything profoundly.

The book provides an excellent overview or review of homiletics. It would make a good elementary homiletics text book. The author accomplished what the book's title suggests: he has provided an introduction rather than a deep study, and he has related contemporary as well as classical theory to preaching.


Ministry reserves the right to approve, disapprove, and delete comments at our discretion and will not be able to respond to inquiries about these comments. Please ensure that your words are respectful, courteous, and relevant.

comments powered by Disqus
Reviewed by Floyd Bresee, secretary, Ministerial Association of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

September 1989

Download PDF
Ministry Cover

More Articles In This Issue

Dedicated to a furnace

An ancient inscription and a large pile of slag point to Israel's construction of the tabernacle following the Exodus.

The fall of Babylon in type and antitype

By comparing Old Testament and New Testament references to the fall of Babylon we can learn how to be a part of the true Israel of God today.

Discovering your people flow

Identifying your church's strengths and weaknesses can help you enlarge its entryways and close its exits.

Getting comfortable with God

How is it possible for an imperfect person to feel comfortable in the presence of a perfect God?

Tangible love

Expressing your love in tangible ways appropriate to your spouse's needs and personality will enrich your relationship.

Anointing: the lost rite

You can renew your people's faith in God by using the anointing service for its intended purpose instead of reserving it for those on their deathbed.

Pastor's Pastor: Sermonic miscarriage

Pastor's Pastor: Sermonic miscarriage

Organize as you research.

Why Adventists live longer

This article is submitted by the Health and Temperance Department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

View All Issue Contents

Digital delivery

If you're a print subscriber, we'll complement your print copy of Ministry with an electronic version.

Sign up

Recent issues

See All