This book, part of Zondervan's Ministry Resources Library, fills a need in homiletics application. Adams begins with a knotty problem that concerns homileticians: What keeps homileticians from dealing with application? The author suggests four answers: (1) Little has been written about preaching in general, much less about specific aspects of preaching. (2) Relying on the faulty scholastic methods that many seminaries have taught regarding applying Scripture, most preachers remain unaware of the problems involved. (3) To present biblically derived principles of application means someone must do the difficult work of distilling such principles from the Scriptures. (4) To adopt biblical principles of application undoubtedly would fiducially alter and could severely limit present undisciplined preaching practices.
The author believes that application has been misunderstood and consequently mistaught. Hence he defines application and describes its various evolutions, moving from definition to application with formats and examples, ably demonstrating his mastery of the subject.
While Smith does not "address the reasons for the homileticians' lack of concern about application," the author does present what he believes "is a cogent, biblical philosophy of application" together with practical suggestions about how the busy pastor can implement it.
This book should be in every preacher's personal library. After reading it, one's preaching ministry will never be the same.
