Many books come across my desk that I do not see the need to have reviewed. The Six Deadly Sins of Preaching is an exception. Robert Stephen Reid and Lucy Lind Hogan have done an excellent job of identifying what they call an “Irresponsible Preaching Typology,” claiming that “failures of in-authenticity, greed, and exploitation represent a lack of reliability for listeners. Failures of self-absorption, pandering, and self-righteousness represent a lack of faithfulness to the gospel” (10). They offer a credible alternative logically called a “Responsible Preaching Typology,” which promotes preaching authenticity over inauthenticity, self-control over greed, wooing with a reasoned reception over exploitation, selflessness over self-absorption, honesty over pandering or trendiness, and revealing an ineffable God over exercising self-righteousness (11).
The book consists of eight chapters plus an epilogue. The first chapter serves as an introduction, with chapters 2–7 detailing the six deadly sins. Chapters 2–8 are each subdivided, addressing the negative elements, then providing the antidote to each deadly sin. Chapter 8 contains an alliterated “Abecedarium of Missteps” (94–100) that address issues such as aggravating, boring, and confusing the listeners, followed by homiletic lapses in judgment (100–104), such as using technical terms that few understand or employing less-than-appreciated stories from family life, often at the expense of the preacher’s kids. After the epilogue comes an appendix detailing a code of ethics for preachers, written by Ronald J. Allen and reprinted by permission from an article in the Autumn 2005 issue of Encounter.
While reading The Six Deadly Sins, I found myself (as did the authors of the book) listing names of preachers I have known over the years who have “transgressed” in the ways mentioned. But the greatest benefit (and scariest lesson) personally derived was discovering that I have been guilty on one or two counts myself (I won’t say which). While I understand and agree with the premises behind chapters 7 and 8, dealing with the demagogue and despot, I find the first four culprits listed—the pretender, the egoist, the manipulator, and the panderer—to be far more common and more insidious in their effects upon congregations. And those chapters, 2–5, are well worth the value to be derived by purchasing and reading the book.
While well written, The Six Deadly Sins also includes lively (although copious) illustrations drawn from both the religious and political worlds. Yet despite the numerous accounts therein, it doesn’t feel like Reid and Hogan have included too many stories to prove their points; rather, they reached their mark and caused me to say, “I thought the same thing back then!” Pastors and preachers who want to seriously conduct a self-inventory of their homiletics and delivery should read this book, for it will strengthen their ministries and, more importantly, save those who listen to their sermons from being spiritually abused.
—Reviewed by Willie E. Hucks II, DMin, associate editor, Ministry.
