Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon (2nd Edition)

"If you've ever had the experience of struggling to put a sermon together and wondered just what it was that escaped your attention in the handful of lectures on preaching you had at theological college or on your training course, then this book may be for you. . . . It is well-written, systematically laid out and will more than repay the effort put into it. . . . It is by a long shot the best and most stimulating book I have read on the subject. . . . [Chapell's] book arises out of his experience of teaching seminarians how to preach. It is both clear and comprehensive. . . . Throughout the book, one feels close to a godly man with a clear mind and a sensibly balanced approach. You don't have to agree with everything he says in order to gain a great deal from this treasure chest of experience, insights and techniques. . . . This is not a book for the fainthearted or the casual reader. Neither is it some jargon-ridden, dry academic book fit only for the scholar. . . . The only downside to this book for me is a sense of frustration at not having had this man train me to preach. I have benefited hugely from the book. . . . Preaching itself feels easier and more rewarding. Why not give yourself and your congregation a chance. It's worth it!"

"This is the second edition of a previously well-received 'how-to' book on preaching. As with most second editions it seeks to clarify and supplement the previous edition. Chapell covers a variety of aspects of expository preaching but focuses on the preparation of such sermons, leading the reader through the process from exegesis to outlining, to delivery. It is consistently helpful and clear in this. Especially useful is the focus on the application of a passage determining the construction of the sermon. In addition the presentation of a 'theology of Christ-centered preaching' is excellent. . . . An excellent introduction to expository preaching that deserves its second edition."

"This is the best book on expository preaching I have read since Haddon Robinson's Biblical Preaching, published in 1980. Preaching magazine named Christ-Centered Preaching the 1994 'Book of the Year.' It could easily have won 'Book of the Decade.' Chapell understands and applies communication strategies that take preachers beyond mere explanation of the Word. This book will be in the classrooms and on the desks of preachers for years to come."

"Dr. Chapell leads the pack as both a homiltetician and preacher."

"One rarely finds a book that truly advances the theory and practice of expository preaching. . . . Bryan Chapell's book, Christ-Centered Preaching, is a refreshing exception to this trend. When it was first published in 1994, Chapell's work won the book of the year award from Preaching magazine. That was fitting and the book deserves a place on the list of required reading for anyone interested in homiletics. Christ-Centered Preaching is valuable because it is a first-rate handbook on the mechanics of expository preaching. The real contribution of Christ-Centered Preaching, however, is revealed in its title. Chapell's aim is not merely homiletical; it is ultimately theological. . . . Chapell's approach is rooted in the Reformation assumption that Jesus Christ is at the heart of all that is written in the Bible, a view that Jesus himself shared. I hope it will be used to train those who fill the church's pulpits for many years to come."

"I have read dozens of books on preaching. The best book I have read is Bryan Chapell's, Christ-Centered Preaching."

"Without question, this book is worthy of Book of the Year or perhaps Book of the Century."

"Chapell's book is so good that it has caused an immediate effect. My congregation will thank him. This week's sermon is already altered, and I have been reminded of some things I had long forgotten. I will commend it to others every chance I get."

"The entire book is outstanding, but at the risk of seeming to downplay the first part of the book, I want to tell you that the last two chapters are more than worth the price. Those chapters ought to be required reading for every pastor, not to mention every Navigator and Campus Crusade staff worker in America."

"This is one of the most helpful books I have ever read. It is a great contribution to preachers, and I feel as if I received a seminary education in reading it."

"The strong technical and philosophical underpinnings behind Christ-Centered Preaching are wonderfully illumined by its high degree of readability. There is a great need for this book. A tremendous number of books on preaching deal only with technique, and what is seriously lacking is one that deals with preaching as it pertains to exposition. I plan to use this book in my exegetical models course."

"This is a very good book, in fact, one I wish I had written myself. I trust it will find wide use in evangelical seminaries and Bible colleges."

"Chapell is aware not only of current studies in each of the subjects discussed but also of the history of preaching, communications, and theology. He has organized his material well, beginning with principles of preaching—on the basis of which he shows how to prepare a sermon—and concluding with a heavy emphasis on making sermons Christ-centered. By including chapters on biblical theology, Chapell has enriched the study of homiletics so that Christ-centered thinking becomes an integral part of sermon preparation. The questions and exercises at the end of each chapter are very useful in clarifying the material that precedes them. In addition, they powerfully illustrate the method Chapell prescribes for sermonizing by requiring a thoughtful rethinking of the matter and by making the content of each chapter concrete."

"I am deeply moved by the devotional spirit of this book on preaching. I picked it up expecting to hone my preaching techniques and found myself learning to read my entire Bible as a testimony to Christ's redeeming work. I went looking for preaching suggestions and found in the expert advice refreshment for my heart. Praise God for a preaching textbook so full of grace."

"Christ-Centered Preaching will be of real use to the church and its preachers. This book is obviously the fruit of wisdom gained from preaching, from thinking about preaching, and from thinking about teaching others to preach. It combines practical and realistic guidance on the basics with a theological depth and sensitivity to the ways in which Christ the Redeemer has met the needs of our fallen condition."

"I must say I am very pleased. I am strongly supportive of Chapell's main thesis."

"I am thankful for a book that at last combines both the basic structure of preaching with a sound biblical reason for preaching. I have taught homiletics for ten years in two different institutions. It has always been a problem for me that available preaching texts were either strong on theology or strong on technique. I have been unable to find one that brings both together as this textbook does. My own philosophy of preaching is that when the congregants leave the sanctuary, they should be focused on Christ and not on themselves. Christ-Centered Preaching is going to make a great difference in that direction."

"This book offers an interesting new approach, placing emphasis on one's fallen condition and Christ's redemptive answer as the basis for preaching. There is much that is not only suggestive but also helpful. I believe this book will do much good. The author writes clearly and well."

"This book has a clarity of purpose and pertinent illustrations and applications. The author is obviously well acquainted with the substantial literature on the subject of preaching and effectively uses that knowledge to support ministry centered in the person and work of Jesus Christ. May the book be used for the Lord's glory and the edification of his people."

"I am sure this book is destined to be a classic. The nature of the content included, the form and structure in which it is presented, the clear and concise illustrative material, the practical application of the principles delineated, and the consistent focus on the subject without digression (namely, Christ-centered preaching) all combine to make this a most helpful work. Rather than frustrating, the 'precept upon precept, line upon line' approach motivates, challenges, and creates a high level of anticipation. That is the stuff of which good textbooks are made. I believe this book will prove its worth by cutting across theological and denominational lines. Whatever their ecclesiastical leaning or spiritual persuasion, preachers will better communicate it having implemented the suggestions of this book."

"This is an outstanding book that will be of interest to anyone committed to biblical preaching. Chapell has provided a solid yet contemporary approach to expository preaching, something that is much needed in today's congregations. I share with him the belief that contemporary congregations are open to expository preaching models provided they are done well and with an emphasis on practical application. Chapell offers exactly such a model, and I recommend it with enthusiasm. In fact, I plan to use this material when I teach expository preaching."

"I am favorably impressed: The layout is logical, the outlines are clear, and the understanding of communication is shrewd. I especially like the theology and applicatory concern that shine through it all. Preaching that conforms to the pattern set here will certainly be edifying, and the techniques proposed could sustain over many years an expository ministry that would not at any stage be found wearisome. I would expect this book to establish itself as a reliable guide noted for good Christian sense."

"Christ-Centered Preaching is a thoughtful, balanced, and helpful guide to what expository preaching in the Reformed tradition has been, can be, and needs to be again. The last part of the book, dealing with 'a theology of Christ-centered messages,' is a substantially new contribution and much needed. Any seminarian or preacher, however long in the ministry, can profit from what is found in these pages."

"This is an outstanding tool for students of homiletics. It is the best I have seen on this subject. The book crystallizes the essence of expository preaching and presents clear, transferable principles for preaching effectively. The book itself is structured in a lucid, readable format."

"This is a great book. Christ-Centered Preaching will make a difference to generations of seminary students and to generations of Christians who will hear them preach. Christ is the message of preachers, and this book will enable preachers to lift him up in ways that will change lives. Clear, concise, and relevant, this is a book that will revitalize what happens in the pulpit. Use it. It will make a difference."