Book Review - Biblical Preaching

With my last post I mentioned that I was planning on reading Robinson's book and trying to follow his methodology. My purpose was to regain some discipline in my preparation. I've read numerous books on homiletics over the years and think that I've tried to allow all of them to influence me so that I might find my own voice (style). I think in some ways that I've reached that goal but I don't think that I've figured out how to speak to my audience in my voice (style). So I'm going to follow Robinson's methodology and see what happens. Robinson has influenced quite a few people in the field of homiletics. I'm talking not only students and preachers but writers of homiletics as well. I will probably be reviewing some of those books in the future as well.

I read Robinson's first edition sometime back in the late 80s. I didn't really absorb the book and its details immediately. Things sometimes have to simmer on my back burner before I really understand how to use them. I think Robinson and other homileticians have simmered long enough. I picked up Robinson's book at a local Bible bookstore outlet center for about half price. There are 10 chapters in the book, as well as an appendix with a sample sermon. The chapters take the reader from text selection to finished product in 10 stages. The stages do not correspond to the chapters. Robinson opens with two chapters on an explanation about expository preaching and "the big idea." Robinson is saying that most preaching should be based on a coherent passage and a single idea. This single idea (a.ka. the big idea) is the heart of his methodology. Once he establishes these two points the book then explains how to reach the finished sermon.

There are several strengths to Robinson's book. One is that it provides a disciplined approach to sermon preparation. I believe that if one follows this approach, the finished sermon will be of good quality. Another strength is the "big idea" that has become Robinson's trademark. The "big idea" approach gives the sermon a focus and keeps the preacher from wandering and the congregation from wondering what in the world he is talking about.

The book also has its weaknesses. One is that his stage on studying the passage is not very clear. Tom Long (The Witness of Preaching) and Fred Craddock (Preaching) both have excellent sections on the study process. Robinson should have incorporated a better section on studying the passage with this second edition. Another weakness is application. Even though I believe that I do a fairly good job of trying to address how to apply my sermons, I still feel the need to find something that will help me make sure that I'm providing good application suggestions. Robinson talks about application but like most books on preaching really ends up short. There is a chapter in The Big Idea of Biblical Preaching that will help.

Robinson's book has echoes of Charles Koller (How to Preach without Notes), Lloyd Perry (Biblical Preaching for Today's World), and a host of others. His methodology has some similarities to Tom Long's. It is well worth your time as a preacher to invest in the book and to follow his methodology if only to see how it fits into your already established sermon preparation.
I'm trying to incorporate some of Long's and Craddock's study procedures into Robinson's overall approach. Maybe some day down the road I'll let you know how I've benefited from this approach.