Like Annie Dillard's The Writing Life, Taylor emphasizes the holy dimensions of ordinary life and describes the essentials of faith with insight and humor, touching on the vocations, imagination, worship, sacraments, ministry and the Bible as they relate to the life of faith.

Preaching is the art of building a bridge in the hearer's mind from the ancient world of the biblical text to the realities of our daily lives. Throughout this book, Stephen Farris offers splendid insights into ways that the Bible can connect with modern life and gives specific guidance to preachers on how to make these connections happen. This is a highly practical book for ministers and for classroom use.

The standard textbook on the art and craft of preaching, with a new Foreword by Thomas G. Long.

30 strategies for powerful communication.

Pastor Benji Kelley calls today's professional and lay preachers back to a lost art in many pulpits: narrative preaching. While examining the strengths and effectiveness of all traditional preaching styles, he particularly shows how--in every form of preaching--story can profoundly connect truth to any life . . . especially for the majority of today's disconnected audiences. This book is a powerful tool for both veteran and beginning preachers who want to understand, empathize with, and relevantly engage the congregations of this day and age.

Beyond the what and how of preaching is the all-important why of preaching. Mike Fabarez contends persuasively that unless a sermon makes a difference in the lives of its hearers, the preacher and the congregation have missed the point. No matter how much information is communicated, unless application is central throughout the message, the sermon has failed to be biblical. In fifteen brief chapters, the author demonstrates how the goal of changing lives can permeate the planning, preparation, presentation, and pastoral follow-through of every sermon. And in the process, the preacher's life will be changed, too. Here is a book that is accessible, brief, highly practical, and ultimately life-changing. It includes: -a Prayer Guide for Preaching -a Sample Message Prep Prayer Team Schedule -a Preaching Evaluation form