Endorsements
I read this book last night and it is very, very good. It manages in
174 easy to read but rich pages to cover the scope of preparation for preaching and teaching the word of God. So good is this book that in time I anticipate giving a copy and (if I can) requiring that all the teachers at Grace read it and interact with me about it. It mixes the important disciplines of prayer, study, examination of our own lives, etc. as they relate to being a mouthpiece for God.
It is theologically rooted, emphasizing God's call and preparation of the preacher-teacher. And it is interested as much in the content of the Text as the hearers--a very difficult balance to strike. He includes an excellent six question analysis to evaluate the thrust and function of a passage. He briefly shows how to use a commentary. And best of all, I think I can hand this to a very typical Christian with no formal Bible education, and they will, with work, be ready to give a correct devotional to their family at home or teach a shepherd group at church.
Andrew Franseen, Pastor
"The keynote that Scharf strikes throughout is preparation: first the preparation of the preacher, and second, the preparation of the message. Preaching is not mere explanation - it is proclamation of the living and enduring Word of God. In the detailed chapters on preparing the message Scharf excels. His careful and logical approach will surely result in better preaching - there is no higher commendation for a book on preaching."