Southwestern Journal of Theology (48.1)
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 48, No. 1 - Fall 2005
Editor: Paige Patterson
By Michael Duduitt. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006. 256 pages. Softcover, $16.99.
Among today’s homileticians, Michael Duduitt is no stranger. He is the founding publisher and the editor of “Preaching Magazine.” Those familiar with the magazine, will recognize the interviews by Duduitt, published in the magazine during this past decade, interviews which he credits as being among “the most important and popular features.” This compilation contains interviews of twenty preachers whom he calls “dynamic outstanding communicators with great influences of preaching.”
The introduction includes a summary of the book. Built around twenty interviewees, the book dedicates each chapter to one of these evangelical pastors known to be “classic expositors, creative innovators, and key figures” such as, John MacArthur, Haddon Robinson, Adrian Rogers, David Jeremiah, Rick Warren, T. D. Jakes, Jerry Falwell, John Maxwell, Brian McLaren, Ed Young Jr. and Andy Stanley, just to name a few. Every chapter starts with a short introduction about the person interviewed, then proceeds with standard questions built around his philosophy of preaching, moving toward discussing how these preachers prepare and plan their sermons, discovering who influenced them and their preaching and then concluding with what they would say to each of us regarding preaching. In the first chapter, Duduitt attempts to define Expository Preaching in an interview with Brian Chappel. The rest of the nineteen interviews are arranged around a specific theme or topic he believes best suits the preacher and his preaching context.
As a firm believer that one of the best ways of learning is to examine and watch the ones that have gone before us and accomplished it themselves, I strongly recommend this book.
