Die Afrikaanse Protestantse Akademie Biblioteek

Includes bibliographical references.

Part 1. Preparing to prepare -- What is preaching? -- God prepares preachers -- We who preach still need to prepare -- Part 2. Preparing yourself to preach -- The necessity and centrality of prayer -- Preparing (or repairing) your relationship with God -- Part 3. Preparing your mind, your body, and the congregation -- Preparing your mind (1) -- Preparing your mind (2) -- Preparing your mind (3) -- Preparing your body -- Preparing the congregation to hear and obey God's word -- Part 4. Preparing the message God gives you to preach -- Preparing the message : an overview -- Submitting to the text -- Letting the text have its say -- Working to make the message clear -- Preaching through to the heart -- Preparing to deliver the message -- Preparing yourself to deliver the message -- Epilogue : Preparing to preach until Christ's return.

'Prepared to Preach' offers an accessible and concise aid for all those who have been challenged to preach or feel a growing compulsion to do so. This is an essential read for all those who are wondering precisely where to start in preparing to expound God's word, whether it is for the Divinity Student, the layperson, the parachurch worker or the short-term missionary. This is a comprehensive yet digestible guide. Scharf focuses on the attitudes and skills those inexperienced in preaching need to develop, whilst at all times re-enforcing that although there are a number of things you, the preacher, must do, it is what God does that is at the heart of preaching. This book illuminates to us how to prepare our minds to preach, how to prepare the congregation to hear and obey God's word, how to prepare the message God gives you to preach, and also how to deliver the message you have prepared. Throughout it all Scharf is motivated by a tremendous concern to equip preachers so that they might clearly express God's word. --