Luther Seminary: Preaching: Home

About this guide

This guide presents resources to help you as you prepare to share the Word of God. The guide is constructed as follows:

This page: Core books, reference works, databases, journals, preaching societies and conferences, and subject headings to consult as you develop a sermon and cultivate your preaching style

Page 2: Resources for preaching styles: rhetorical strategies, preaching without notes, and theologies of preaching

Page 3: Resources to aid with preaching from the lectionary

Reference Works

Concise Encyclopedia of Preaching by William H. Willimon (Editor); Richard Lischer (Editor)
Call Number: BV4211.2 .C752 Ref.
ISBN: 9780664219420
Publication Date: 1995-04-01
Brief entries about aspects of preaching and notable preachers through the centuries of Christian practice.
Preaching Words: 144 Key Terms in Homiletics by John S. McClure
Call Number: BV4206 .M32
ISBN: 9780664230135
Publication Date: 2007-01-02
Provides short explanations of key ideas in preaching, including aspects of delivery, types and theories of preaching, and elements of the sermon.
The Oxford History of Christian Worship by Geoffrey Wainwright (Editor); Karen B. Westerfield Tucker (Editor)
Call Number: BV15 .O93
ISBN: 9780195138863
Publication Date: 2005-12-08
Focused on the varieties of Christian expression through history, this guide is useful for placing the act of preaching in context.

Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window
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Scholarly articles across a range of disciplines. Helpful for research in psychology, sociology, philosophy, and literature.
Over 8,000 publications are indexed, with accompanying access to the full text of the article for approximately 4,600 of these titles. Journals in the humanities, history, psychology, sociology, as well as religion & philosophy are amply represented.
ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials PLUS This link opens in a new window
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Many full-text resources, including those from journals focused on the art of preaching. Also an excellent source for scholarly articles that can ground your preaching in biblical and theological scholarship.
MinistryMatters This link opens in a new window
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Both articles and reference works to aid with preaching and church work.

Homiletic
This is a freely available open-access journal produced by the Academy of Homiletics. It provides scholarly articles and reviews of publications.

Homiletics
Call Number: BV4200 .H59
Provides sermon starters and illustration ideas. Luther has the print journal; there is also an individual online subscription option available at https://www.homileticsonline.com/

Homiletic and Pastoral Review
A Catholic publication that includes articles on doctrine and pastoral issues, sample homilies, book reviews, and answer to reader questions
International Journal of Homiletics
A new journal with that aims to provide international perspectives on issues related to preaching. Published by the Societas Homiletica.

Journal for Preachers
Call Number: BV4200 .J68
Offers both reflective and practical articles to aid with your preaching. Luther provides both print copies and full-text access through the ATLA Religion database.

Preaching
A professional journal for preachers that includes topics like preaching for different seasons, leadership, sermon illustrations, and accountability for ministers.
The Living Pulpit
Preaching articles and reflections on scripture from a range of voices. Free for individuals; subscriptions available for institutions.

Center for Excellence in Preaching
Resources include sermon starters, images, and recommendations of reading and movies that can spark preaching. Presented by Calvin Seminary's Center for Excellence in Preaching.
Preaching Today
Resources from Christianity Today. Includes skill builders, sermon starters, videos, and a list of holidays.
The Text This Week
Resources for sermons, scripture study, worship, and liturgy that illustrate scripture passages included in the Revised Common Lectionary.
Working Preacher
Created to inspire better preaching by offering timely, compelling, and trustworthy content for today’s working preachers. It's all for free, as a ministry of the Center for Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary.

Academy of Homiletics
The Academy of Homiletics hosts an annual conference and publishes the free online journal Homiletic as well as the International Journal of Homiletics. Open to homiletic scholars and doctoral students.
The Craft of Preaching
Working Preacher at Luther Seminary presents a 3-day conference with the goal of presenting a sermon and then deconstructing it so that attendees can see how that sermon was written.
Festival of Homiletics
The Festival of Homiletics is an annual conference designed to consider preaching theologically and to inspire preachers.
Societas Homiletica
An international academic society for teachers and researchers of preaching.

Core Books About Preaching

A Lay Preacher's Guide: how to craft a faithful sermon by Karoline M. Lewis
Call Number: BV4235.L3 L484 ebook
ISBN: 150646274X
Publication Date: 2020-05-05
The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narrative by Steven D. Mathewson; Haddon Robinson (Foreword by)
Call Number: BS1191.5 .M273
ISBN: 9781540962027
Publication Date: 2021-06-15
Elements of Preaching Series
The Elements of Preaching series includes works by notable preachers and scholars. Topics include sermon forms, sermon delivery, the context of a sermon, the preacher as theologian, finding images, and moving from text to sermon.
Craddock on the Craft of Preaching by Fred Craddock
Call Number: BV4211.3 .C718
ISBN: 9780827205376
Publication Date: 2013-12-02
Presents selections from the lectures and workshops that noted preacher Fred Craddock gave after retiring from his academic position at Candler School of Theology.
The Witness of Preaching, Third Edition by Thomas G. Long
Call Number: BV4211.2 .L74 2016
ISBN: 9780664261429
Publication Date: 2016-10-10
Starting with the position that a preacher should be a witness to God's work in the world, Thomas Long provides a step-by-step guide to writing a sermon. The third addition also includes four sample sermons by notable preachers along with Long's commentary.
Imagining a Sermon by Thomas H. Troeger
Call Number: Available from multiple MTLA libraries
ISBN: 9780687186945
Publication Date: 1990-04-01
Breathe life into sermons through an imaginative focus on senses: taste, vision, hearing, smells, touch.
Speaking Well by Adam Hamilton
Call Number: PN4129.15 H35
ISBN: 9781501809934
Publication Date: 2015-10-20
Quick tips for effective public speaking in a variety of contexts.

Subject Headings for More Resources

Note: Both "Preaching" and "Sermons" are subject headings so broad as to be useless when used alone. Try combining it with a keyword or second subject heading that focuses more directly on the aspect of preaching or the topic on which you are seeking information.

Librarian

Fred Sweet