Author: Zack Eswine

Pages: 288 pages

Publisher: Baker Books

Price: 12.23

Genre: Preaching/Pastoral


Quick Summary:

Standing in the long line of Christ-centered preachers Zack Eswine offers Preaching in a Post-Everything World. Quite a bit has changed since the days of Geerhardus Vos and even since the first edition of Bryan Chapell’s landmark manual Christ-centered Preaching. Eswine offers this book as a new chapter in the Christ-centered preaching movement. I cannot summarize this book any better than Tim Keller already has:

“Zack Eswine moves the Christ-centered preaching movement forward with this volume. He not only calls us to carefully contextualize our message to various cultures, sensibilities, and habits of heart, but he also gives us a host of practical tools, inventories, and guidelines for doing so. All the while he assumes and strengthens the foundational commitment to preaching Christ and his restoring grace from every text. A great contribution”.

What I Liked:

Eswine writes in a way that will appeal to the preachers of a post-everything world. The seminary student or graduate will find this a needful corrective to the sometimes impractical world of academia. The non-seminary educated preachers will also benefit greatly from the non-technical everyday approach this book takes. Throughout this book Eswine holds the delicate balance of being Christ-centered and culturally relevant.

There were numerous times in this book when I had to put the book down and pray that the Lord would change my heart. The Lord used this book to reveal idols in my own heart and areas where I lack a pastor’s heart. This book is both convicting and informative. This is one of those books that you have to read numerous times. Thankfully, there are helpful appendixes to assist in preparing sermons.

What I Disliked:

Honestly, there is very little that I could not recommend in this book. It is biblical, practical, well-written, attractive, informative; really everything you would desire in a preaching book. I would say that it will help you best if you have read Bryan Chapell’s Christ-centered Preaching. In my opinion you cannot read one without the other.

Should You Buy It?

Unreservedly, yes. If you are a preacher in the 21st century this book is one that needs to be on your books shelf. Again, I would suggest buying/reading Chapell’s book along with it or as a prerequisite. This is 12 bucks well spent.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

It is National Poetry Month. I love to read poetry and I love to write it. I'm not sure I am all that good at either but it's still a joy that I have.

John Newton used to write a hymn/poem after many of his sermons. It has been a desire to do that myself. I've done it twice. You can read Newton's here: Olney Hymns. Here is a poem I wrote in response to a sermon on Zechariah that I preached.