In this episode of The Greater Heritage podcast we review The Whole Counsel of God: Why and How to Preach the Entire Bible by Tim Patrick and Andrew Reid, and published by Crossway.
Sadly, not all churches preach the entire Bible. Often today sermons are topical, short and focus more on the highlights of scripture. However, just because it is easy to approach church programming in this manner does not mean that it is best way to foster healthy and mature church communities.
The Word of God must be the centerpiece. Ample time needs to be devoted to organizing and planning preaching programs that relate to the entirety of scripture. The best programs are well-defined, thought out and intentional. However, trying to develop a long-term plan can feel like a daunting challenge. So, where do you even begin?
Thankfully, The Whole Counsel of God is a great help in this regard. The goal of the book, as stated by its authors is that: “All vocational preachers should set themselves the goal of preaching through the entire Bible over a thirty-five year period.”
The book offers readers with practical insights and tangible takeaways regarding the development of long-term, theologically sound, preaching programs.
The book teaches readers how to choose which books of the Bible to preach including when and how much at a given time. It also goes further and shows to how properly divide books of the Bible by topic and then by chapter. It then articulates how to map out (though generous pie chart and spreadsheet examples) a balanced preaching calendar.
While long-term programming is the primary topic of the book, it also gives readers lots of nice, practical tips about studying the Bible, marketing sermons and ensuring that congregations are always receiving a steady and balanced diet of scripture.
This was one of the more practical books we have read in a while. Lay readers will walk away with a better appreciation for their churches and ministers. However, we especially recommend this book for church staff members and for those who preach and teach the Bible regularly. Simply put, if you want to preach better, check this one out.
Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan. Be sure to check them out!
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the reviewer. They do not represent any endorsement from the publisher.