Words That Transform: Preaching as a Catalyst for Renewal

by James T. Flynn

Overview

God is life. His words impart life. A sermon should be an intimate encounter with the life-giving essence of the Word Himself. How do we as preachers extend such an encounter to our listeners? How can we offer words that transform? James T. Flynn unpacks the power of preaching to change lives and provides a new way to consider sermon preparation and delivery. Words That Transform re-images sermon-making as an experience of incarnation. A sermon begins as a seed sown in the womb of the preacher's heart through intimacy with God. That word takes upon itself flesh in the preacher's life, changing the preacher first. When proper delivery is married to imagination, the sermon's potential to transform others is realized. Using scholarship, practical teaching, and personal narrative, this book will lead preachers toward personal renewal and new power in their preaching ministry.

eBook can be found on Apple iBooks.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761852377
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	07/08/2010
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

James T. Flynn has spent three decades in pastoral ministry, specializing in teaching and leadership development. He is associate professor of practical theology and director of the Doctor of Ministry Program in the School of Divinity at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Table of Contents

Foreword vii

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xi

Chapter 1 Can These Bones Live? 1

Life in the Valley of Dry Bones 3

I Will Cause Breath to Enter You 5

Physician, Heal Thyself 7

Learning through Comparison 12

Incarnation: The Pathway to Transformation 13

Words That Transform 15

Chapter 2 What If God Were One of Us? Preaching That Lives and Breathes 17

Picture This 20

Read It and Weep 24

Incarnation: An Encounter with the Word 27

Incarnational Communication 30

The Conception of the Word 32

Growth and Maturing of the Word 36

Delivery of the Word 38

The Word Became Flesh 39

Chapter 3 How's Your Love Life? The Place of Intimacy in Sermon-shaping 41

The Kisses of His Mouth 42

Let Me Hear Your Voice 52

Catch the Little Foxes 64

Let Us Run Together 70

Chapter 4 Life Happens: Life Experience as a Catalyst for Growth 71

Grains of Sand 74

Master Architect 77

The Preacher and Life Experience 78

God's Theater 84

Growing the Word in Your Heart 91

Chapter 5 Heart-shaping: Refinement as a Pathway to Maturity 93

Deep Transformation 94

Heart-shaping 101

Maturing the Word 114

Chapter 6 Sermon-shaping: Birthing Sermons That Transform 115

The Sermon as Science 117

The Sermon as Art 139

Chapter 7 Imagine That! Creativity and Imagination in Sermon-shaping 145

Imagine That! 146

Helping People Listen 163

Chapter 8 Words That Transform: The Sermon's Power to Change 175

How to Touch the Untouchables 175

An Encounter with Holiness 178

Words That Live 182

Chickens and Eagles 187

Parting Words (That Transform) 191

Bibliography 193

Index 197

About the Author 203

Editorial Reviews

Words That Transform fills a critical gap in the current preaching and homiletics literature. It manages the almost impossible mix as an excellent academic text and a useful, practical tool for pastors and ministry leaders…Flynn's work is sure to serve as a catalyst for personal renewal…

Bobby Hill

This book accelerates transformational communication….a text on preaching that will raise up passionate harvest workers and reapers in this epic season of kingdom explosion worldwide.

Dr. Joseph Umidi

…A spiritual retreat for the preacher's soul.

Russell W. West

...A book not only about how to do preaching but also about how to be the message we preach-how to allow that message to transform us and bring authenticity and integrity to our pulpit ministry….

Dr. Samuel R. Chand

….[Flynn] contends rightly that the sermon must first "live" in the preacher's life in order for the message to authentically transform the lives of others…

S. David Moore

…This book will help any preacher who has the courage to read it.

Mark Batterson