Why Johnny Can't Preach: The Media Have Shaped the Messengers

This book was recommended by the Siimeon trust and David Helm. I thought it might be helpful for the likes of me… The author says he was hesitant to write it until later in life …in case he offended his contemporaries. However he felt compelled not to delay when he was diagnosed with cancer, in case it became too late!

The author does have some theological, pastoral and media credentials and expertise. He doesn’t particularly have an axe to grind, but he is bold in claiming that more than 2/3 of preachers in pulpits these days can’t preach! The author sites significant problems in the practice of preaching.
You may or may not agree with the lack of literary sensibility in the formation of our preachers. I think he could be right. Perhaps we should be looking for our future pastors from amongst the ranks of English teachers.

If you are a reformed evangelical you will likely agree with the emphasis on preaching the Gospel rather than works. Gordon suggests finding time outside of the pulpit to teach other things such as systematic responses to political concerns or cultural issues …he fears these things will distract the congregation from the Gospel when they take up too much time in the pulpit.

The author’s key reference for preaching is Sacred Rhetoric by Dabney. I would also commend skim-reading sections of that classic work including the overview of sermon requisites: textual fidelity, evangelical tone, unity, instructiveness, movement, point, order.

Overall I think this work is very pithy, well written and good value… it is barely 100 pages of large font. I recommend it. For those of us who aren’t English teachers we will probably do well to learn to read and write better for the sake of our sermons.