Here are three more books for the preacher—two to help us preach by learning from great preachers of the past, and one to remember the place of worship in the churches we pastor.

1. The Expository Method of G. Campbell Morgan by Don Wagner

Campbell Morgan is an acknowledged master of the pulpit. Anyone who dreams of really being an expositor of the Word would have to love to be able to handle the Word as he did. Probably we never will, but at least we can learn all we can from him. Mr. Wagner has done us a great service by perusing all his works and biographies and distilling his method for us.

We learn that he never went to Bible College but was self-educated. He was a hard worker who held every morning inviolable for study. For him the key principle was: master one book! He made his guiding principle, or the boundary of what he did, that the Bible is the Word of God.

He took great pains to avoid proof texting. He admonished that we stay in and figure out your context. He says proof texting is just me picking my own way instead of surrendering to the Word.

His method was going from the telescope to the microscope on a passage. The steps involve: survey, condense, expand, and dissect. It is a truly helpful approach.

2. The Sacred Anointing: The Preaching of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones by Tony Sargent

Another volume on the preaching of a master preacher. A fascinating study that delves deeply into the man and his preaching, this volume serves as a great boon to those in ministry. It begins by describing the necessity that a preacher have unction, or the “smile of God.” This is an often overlooked, yet essential element, in effectively preaching the Word of God. As you see in the title, Mr. Sargent sees this as the key explanation of the amazing ministry of Lloyd-Jones.

The book moves from these things into the more specific issues about the sermon. There are riches here.

3. Return To Worship by Ron Owens

This volume begins by explaining what worship is. That discussion is critical in our generation that no longer grasps what worship even is. We live in a day that makes worship about us while the reality is that it is all about Him! His quote by John Moore—“We’ve humanized God, deified man, and minimized sin”—succinctly illustrates where we are.

The book is helpful and discusses how we talk and sing of God, the use of His name, and the glory of God.

About halfway through the book he specifically deals with all parts of the service: prayer, Scripture reading, preaching, music, even the offering. It is really good stuff.

The book is a winner because it brings the real issues that must be addressed before us. This book will guide us the right way and needed.

All reviews in this series hound here.