Review: "Preaching: the Man, the Message, the Method"

Preaching: The Man, the Message, the Method, by Geoffrey Thomas, is an unassuming little book which is power-packed. Yet, I can only describe the tone and language of the book as pure honey. I don’t believe I have ever read someone whose writing tasted so sweet. Thomas is obviously a man in love with his Savior and with preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This volume was originally given as the 2000 John Reed Miller Lectures at Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi.

Thomas begins his volume with a chapter called, “The Prospect,” in which he talks about the glorious privilege of being a minister: “I hope you will never join with those ministers who sit around grumbling in their fraternals about all the alleged hardships of being preachers. What a marvelous privileged life we lead. I trust you earnestly believe that if it be God’s will for you to spend the rest of your life caring for this particular congregation you will happily do so and thank the Lord at the end of each day for such blessings” (9). (Thomas has been at his pastorate for almost forty-five years.) He goes on to say to the preacher must preach “with heart, with mouth, and with life” (13). If a man does this, then a long pastorate can be a great blessing. But he warns of problems both for the preacher and the congregation and gives counsel of how to avoid them.

“The Man” begins with the argument that any man who preaches must understand that God is sovereign in the sermon and not the preacher. Then he considers the type of man who is called to the ministry, ending with: “Fear God: stand in awe of the office; don’t enter the ministry if you don’t have to. But I am now adding something else; he that desires the office of a preacher does a good thing, so cultivate your desire” (29). Then, he explains that one must believe in the office of the minister, never believing that the race is run, but pressing on towards holiness and the delivery of the Gospel.

“The Message” opens with the call to the minister to believe in the God of the Bible, to believe that He is Lord. Then to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all three of His Offices: Prophet, Priest, and King.

“The Method,” as he presents it, is seven-fold: believe in the truthfulness of the Bible, endure tough times, toil, depend upon the Holy Spirit, , defend the Gospel, practice discriminatory preaching – by this he means to clearly show the difference between the Christian and the non-Christian, practice applicatory preaching.

A sweet, powerful book. Another that should be read by anyone “considering” the ministry or in the ministry.