Review: "He Is Not Silent" (manuscript)

             He Is Not Silent: Preaching in a Postmodern World by R. Albert Mohler Jr. is exactly what the title claims it to be.  Mohler explains that modern preaching is often not preaching, and he gives a corrective.

            In the preface, he explains that modern preaching does not gave confidence in God’s Word and relies, instead on technology and addressing felt needs (16-20).

            He explains that the heart of biblical preaching is to understand it is worship (24). This aspect of worship leads to confession of sin (33).

            In the second chapter, Mohler explains that preaching is a theological act because God has commanded us to preach (40). Preachers need to understand and pass on to the congregation that God the Holy Spirit works God’s Word internally in a person (45).  It is not a matter of ow “great” a preacher he is, but how much he relies on and is confident on God’s Word.

            In chapter three, Mohler argues that true preaching is expository preaching.  It takes the text in context, explains it in its context, shows how it refers to Christ and His salvation, and applies it to the people who are listening and readying to act (49ff).

            He explains that the text of the Scripture defines the sermon – its structure, points – the preacher preaching the text of the Bible speaks for God (65).  The congregation is then obliged to obey God’s Word (73).

            Mohler warns against moralistic preaching which separates the text from its context and the history of salvation. Rather, it presents a list of dos and don’ts (89). Biblical preaching understands that there is a metanarrative from Creation through Restoration that only makes sense if we explain the text in the history of salvation (95). Therefore, he urges preaching through books – to see the metanarrative and encounter texts that might be difficult, but God’s Word, nonetheless.

            Mohler argues that the pastor must be a theologian.  If the pastor does not present the theology of the Bible, other people will make It up – usually incorrectly (106).

            True Christian preaching bangs heads with postmodernism which says there are no universal truths – everything is subjective (116).  He writes, “When truth is denied, therapy remains” (121). It is then not enough to just preach Christ, but to also command belief and repentance from all those who hear (130).

            In the final chapter, Mohler looks at Ezekiel and the dry bones, and he explains we should always have hope when we confidently preach the Word of God because God is the One Who changes hearts, not us (145).

            In the epilogue, Mohler looks at Spurgeon’s passion for preaching.

            The book ends with endnotes.

            This is a book that is needed for our time when pastors are minimizing the Word of God for programs and bands and all sorts of other things that push the sermon out of worship.  If you are a minister, you will be comforted and encouraged to preach the whole Word of God as the centerpiece of worship.  If you are a lay person, it will help you to understand what worship is to be and why preaching is of the utmost importance, and you may even use it to help your pastor leave behind his postmodern ramblings.

            [This review appears on my blog, my YouTube channel, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]