Lectures on Homiletics

What is Homiletics? It has been defined many ways, but perhaps one of the best is that Homiletics is the art of preaching. Like any other art form, there are basic rules, there are helpful hints, and the performance of that art is going to be affected by the individualities peculiar to the man engaged in it. Preaching is not just an art to be mastered. No amount of practice and learning techniques can make a preacher whom God has not called and gifted. A theological seminary cannot make a preacher if the Lord has not given the gifts. But God-given gifts can be developed, and that is the aim of the course here.

Homiletics is the art of preaching, and Rev. Woods gives us a basic introduction to this seminary-level course. The student needs to be, first of all, a man of God, who has been called to the ministry of the Word of God, though there are benefits for the lay person who is listening to sermons and growing in grace. Secondly, it is assumed that in preparation, you are conscious of your own inabilities and your need of the Holy Spirit. Thirdly, you should be aware of the dangers of professionalism, which was dealt with extensively in the requisite course on Pastoral Theology. In this lecture, Homiletics is defined, Biblical Preaching is examined in more detail, as well as the divine goal.

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Rev Harry Woods recently retired as minister of Kilmorack & Strathglass Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) in Beauly, Scotland, after having served as a minister of the Gospel since 1982. He was the editor of the monthly denominational youth magazine, The Explorer, for eleven years and taught Apologetics and Pastoral Theology at the Free Church (Continuing) Seminary in Inverness for eighteen years. He is married to Mairi, and has three adult children and three grandchildren.