Sojourner #089: A Herald's Guide To Faithful Preaching

“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2, ESV)

A Herald’s Guide to Faithful Preaching

On Preaching: Personal and Pastoral Insights for the Preparation and Practice of Preaching by H. B. Charles Jr. stands as one of the most practical, biblically faithful, and pastorally wise treatments of preaching available today. 

In an era when much of contemporary preaching is shaped by novelty, technique, or platform-driven concerns, Charles offers a refreshing corrective, calling preachers back to the sacred task of heralding the Word of God with reverence, clarity, and dependence upon the Lord.

On Preaching is not a book shaped by trends or theories. In fact, it explicitly disagrees with them on several occasions. Instead, it is shaped by Scripture alone and honed through decades of faithful pulpit ministry. Charles writes as one who understands both the weight of the pulpit and the quiet faithfulness required to endure in it. His counsel is direct without being harsh, pastoral without being sentimental, and theological without being abstract. 

Throughout, preaching is treated not as self-expression but as a faithful, long-suffering stewardship of the Word of God, by faith in Christ alone.

The Preacher as Herald of the King

At the heart of On Preaching is Charles’s understanding of the preacher as a herald of the King. This image governs the entire book. The preacher does not speak on his own authority, nor does he stand as a performer seeking approval. He is commissioned to announce the message of Another. That conviction lends gravity to every aspect of the work, from preparation to delivery to perseverance over time.

Because preaching is an act of divine commission, Charles repeatedly calls the reader to prayerful dependence upon God. He implores preachers to pray always, not merely before stepping into the pulpit, but throughout the entire process of study and ministry. Skill, experience, and preparation are necessary, but never sufficient. Faithful preaching flows from reliance upon the Lord rather than confidence in oneself.

This posture of dependence also shapes Charles’s insistence that preaching must proclaim Christ and Him crucified. Christ-centered preaching is not treated as a stylistic preference but as a theological necessity. Scripture itself bears witness to Christ, and faithful preaching must follow Scripture’s redemptive trajectory. Whether expounding narrative, poetry, prophecy, or epistle, the aim is not moralism or abstraction, but the clear presentation of Christ for the salvation and sanctification of God’s people.

Preparation for Preaching

The first major section of the book focuses on preparation for preaching, emphasizing the unseen labor that precedes the sermon. Charles treats preparation as an act of obedience and submission rather than mere technique. The preacher must first sit under the authority of the text before standing to proclaim it.

Throughout these chapters, Charles urges careful study, patience with the text, and humility before Scripture. He warns against using the Bible merely as a source for ideas and instead calls the preacher to labor until the meaning, movement, and intent of the passage are clear. Preparation is not about speed or novelty, but about faithfulness.

One of Charles’s most memorable exhortations is to keep “one hand on the text at all times.” The sermon must rise from Scripture and return to it. Scripture is to govern not only the content of the sermon, but also its logic and emphasis. In this way, Charles encourages preaching shaped by God’s divine revelation rather than personal preference or rhetorical ambition.

The Practice of Preaching

The second section addresses the act of preaching itself. Here Charles offers concrete, accessible counsel on structure, clarity, delivery, and illustration. His advice is often memorable and refreshingly candid. He cautions preachers to guard their families carefully, notably advising, “Avoid indecent exposure, get your wife’s permission before using your family in the message.” Such counsel reflects a pastoral concern for integrity, discretion, and wisdom in the pulpit. 

Charles also emphasizes the importance of illustration, likening a good illustration to a window on a house, it helps listeners see in or out. Yet illustration must serve exposition rather than overshadow it. Scripture itself should be used to illustrate and interpret Scripture, allowing the Bible’s unity and clarity to shape the sermon.

Throughout this section, Charles stresses that clarity in preaching is an act of love. Preaching is not meant to impress, but to edify. Authority flows not from volume, charisma, or theatrics, but from the Word rightly handled and faithfully proclaimed.

Points of Wisdom for Preaching

The final section offers seasoned counsel drawn from years of ministry. These chapters read almost like brief but weighty reflections addressing pride, discouragement, perseverance, and humility. Charles urges preachers to check their ego, guard against ambition, and remember that the pulpit is no place for self-promotion.

Practical wisdom abounds here as well. Charles addresses caring for one’s voice, stewarding physical strength, choosing what to preach, outlining sermons, and enduring seasons when visible fruit is scarce. He understands that faithful ministry is often marked by obscurity and patience rather than immediate results.

Underlying this counsel is a quiet confidence in God’s sovereignty. The preacher is responsible to proclaim the Word faithfully; the outcome belongs to the Lord. This conviction frees the preacher from both manipulation and despair, anchoring ministry in obedience rather than success.

Why Pastors Should Read, and Own, This Book

On Preaching is not merely a book to be read once and shelved. It is a book to be kept close at hand. Its paperback format, brief chapters, and clear structure make it ideal for everyday use, whether read during early-morning study, between hospital visits, or while traveling. Each chapter can be read in a single sitting, making it well-suited for devotional reflection alongside the demands of pastoral life. This is precisely how we have been using this book at Sojourner.

Pastors will find in this book a trusted companion that speaks to both the craft of preaching and the heart of the preacher. It strengthens fundamentals without being simplistic, and it challenges without discouraging. Whether one is beginning a preaching ministry or has labored for decades, this book calls the reader back to (extra)ordinary faithfulness, humility, and dependence upon the Lord, by faith in Christ alone.

For pastors committed to preaching as a sacred trust, to proclaiming Christ through His Word for the good of His church, On Preaching is a wise and enduring investment, and it is our joy to commend it to the King’s men as a faithful resource.

Disclosure: Sojourner Magazine received a copy of On Preaching: Personal and Pastoral Insights for the Preparation and Practice of Preaching from Moody Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

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