Preaching that Shows

Reviews / Votes

"Theologically grounded, drawing widely from art and contemporary culture, Margaret Cooling offers preachers new inspiration with a plethora of rich practical examples. She takes the bible with the utmost seriousness, and equips preachers to speak into situations messy and unresolved. Eminently, readable and rich; this book is a must for every preacher's bookshelf and every homiletic course reading list. Simply brilliant!" -- Revd Dr Kate Bruce, author of 'Igniting the Heart' "A wonderfully engaging book! Margaret Cooling unpacks the old saying 'Don't tell me, show me', taking preachers into what may be largely uncharted territory. Fortunately she is a skilful guide, exploring the world of the revelatory sermon, where characters display all the ambiguity of real life, the Bible is handled with imagination, doctrines are embodied, art and poetry have a key role to play, faith is worked out in ordinary life and 'the message' is not always buttoned up tight. The reader will profit from her grasp of homiletical theory but may be encouraged even more by the dozens of 'worked examples' which she offers." -- David Day, author of 'The Preaching Workbook' "What if God is in this place - my messy and mundane existence where I live, work, and play - though I didn't know it? Seeing the here and now as the house of God makes all the difference. And that's the promise of Margaret Cooling's epiphany, her book acting as a Jacob's ladder of sorts. It guides preachers to dwell bodily in the details of Bible - its characters, settings, and revelatory plots - and emerge with good news to share that makes a difference right where Christ has called us to be. LICC has long sought Spirit-filled and art-full ways of engaging the Scriptures that dynamically bridge this ancient word and the contemporary Christian's world. Thank God for Margaret's insight, which on every level shows us the way." -- Dr Dave Benson, Director of Culture and Discipleship, The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC) "Margaret Cooling is a gifted writer, teacher and preacher. She has an eye for words that paint pictures and an ear for the rhythms of a good story. She has brought these gifts together in an intriguing book which will stimulate any preacher to explore how they can develop their own creative approach to communication. It is filled with examples from the Bible, literature and film, as well as helpful exercises and demonstrations of how sermon language can come alive. With its supporting website this will be a rich resource for all preachers and teachers of preaching. I warmly commend it." -- Stephen Wright, Spurgeon's College, UK