12 Best Books on Sermon Preparation Tips: There are a variety of good books relating to sermon preparation tips.

In this post I will note my 12 best books on sermon preparation tips which I have found useful for developing and delivering biblical sermons. Some of these books are scholarly (text books on homiletics) and others are more inspirational or motivational (challenging insights on homiletics).

12 Best Books on Sermon Preparation Tips

There is no order of preference. I have simply chosen the books that have help me develop a method of preparing and delivering biblical sermons. Also at the end, I will mention some other homiletics books that I consider helpful.

1. Biblical Preaching by Haddon Robinson

Someone summed up his book like this: “Biblical Preaching balances the practical how-to- with sound homiletical theory. Ten sermon preparation stages surface that are content-oriented and follow the process of sermon-making from start to finish.”

What I like about Robinson’s book is that you can read, learn and master each stage of the sermon process before moving onto the next stage.

Robinson also explains the difference between deductive and inductive sermon outlining. I found this important as I formulated my method of sermon outlining.

Biblical Preaching by Haddon Robinson (Check Out At Amazon Books)

2. How To Preach With Notes by Charles W. Koller

This is one of my favourite books on homiletics. I like to structure sermons deductively and Koller explains the six structural components of the deductive sermon very well in chapter twelve.

Along with chapter twelve, chapter seven helps you understand how to put flesh on your deductive sermon outline. In other words, Koller looks at the homiletical devices that will help you write content to the sermon outline.

This book is a classic and a must for those who wish to preach deductive sermons to their audience.

How To Preach Without Notes by Charles Koller (Check Out At Amazon Books)

3. Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell

This is also one of my favourite books on homiletics. What I like most about this book is that the content is well set out so that you can find your subject quickly.

I found part two of this book to be very helpful in understanding how to structure deductive sermons.

I found that most students source biblical information quite readily. The biggest challenge for students is how to package the biblical information in order to present it to an audience in a cohesive and sequential way. Chapell explains this process very well in part two of this book.

Chapell also touches on the importance of the mechanical layout of the text of Scripture and how that relates to the process of explanation. This subject is very well presented and will help you in preparing biblical sermons or expository sermons.

Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell (Check Out At Amazon Books)

4. How To Prepare Bible Message by James Braga

This is another one of my favourite books on homiletics. This book is divided into two parts – the types of biblical sermons and the mechanics of biblical sermons.

This book explains the mechanics of deductive sermons from start to finish. The content of this book is easy to find so that you can get to your subject material quickly.

If you want to understand how to structure a deductive sermon, then part two of this book expands and explains these structures in depth.

How To Prepare Bible Messages by James Braga (Check Out At Amazon Books)

5. Invitation to Biblical Preaching by Donald Sunukjian

This is an excellent book on biblical preaching divided into two parts – look at what God is saying and look at what God is saying to us.

The first part of the book explains how to garner biblical information from the Scriptures – this looks at the study process. The second part of the book explains how to package that biblical information in order to deliver it to an audience.

Donald Sunukjian presents a deductive and inductive method of sermon preparation and presentation. Donald Sunukjian works from a grammatical outline to exegetical outline, homiletical outline and preaching outline.

You will learn how to flesh out the sermon outline in ways that are relevant to the listener – what is God saying to us! This is based on asking the right questions like: what do I need to explain, do we buy it or what does it look like in real life?

Invitation To Biblical Preaching by Donal Sunukjian (Check Out At Amazon Books)

6. The Homiletical Plot by Eugene Lowry

I learned to preach inductively from Lowry’s Loop. Eugene Lowry has developed a five stage approach.

Eugene Lowry describes these five stages as follows: OOPS (upsetting the equilibrium); UGH (analysing the discrepancy); AHA (disclosing the clue to resolution); WHEE (experiencing the gospel) and YEAH (anticipating the consequences).

The climax of the inductive sermon in the Lowry’s Loop approach is the AHA and WHEE stages.

This book expands and explains these five stages in depth.

The Homiletical Plot by Eugene Lowry (Check Out At Amazon Books)

7. Communicating For A Change by Andy Stanley

Andy Stanley explains the inductive approach to sermon outlining. Stanley has developed five stages to the inductive sermon outline.

The five stages of Andy Stanley’s inductive approach are: Me (Here is a problem I have or have had); WE (Here is how this effects all of us); GOD (Here is what the Bible says about this problem); YOU (You should do this) and WE (What would happen if we all did this?).

Stanley explains this inductive approach in depth (create a map) so that the reader will be able to reproduce this approach to their sermon preparation and presentation.

Communicating For A Change by Andy Stanley (Check Out At Amazon Books)

8. Preach and Deliver by Brandon Hilgemann

This book is more inspiration and motivational rather than theoretical. This is one of those books you read to be challenged to be a better preacher.

What I like most about this book is that Brandon looks at the delivery of the sermon. He discusses mannerisms like: voice, gestures, movement and eye and face expressions and how they can enhance the presentation of the biblical message.

For example, he examines how to use the volume of your voice (soft/loud), the pitch of your voice (low/high) and the rate of your voice (slow/fast). Being aware of this is very helpful and challenging for preachers.

As I said before, this is not a text book on preaching but it is a book worth reading simply to challenge yourself in the delivery of your sermon.

Also, Brandon looks at sermon delivery from an inductive perspective. Brandon has written another book that explains this, Preaching Nuts and Bolts. See Below!

Preach and Deliver by Brandon Hilgemann (Check Out At Amazon Books)

9. Preaching Sticky Sermons by Brandon Kelley

This book provides an inductive structure to preach a sticky sermon to your audience. Kelley explains that a memorable (sticky) sermon has several vital features like: it solves a problem, it’s true, it’s helpful, it’s focused and it’s action-oriented.

In order to craft a sticky sermon with all of these features, Kelley formulated a six stage structure: Engage (get the audience involved); Tension (present a problem); Truth (present God’s word); Application (what to do statement); Inspiration (reflection and motivation) and Action (what to do action).

This book has a lot more information on different areas of preaching. Though it has theory (six stage structure of a sticky sermon), I found it to be more of a motivational and inspirational book.

Preaching Sticky Sermons by Brandon Kelley (Check Out At Amazon Books)

10. The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narrative by Steven Mathewson

Mathewson divides his book into three sections: From Text to Concept; From Concept to Sermon and Sermon Manuscript.

Mathewson shows the reader how to shape the sermon by discussing inductive and deductive methods.

Mathewson also shows the reader how to outline the sermon by providing several effective tips. By the way, Mathewson favours the inductive method of sermon outlining.

Mathewson stated that the most difficult aspect of preaching is structuring the sermon into an outline. He discusses the importance of the sermon outline but also it needs to be inconspicuous.

The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narrative by Steven Mathewson (Check Out At Amazon Books)

11. Preaching That Connects by Mark Galli and Craig Brian Larson

This is a great book to read if you want to learn more about structuring your sermon for impact.

In chapter four you will be looking at structuring your sermon for maximum effect. They will show you how to package the biblical material into a sermon so that you can deliver it to your congregation.

This is a very practice book with all the how to for writing sermons: introductions, conclusions, illustrations and the sermon itself.

Preaching That Connects by Mark Galli and Craig Brian Larson (Check Out At Amazon Books)

12. Preaching: How to Preach Biblically by John MacArthur

This book is the updated version of Rediscovering Expository Preaching by John MacArthur and the Master’s Seminary Faculty.

The chapter that stands out for me is the chapter on how to structure the sermon outline by Donald McDougall.

Donald notes that there are three basic principles to guide the structure of outlines for expository preachers. First, communicate the message; don’t just outline it. Second, find the outline; don’t create it and third, let the passage dictate to you; don’t dictate to it. Of course, he explains what he means by these three basic principles.

Preaching: How To Preach Biblically by John MacArthur (Check Out At Amazon Books)

Final Remarks For 12 Best Books on Sermon Preparation Tips

I have read many other books on preaching but I thought it would be better to keep the number to twelve. As I said at the beginning, I have not listed these books in order of preference. I have simply listed them as twelve books that I considered helpful in my preaching journey to develop a method of sermon preparation and presentation.