Preaching and Preachers

Preaching and Preachers emerged from Martyn Lloyd-Jones's lectures on homiletics delivered at Westminster Theological Seminary in 1969, distilling five decades of pulpit experience at Westminster Chapel in London. Writing during an era when expository preaching faced challenges from liturgical renewal movements and changing worship styles, Lloyd-Jones felt compelled to defend what he considered the central act of Christian worship and the primary means by which God encounters his people.

Lloyd-Jones argues that preaching is not merely religious instruction or moral exhortation but the event through which the living God speaks to his people with immediate power and authority. He insists that the preacher's fundamental task is exposition—unfolding the meaning of biblical texts and applying their truth to contemporary hearts and consciences. The work addresses the preacher's personal spiritual life, arguing that intellectual preparation must be matched by prayerful dependence on the Holy Spirit. Lloyd-Jones examines the mechanics of sermon construction while maintaining that true preaching transcends technique, requiring what the Puritans called "unction"—the Spirit's anointing that transforms careful exegesis into transformative encounter. He critiques both dry academic lecturing and emotionally manipulative oratory, calling instead for preaching that engages the whole person through rigorous biblical exposition delivered with spiritual authority.

The book became a touchstone for the expository preaching movement and continues to influence homiletical education across denominational lines. Lloyd-Jones's integration of Reformed theology with passionate delivery provided a model that countered both liberal Protestant social preaching and fundamentalist proof-texting. His emphasis on the Spirit's role in preaching offered evangelicals a path between cold rationalism and anti-intellectual enthusiasm.

Who should read this: Pastors and seminary students seeking to understand preaching as spiritual discipline and congregational encounter will find Lloyd-Jones's vision compelling, though those favoring topical preaching or contemporary worship innovations may find his approach restrictive. Anyone interested in mid-twentieth-century evangelical thought will benefit from engaging this influential work.