What made Jonathan Edwards’s preaching so powerful? Why is much of today’s preaching so lifeless, even dangerous? Where did things go wrong? How has the church traveled so far away from the doctrinal convictions of Edwards?

Church historian and theologian Tom Nettles answers these questions by explaining the historical departure from doctrinal preaching and the various pitfalls that come from leaving sound doctrine behind. If we want to recapture the power of preaching, we must recapture the power of sound doctrine.

About the Author

Tom Nettles has written biographies of Charles Spurgeon and James P. Boyce. Among his other books are By His Grace and for His Glory and Baptists and the Bible. He is retired but serves as a Senior Professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Endorsements

“Tom Nettles brings a rare combination to bear on the subject of doctrinal preaching... The insight of such study informs his deep conviction about the power of biblical preaching, and the results have been organized in this book. Tom writes as a practitioner of what he commends. I highly recommend it.” —Tom Ascol

“For many long years it has been my conviction that the Church needs fewer statesmen, managers of the mundane, leaders of pep rallies, and clowns. What we need is more Pastor/Theologians, men who know how to teach doctrine while preaching expositionally through books of the Bible. Tom Nettles has called our attention to this lost art. May the book be read by many.” —David Miller

“Nettles’s historical analysis of leading pulpit figures is charitable, but his biblical-theological conclusions are full of the fierce conviction of a man who loves the church and understands the power and priority of preaching. If you care about preaching this is a book you should read.” —David E. Prince

“This book fills a lamentable and long-time void in the field of homiletics. In fact, I know of no other text that weaves exegesis, application, theology, and history into a comprehensive model of doctrinal preaching. For years I have lamented the lack of a good text for doctrinal preaching, but this one was worth the wait. It will stand as the model for faithful doctrinal preaching for years to come.” —Hershael W. York