Preaching is a very personal process: a minister or speaker prepares his or her own sermon and presents it to the congregation. Sermons draw upon the Bible as a central source, and the source provides a basis of faith for the believing community. The preaching event is also personal for the individual members of the congregation, who receive the preacher's words, based on a biblical text, in their own unique way. In the synthesis of Biblical text, sermon, and listener response, many testimonies are present. "Preaching and the Personal" is a collection of papers that have been presented at the Society of Biblical Literature. These papers encourage and nurture dialogue among scholars who share an interest in the unique theological problems inherent to the relationship between biblical interpretation and proclamation. Preaching and the Personal opens a stimulating dialogue in the field. J. Dwayne Howell is Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew in the School of Theology at Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Kentucky, and pastor of the Rolling Fork Baptist Church in Gleanings, Kentucky. He serves as the chair of the Homiletics and Biblical Studies Section of the Society of Biblical Literature. "People do not resist the call to the ministry because they are afraid they will have to prepare church budgets. No, like so many who went before them, they do not feel adequate to accept the responsibility of proclaiming God's word. I encourage all, from neophyte to seasoned preachers, to engage in this fascinating conversation. These preachers and scholars challenge us to reflect upon the crucial issues of identity and authority in the pulpit." Lucy Lind Hogan, Hugh Latimer Elderdice Professor of Preaching and Worship, Wesley Theological Seminary. "This volume provides a much-needed insight into the preaching event. Its title aptly reflects the authors' firm belief that text, preacher, and congregant are all active participants in interpreting and understanding Scripture. Divergent voices have contributed essays, yielding a collection that addresses many kinds of preaching events." Nancy L. deClaissé-Walford, Carolyn Ward Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages, McAfee School of Theology.