Anyone who's ever stepped into the pulpit knows that preaching is anything but easy. Speaking a word from God that is grounded in the biblical witness, theologically responsible, and true to contemporary experience is one of the most difficult things one can do. Advice on how to do this is as old as preaching itself, and there are as many opinions on preaching as there are preachers. Where does a preacher begin? What basic understandings and practices are necessary?In this new addition to the Essential Guides series, Ronald Allen seeks to answer these basic questions about preaching. He does so through the use of an inductive method. Starting with a sample sermon, he uses that sermon to illustrate the process of moving from the first thoughts about what one will preach to the delivery of an actual sermon.Each chapter raises a question about the sample sermon that leads into a discussion of the practical and theoretical issues related to this particular aspect of the sermon, such as: -- What is the good news in this sermon?-- What is the significance of this news for the congregation?-- Does the preacher offer a clear and sensible interpretation of the text or topic?Written with the needs of students in both traditional M.Div. classes and non-degree ministry training programs in mind, Preaching: An Essential Guide will be an indispensable companion for all who seek to "rightly explain the word of truth."