It is the bane of all preachers. It’s the middle of your sermon. You are passionate about your topic. And you look around and see someone (or more
than one someone) nodding off in your congregation. I suspect every preacher – even the best ones
– have been there.
And if that is you, there is help on the way. Gary Millar, a transplanted Irishman, and
Phil Campbell, an Aussie, have written a wonderful book to provide aid for
every pastor. It is aptly entitled
Saving Eutychus: How to Preach God’s
Word and Keep People Awake. I suspect
every preacher will get the title, but for those of you who don’t, check out
Acts 20:7-12. (Even Paul put people to
sleep at times….)
Saving Eutychus is an immensely practical and surprisingly
funny book about preaching in such a way as to keep your audience in tune with
your message. I have read many preaching
and communication books. Some I enjoyed. Some I forced myself through. Some stood on my deck half read until I gave
up on them. This little book – clocking in
at only 170 pages – belongs in the first category.
Saving Eutychus has some things in common with other
preaching books. There is a focus on
speaking to change the heart. There is a
chapter on finding the big idea in your passage. Some of that stuff I have read many times
before. But Millar and Campbell’s style
make it enjoyable, even if the material is familiar.
I was quite surprised that Millar and Campbell were, like
me, manuscript preachers. (I have always
been told that types like us were second class citizens.) It encouraged me to know that, and to know
that they type their manuscript as they would speak it, using present tense
verbs frequently. That is a trick I
stumbled on myself years ago – it is nice to know others feel it is valuable as
well.
There were a number of chapters that I enjoyed greatly. One chapter focused on the place of the
gospel in preaching, even (and especially) when preaching from the Old
Testament. It offers the reader a
biblical theology primer for preachers.
Another investigated the mechanics of sermon delivery, using some useful
visual images. The book ends by walking
through the process of building a sermon with Phil Campbell, and then seeing
that sermon critiqued by Gary Millar.
Included is a sermon feedback form that can be used to provide feedback
on your own sermons.
Is Saving Eutychus the best book on preaching out
there? I would not go that far, but it
is good. It is worth the read. It is challenging and funny and enjoyable. And I suspect that every person who speaks
publicly – whether preaching or not – will find helpful truths and tips so that
they, unlike the apostle Paul in Acts 20, will preach God’s Word and keep
people awake.
