A searchable, downloadable PDF of the original review appears below. Gladys Anderson is Minister of Outreach and Visitation (a half-time post), at Fairview Church, Vancouver.
Between Two Worlds: The Art of Preaching in the Twentieth Century, John R.W. Stott, Grand Rapids: W.B. Eerdmans, 1982.
In his book Between Two Worlds, John Stott sets forth the importance of preaching and the task of bridging the ever widening gap between the Word and the world. “Our task is to enable God’s revealed truth to flow out of the Scriptures into the lives of the men and women of today.” He outlines his task under three main sections: 1. The relevance of preaching in the twentieth century, 2. preaching as a bridge builder, and 3. the essential foundation for effective preaching.
The relevance of preaching is the subject of the main section of Between Two Worlds. In these chapters, Dr. Stott examines the history of preaching from the time of Christ to the present day, and the theological foundations for preaching. In today’s world, preaching seems to have fallen into disrepute. Yet, preaching is still a very important means of communicating God’s Word. Before we can be effective preachers, we must have our theological convictions of God, Scripture, the Church, the pastorate and preaching firmly established. Dr. Stott establishes these theological foundations for preaching and the care we must take in preaching, for it is God’s Word we are handling.
In the second section, Dr. Stott stresses the importance of preaching to “bridge the gulf” between Scripture and the contemporary world people live in. Preaching is not simply expository but must communicate to the listener. Today, we are dealing with a different culture than even the sixties or seventies. People are educated and opinionated, and although our message is the same, our methods may have to change. People do not want to simply be told facts but rather desire to interact both with the Word and the speaker. This “bridge” must come in every aspect of our lives, ethically, socially and politically. It requires the preacher, in the preparation of the message, to not only be completely familiar and competent in the Scriptures but also competent in the events of the world. Dr. Stott’s section on dialogical preaching and “bridging the gulf’ were effective in initiating thought on interaction with the listener, but I would have liked him to expand the section on dialogical preaching with how we might apply this concept.
Dr. Stott’s final section, though not the major portion of his book, is very useful. He outlines some essential tools in the preparation for the task of learning to preach. The section is not only practical in providing methods, but gives examples from Dr. Stott’s personal experience in developing study and preparation habits. Also, he gives some very practical advice in the preparation of the message and ourselves, so Christ might be presented rather than the attention being focussed on the messenger. His final chapters examine the sincerity, honesty, and humility of the messenger so as to prevent the blockage of the message.
Between Two Worlds is a very helpful book. Dr. Stott not only confirms the importance of the message but our great responsibility to God in being honest and sincere in handling the Word. I found this book practical for studying the Scriptures with the purpose of communication. The methods for preparation and the importance of handling the Word carefully are significant for anyone communicating God’s Word.
Between Two Worlds provided more material than can be totally absorbed in one reading. It is a book that will be a constant reference in developing study habits and methods of application.