In this volume, the author argues that the best sermons are those that take on the tension and movement of a story - not just any story but the story of God's dramatic encounter with humanity. Whether working through narrative or non-narrative texts, the task of the preacher is not to organize or outline but to lead the congregation through five sequential stages of the homiletical plot: upsetting the equilibrium, analyzing the discrepancy, disclosing the clue to resolution, experiencing the gospel, and anticipating the consequences. Through moving the plot from a point of tension to a point of resolution, the listener is thus held captive to the revelation of God.
In this volume, the author argues that the best sermons are those that take on the tension and movement of a story - not just any story but the story of God's dramatic encounter with humanity. Whether working through narrative or non-narrative texts, the task of the preacher is not to organize or outline but to lead the congregation through five sequential stages of the homiletical plot: upsetting the equilibrium, analyzing the discrepancy, disclosing the clue to resolution, experiencing the gospel, and anticipating the consequences. Through moving the plot from a point of tension to a point of resolution, the listener is thus held captive to the revelation of God.
