Preaching the Sermon on the Mount: The World It Imagines
David Fleer and Dave BlandWith essays and sermons by Stanley Hauerwas, Warren Carter, Charles L. Campbell, & Others
"These probes of the Sermon on the Mount are rich, varied, and suggestive. Each contributor has freedom to articulate his/her read in a particular way, reflective of varied methods and perspectives. There is, nevertheless, a powerful consensus among these articles. All recognize the radical nature of Jesus' instruction to his disciples. They agree, moreover, that Jesus' summons is a powerful imperative to the contemporary church...The book offers a convergence of deep faith, powerful rhetoric, sensible world-awareness, and missional urgency, just what is now required!" Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary
"When some of the church's best biblical interpreters, biblical preachers, and biblical provocateurs (Hauerwas) team up to listen to and to proclaim the Sermon on the Mount, the results are wonderful. This book is sure to incite, invigorate, and provoke us preachers to more faithful sermons on Jesus' Sermon." Bishop William Willimon, North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church
"Think about a seminar where you have access to Bible scholars, historians, ethicists and homileticians; then think about how you might use their insights in preaching on Matthew's Sermon on the Mount. Bland and Fleer have given us all a book that informs, challenges, and models what such preaching can look like." Robert M. Randolph, Chaplain to the Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"Preaching the Sermon on the Mount will challenge the readers to pay close attention to the historical, literary and contemporary contexts for a faithful reading of the Sermon on the Mount. Both the exegetical essays and the sermons will dare the readers to pay close attention to the world imagined by the Sermon on the Mount, its invitation to transformative discipleship, and a call to Christians to a lifestyle that reflects these challenges." David Cortès-Fuentes, San Francisco Theological Seminary, Southern California
"The overall impact profoundly challenges contemporary Americans to ask in what ways we as a nation, and American churches when they uncritically support all that our governments do, resemble ancient, imperial Rome far more than the bride of Christ." Craig L. Blomberg, Denver Seminary
Available to order via Amazon (at 32% off!):Preaching the Sermon on the Mount: The World It Imagines
Preaching Mark's Unsettling Messiah (Paperback)
David Fleer and Dave BlandWith essays by Fred Craddock, Morna Hooker, Richard Ward and others.
“You can’t go wrong with a study of Mark that begins with Fred Craddock’s homiletical insights and Morna Hooker’s exegetical wisdom. Blessedly, the rest of the book sustains the high quality of its opening chapters. Both the essays and the sermons remind us that Mark is not only an odd and puzzling gospel, it is a perennially fresh and surprising gospel – the best of news.” – David Bartlett, Columbia Theological Seminary.
“What most ministers like best about attending preaching conferences is now available in a book – stimulating presentations by competent scholars and the company of fellow preachers struggling to make sense of biblical texts. Best of all, in these pages we also sit at the feet of Mark, the church’s first storyteller, as he practices his craft and encourages us in ours.” – Mike Graves, Central Baptist Theological Seminary, regional minister of preaching in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
“Fleer and Bland have collected a diverse band of commentators who bring performance studies; homiletics; and narrative, social, and literary criticism to bear on preaching the gospel of Mark. Most importantly, these scholars refuse to treat the second gospel as a subject to be dissected and analyzed with neutrality. Rather, the relationship is collegial, with the Evangelist serving as mentor and guide in the work of proclaiming the gospel.” - Richard Eslinger, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio
“In January, 2007, Chalice Press nominated Preaching Mark's Unsettling Messiah for the "Book of the Year" award, selected each year by The Academy of Parish Clergy, Inc., (APC.) Books that are of special interest to members of the clergy, across a wide spectrum of subjects (e.g. Biblical studies, Church history, biographies, preaching and homiletics, theology, parish organization and administration, ethics, theology and science, sociology, philosophy, literature, psychology, counseling, pastoral work -- anything that would enhance the areas of concern of clergy persons) are considered for the award.” – Chalice Press
Available to order via Amazon: Preaching Mark's Unsettling Messiah $14.99*
Performing the Psalms
David Fleer and Dave BlandWith essays by Walter Brueggemann, Clinton McCann, John Mark Hicks and Paul Scott Wilson.
"This is a great book! It's about far more than a text on preaching or interpreting the Psalms - it's about the power of Scripture as Living Word that transforms World. The articles and sermons stimulate the imagination and make the entire Psalter come alive for preaching. More importantly, Performing the Psalms embodies its title; to read it is to be encountered by more than authors and editors and articles about the Psalms, but changed by them." Dr. John York, Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN
"Whatever gold may have been pulled from the mine yesterday, today requires fresh digging. The Sermon Seminar of Rochester College is always fresh digging, and this particular volume, on the Psalms, is exceedingly rich, academically and pastorally. The scholars and preachers herein are on the frontline of thought and application, bound together by a common effort to let Scripture have its own voice. Anyone interested in preaching the Psalms should purchase this volume and make it their overview reading for all further study." The Rev. Dr. Thomas P. Eggebeen, Pastor, St. Paul's Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Livonia, MI
Available to order via Amazon: Performing the Psalms $15.59*
Preaching the Eighth Century Prophets
This volume on preaching from the prophets of 8th-century Israel and Judah is the latest addition to the fine series based on the annual Lectures on Preaching at Rochester College. With an introductory chapter by Duke University chaplain William Willimon, these essays and model sermons offer penetrating insights on bringing to bear on modern hearers the ancient words of the prophets.
"I enthusiastically applaud the effort and time expended by the authors and editors of this volume..." John Willis, professor of Old Testament, Abilene Christian University
"Preaching the 8th Century Prophets represents a welcome treatment of a neglected topic in homiletics." Alyce M. McKenzie, Southern Methodist University
Available to order via ACU Press: Preaching the Eighth Century Prophets $16.95*
Preaching Hebrews
David Fleer and Dave BlandWith essays and sermons by Luke Timothy Johnson, Chuck Campbell, Richard Eslinger, James Thompson, Rubel Shelly and Greg Stevenson
"The Rochester College Lectures on Preaching may be the best ongoing collection of essays on contemporary homiletics. The present volume, a study of Hebrews, is one of the best in the series. In a time when most preachers prefer narrative to doctrine and perhaps even chicken soup to Christology, it is hard to preach a text that is "so clearly and defiantly alien." This book's four provocative essays and seven stimulating sermons show us how it may be done." Stephen Farris, Dean of St. Andrew's Hall and Professor of Homiletics, Vancouver School of Theology, Vancouver, British Columbia
"We all may like to think of ourselves as a part of that great cloud of witnesses, but when it comes to preaching from Hebrews, the source of that image, we often fall silent. We are intimated by its priestly, sacrificial imagery and its complicated, complex argumentation. However, we and our congregations are the lesser for that silence. In this volume, David Fleer and Dave Bland enable us to sit in on a wonderful conversation around the Letter to the Hebrews. The essays and sermons encourage us to rethink our avoidance and wrestle with the sermon of one who had much to say to Christians today. But not only do they provide a rich resource on an undervalued text, but they offer stimulating challenges to rethinking contemporary preaching itself." Lucy Hogan, Associate Professor of Homiletics, Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C.
"The book of Hebrews is astonishingly relevant to the 21st century -- speaking a message of incredible hope to a weary and uncertain world. Equipping a new generation of heralds to preach the encouraging message of Hebrews is the worthy goal of this timely book. In this eagerly awaited fourth volume in their wonderful preaching series, David Fleer and Dave Bland have produced one of their most compelling books. The four essays are groundbreaking in their insightful imagery, and the seven creative sermons are exciting models of contemporary preaching at its best." Jerry Rushford, Professor of Religion, Pepperdine University
Available to order via Amazon: Preaching Hebrews $15.95*
Preaching Romans
David Fleer and Dave Bland"The growing interest in the intersection of preaching and biblical studies is fed by this book's essays on Romans and its companion sermons on Romans' texts. The combination will be helpful to both scholar and preacher.... Students, professors, and preachers will all profit from reading Preaching Romans." Bruce Shields, Emmanuel School of Religion
Available to order via Amazon: Preaching Romans $15.15*
Preaching Autobiography
David Fleer and Dave BlandConnecting the World of the Preacher and the World of the Text. Foreword by William Willimon.
Available to order via Amazon: Preaching Autobiography $15.95*
Preaching from Luke/Acts
David Fleer and Dave Bland"What is biblical preaching? The writers of this volume respect the question and respect all serious attempts to answer it.... All who refuse to sacrifice either the biblical text or the listener will be encouraged and informed by this book." Fred B. Craddock Candler School of Theology
Also includes essays and sermons by Thomas G. Long, Timothy Kelley, Greg Sterling, Dean Smith, and John York.
Available to order via Amazon: Preaching Luke/Acts $14.95*
*Prices on Amazon are subject to change.