Preaching professor wins book award
Posted by jhallsebts on February 8, 2008
A Southeastern preaching professor’s debut book has won a Book of the Year award from Christianity Today’s resource web site, PreachingToday.com.
Spirit-Led Preaching, written by Greg Heisler, assistant professor of preaching, won the coveted prize as the book that best nourishes the evangelical preacher’s soul. Heisler noted that while any first-time author hopes his work is well-received, the Book of the Year honor was unexpected.
“I am humbled by the award, and I continuously remind myself of how the Lord saw fit to bring it into print, and now how the Lord is the one to receive the glory.”
Heisler’s book, which was published by B&H Publishing Group, thoroughly examines how the Holy Spirit illuminates and empowers the preacher, opens the hearts of the hearers and applies the message to their lives. Several of those on the awards committee noted how the book spoke to an area often neglected by modern preaching, and how the book was challenging in their own lives.
Brian Larson, editor of PreachingToday.com, said that the book fills a much-needed void.
“While preaching skills are important, they are secondary,” Larson said. “Primary is being a man or woman of God and having his mysterious hand upon you when you try to speak for him. This book helped me think more about that and strengthened my faith that it can happen.”
Heisler said he wrote Spirit-Led Preaching for one overriding reason: to bring about a fresh dependence on the Holy Spirit in the pulpit.
“We are flooded with books on techniques, skills, mechanics and methodologies – yet very few on how the dynamic ministry the Holy Spirit empowers preaching,” he said. “It is right and proper to emphasize the Word, but never to the extent that we exclude the Holy Spirit who inspired it, who illumines it, and who empowers both the preacher to preach and the listener to embrace the Word of God.”
Jim Baird, vice president of marketing and sales for B&H Academic, said, “Greg epitomizes the intent and meaning of the award for the ‘Preacher’s Soul’ category through his personal life and his teaching ministry. All of us at B&H Publishing Group congratulate Greg for this well deserved recognition.”
