Fresh Air in the Pulpit: Challenges and Encouragement from a Seasoned Preacher

This is a book written for pastors by a pastor. Its purpose is to help out "fresh air' back into preachers who may have grown tire or stale in their preaching. Briscoe's promise is that pastors need help in a media soaked culture. Surrounded by pulpit "superstars" local pastors are finding it increasingly difficult to "deliver the goods" to their churches. Briscoe covers the full range of preaching from the preacher's attitude and preparation to the delivery of sermons. By far the greatest strength of this book is that the author recognizes and expounds on the role of the Holy Spirit in the act of preaching. The pastor is anointed by God to be His spokesmen. Thus, he is to expect something supernatural to happen in the very act of preaching, "When the word is preached in power, progress is one of the inevitable results." I also appreciate that he addresses character issues- that we are to be men of the Word, studying, mediating, praying and walking in the Spirit. Briscoe has the confidence to laugh at himself (preaching a sixty week series on I Corinthians). He is also very pragmatic, taking the read step by step through the process of sermon preparation and proclamation.