The Heart of the Preacher - by Rick Reed (Paperback)

About the Book

Exhaustion, discouragement, insecurity, and more threaten a preacher's character, and thus their preaching. The Heart of the Preacher, equips pastors with practices and habits to face these threats.

Book Synopsis

"Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching." --1 Timothy 4:16

- Understand the greatest threats to your preaching
- Identify common tests of your character
- Learn gospel-based habits that guard your heart

Preachers cannot separate themselves from their preaching. Every time a preacher proclaims the word, something of themselves is also delivered to the congregation--for better or worse.

In The Heart of the Preacher, Rick Reed draws from over three decades of preaching experience to emphasize how preachers must prepare their hearts before they are ready to preach. Sermon preparation involves more than mere technical steps. Preachers are people. Exhaustion, discouragement, insecurity, and more threaten a preacher's character, and thus their preaching. Reed equips pastors with practices and habits to face these threats. Preachers must guard their lives so that their teaching will be accompanied by the fruit of the Spirit.

From the Back Cover

"Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching." --1 Timothy 4:16

Preachers cannot separate themselves from their preaching. Every time a preacher proclaims the word, something of themselves is also delivered to the congregation--for better or worse.

In The Heart of the Preacher, Rick Reed draws from over three decades of preaching experience to emphasize how preachers must prepare their hearts before they are ready to preach. Preachers are people; sermon preparation involves more than mere technical steps. Exhaustion, discouragement, insecurity, and more threaten a preacher's character, and thus their preaching. Reed equips pastors with practices and habits to face these threats. Preachers must guard their lives so that their teaching will be accompanied by the fruit of the Spirit.

Review Quotes

"There are plenty of books to teach you how to prepare a sermon, but there are few books that will teach you how to prepare your heart to preach a sermon. Building out of a lifetime's experience, Rick Reed has addressed this extra level of mastery in preaching. Your heart is worth paying attention to, and so is this book."

―Kenton C. Anderson, President and Professor of Homiletics, Northwest Baptist Seminary; author of Integrative Preaching

"In The Heart of the Preacher, Rick Reed comes alongside preachers to encourage and challenge them to reach their potential and fulfill their high calling. As you read this book you will benefit from Reed's wisdom, but more than that, you will encounter his heart―a heart that beats with grace and truth."

―Jim L. Wilson, Professor of Leadership Formation and Doctor of Ministry Director, Gateway Seminary

"The Heart of the Preacher is as easy to read as it is hard to hear. With refreshing and unrelenting honesty, Rick Reed gifts those of us who preach with a disturbingly accurate MRI of our souls, and then helpfully guides us forward. Every pastor needs to buy this book. And give a copy to a colleague."

―J. Kent Edwards, Professor of Preaching and Leadership, Talbot School of Theology; Founder/CEO, CrossTalk Global

"Speaking in a pastoral tone to today's preachers, Rick Reed helps identify, examine, and navigate the inner conflictedness of public ministry, which involves gaining a reputation while pointing to another―proclaiming boldly while making clear what is better and who is greater than the proclaimer. Reed fills a gaping hole in current homiletics literature on the spiritual dynamics of sermon preparation, and generously sprinkles practical hints on the mechanics of an effective sermon too. This book will be a required text in my course on spiritual preparation for preaching."

―Ramesh Richard, President, Ramesh Richard Evangelism and Church Health (RREACH); Professor, Global Theological Engagement and Pastoral Ministries, Dallas Theological Seminary

"Henri Nouwen once said, 'If we don't have a hidden life with God, our public life for God cannot bear fruit.' This thoughtful book is a useful tool for encouraging and equipping preachers toward this end. I'm thankful for Rick Reed's desire to help develop healthy and sustainable ministers of the gospel."

―Curtis Zackery, author of Soul Rest: Reclaim Your Life; Return to Sabbath

About the Author

Rick Reed (DMin, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is chancellor of Heritage College and Seminary in Ontario, Canada. Prior to coming to Heritage, Rick served as a pastor in California and Ontario.