Say It!: Celebrating Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition

by Eric C Redmond (Editor), Charlie Dates (Foreword by)

Overview

Say It! A Celebration of Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition argues that Biblical Exposition is most dynamic when coupled with the African American preaching tradition. Charlie Dates, Romell Williams, George Parks, Jr., Terry D. Streeter and a cast of pastors and preaching professors collaborate to demonstrate the power of exposition in the cradle of the Black pulpit. The contributors in this volume give examples of African American Biblical exposition in every section of the Old Testament and New Testament. They also explain how to preach from narrative, poetical, prophetic, epistolary, and apocalyptic genres throughout the Scriptures. This important and powerful resource celebrates the faithful, biblical preaching of African Americans that is so often overlooked because it's stylistically different than the style of most white preachers. Appropriate for training associate ministers or use as a textbook in homiletics, Say It! will give the preacher what is needed to speak to real life from every page of the Book!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802497895
Publisher:	Moody Publishers
Publication date:	02/04/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

ERIC C. REDMOND is Professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL and Associate Pastor of Preaching, Teaching, and Care at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, IL. He has a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Capital Seminary and Graduate School, and a Th.M. Dallas Theological Seminary. He is the general editor of Say It! Celebrating Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition, the Preaching Magazine 2020 Book of the Year. His teaching and research specialties are hermeneutics, interpretation of narrative and parable, interpretation of poetical literature, homiletics and Bible exposition, and the Gospels. Eric is a fellow of the St. Augustine Cohort of the Center for Pastor Theologians, a Teaching Fellow for the C. S. Lewis Institute-Chicago, and previously served as a church-planting senior pastor.

Table of Contents

Contributors 9

Preface: The Treasure and Potential of African American Preaching Charlie E. Dates 13

Introduction: The Joining of the African American Tradition and Exposition Eric C. Redmond 21

Part 1 Black Preaching and Black Hermeneutic: A Background for Biblical Exposition

1 The African American Expositor: Interpretive Location, the Plain Sense of Scripture, and Church Life Winfred Omar Neely 39

2 A Ladder, a Mediator, and an Ark: The Challenge of Old Testament Exposition Eric C. Redmond 55

3 Contextual Considerations in a Tension-Filled New Testament Text Ernest Gray 75

Part 2 Biblical Exposition of the Old Testament

4 Enough Is Enough: Expository Preaching from an Old Testament Pentateuch Book-Deuteronomy 1:1-8 George Parks Jr. 93

5 Take Your Mountain: Expository Preaching from an Old Testament Historical Book-Joshua 14:6-15 Eric C. Redmond 107

6 Holla If You Hear Me-The Mission of Worship: Expository Preaching from an Old Testament Poetical Book-Psalm 96 Eric Mason 123

7 The Ministry of Vision: Expository Preaching from an Old Testament Prophetic Book, Largely Poetical-Habakkuk 2:1-4 Terry D. Streeter 137

8 His Word Works: Expository Preaching from an Old Testament Prophetic Book, Largely Narrative-Jonah 3 Charlie E. Dates 151

Part 3 Biblical Exposition of the New Testament

9 Who Is This Man? Expository Preaching from the Gospels and Acts-Mark 5 Romell Williams 167

10 Have You Got Good Religion? Expository Preaching from a New Testament Epistle-James 1:26-27 Paul Felix 181

11 Waiting for a Wedding: Expository Preaching from the Apocalypse-Revelation 21 K. Edward Copeland 201

Conclusion

12 A Case for a Regular Diet of Preaching through a Biblical Book Eric C. Redmond 217

Acknowledgments 237

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Praise for Say It!

Eric Redmond’s book is one that will inspire, inform, and bring insight into the African American Church cultural experience. The art of the African American celebration in preaching is a style of many different faucets. It has been ridiculed in media and betrayed humorously in movies. Nevertheless, at the same time this experience has lifted up a nation and a people from the ashes of the despair. Redmond’s book will bring a sense of understanding and clarity to these experiences and why this unique style is still beneficial in today’s church.
A.B. VINES SR.
Bishop, New Season Global Network
Former 1st Vice President of SBC
Senior Pastor, New Seasons Church

Say It! provides insight and examples of how the preacher can be equally effective in reflecting upon the human condition while at the same time skillfully applying accurate biblical perspective and interpretation through the discipline of expository preaching. Through its collection of expository sermons that are enveloped in the African American preaching style, Say It! not only affirms the African American preaching tradition but also and most importantly the African American preacher. It masterfully demonstrates to the broader faith community and beyond that the African American preacher in many instances has both the learning and the burning. We congratulate Redmond and the faithful exegetes who have contributed to this marvelous work on a job well done.
KEITH W. BYRD SR.
Second Vice President, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.

In Say It!, Eric C. Redmond and his cowriters have produced a must-read for students, teachers, pastors, and theologians alike. This is a highly commendable presentation that includes practical Old and New Testament sermonic examples of how biblical exposition can offer an effective method for powerful preaching in the black tradition. Readers will find this work to be a proven tool and a powerful resource.
FELIX G. WILLIAMS III
President, Congress of Christian Education
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.
USA and International

With several illustrations of biblical expository preaching in the black tradition included in this volume, the authors have made a clear distinction between expository preaching in the black experience as compared to the white evangelical tradition. Though both approaches are legitimate preaching styles, our historical experience as African Americans making our preaching unique in style and content. Every serious preacher will want to read this outstanding volume. It is sure to sharpen your own preaching gifts.
JAMES C. PERKINS
Pastor, The Greater Christ Baptist Church, Detroit, MI
Former President, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.

For the past decade or so, my own growth in preaching stems largely from sitting at the feet of expositors in this country who Say It! from the black tradition. My hope is that this book, long overdue, and the men who contributed chapters to it, will fill you with fresh conviction to make progress in your own preaching.
DAVID HELM
Lead Pastor, Holy Trinity Church, Hyde Park
Chairman, The Charles Simeon Trust

Say It! is a refreshing volume featuring twelve able practitioners in the African American preaching tradition. But the volume is far more than a book of sermons. It elucidates on principles of hermeneutics, exegesis, and especially application of truth for our generation when the excellence of the preached Word is sometimes sacrificed to satisfy the audience. The review of black preaching through the years of slavery, Jim Crow, and Civil Rights shows how God has used black ministers of the gospel to give encouragement and hope through many difficult days. The book includes a chapter encouraging preaching through the Bible with suggestions on how to do it. Both new and seasoned preachers will find the volume inspirational and instructive.
MELVIN BANKS
Founder and chairman of Urban Ministries, Inc.

As I travel the globe and sit under biblical preaching among the nations, I marvel at how God richly displays his creativity through His people. When I return home, I'm likewise privileged to hear the familiar cadence and content of my African American heritage, through the solid biblical preaching of my local pastor. Say It! opens doors into the exposition and style of this African American tradition for the world to explore and learn about this rich tradition from the inside out.
K. A. ELLIS
Director of the Center for the Study of the Bible and Ethnicity, RTS Atlanta