Yale University Library Research Guides: New Testament Studies: Sermon Preparation

Welcome: Preaching the New Testament

This subsection highlights introductory materials relevant for using the New Testament in preaching.

Relevant Research Guides

Resources for Preaching

Theology Guide

Preaching the Lectionary

Connections: A Lectionary Commentary for Preaching and Worship by Joel B. Green et al. Interpretive tools that provide commentary and worship aids on the Revised Common Lectionary. Intertextual commentary entry for each day in the 3-year lectionary cycle. Connects Psalm readings to other lections. Finally, sidebars offer additional connections to Scripture for each Sunday or worship day. 9 volumes. Series includes separate "worship companions."
Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary by David L. Bartlett; Barbara Brown Taylor 12 volumes cover all Sundays in 3-year lectionary cycle and all movable occasions. Each day entry includes theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical entries alongside 16 approaches to preaching them. Multi-denominational. Follows Revised Common Lectionary.
Preaching God's Transforming Justice: A Lectionary Commentary by Ronald J. Allen et al. Highlights the social justice implications of Biblical readings in the Revised Common Lectionary. Each year is a separate volume. Includes essays for 22 "Holy Days of Justice," including Martin Luther King Day, Earth Day, World AIDS Day, and Children's Sabbath.
Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary, Based on the NRSV by Walter Brueggemann et al. 3 vols provide resources for an entire year of sermons and offers practical help for preachers. Brief introductions for each day indicate the general thrust of the texts and the relationships among them, emphasizing textual interpretation and daily implications.

Homiletic Resources for the New Testament

Determining the Form: Structures for Preaching by O. Wesley Allen Gives preaching students and clergy common sermonic forms and how to choose them for certain situations and audiences. Thinks in terms of "rhetorical strategies" and not inflexible formats. Simple sermonic tactics to build into a final pulpit product.
Don't Put Out the Burning Bush: Worship and Preaching in a Complex World by Vivian Boland Examines worship and preaching from a number of theological perspectives; Catholic, Baptist, Anglican, Uniting Church and Greek Orthodox. It draws on the tradition of each of these denominations to examine the diversity of the liturgical worship and preaching in each tradition as each church addresses the needs and concerns of a complex world of technology and diversity.
Homiletical Handbook by Donald L. Hamilton Homiletical Handbook is a primer for those called to preach. Straightforward and to the point.
New Testament Exegesis: A Handbook For Students and Pastors by Gordon D. Fee A step-by-step "how to" guide. Introduces strategies for turning close readings of NT texts into sermons and other rhetorical formats. Though the author prioritizes exegesis of the Greek text, the lessons learned are widely applicable.
Preaching in an Age of Globalization by Eunjoo Mary Kim Develops the concept of "trans-contextual preaching" to show how preachers can respect diversity and global connections. Develops a new theology of preaching, examines the modes of biblical interpretation appropriate for trans-contextual preaching, and explores designs for sermons.
The Witness of Preaching by Thomas G. Long Examples of sermon forms, illustrations, and conclusions. Examples from classics and newcomers in homiletics. Treats technology like video clips, websites, and powerpoint. Chapter on biblical exegesis.

Preaching Oriented NT Commentaries

Fortress Biblical Preaching Commentaries by O. Wesley Allen et al. Combines traditional and lectionary commentaries in order to help congregational leaders develop exegetically informed cumulative preaching and educational experiences focused on but not limited to the lections.
Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching by Douglas Hare et al. Proceeds unit by unit (not verse by verse) to emphasize what each passage means to the author and to the modern church. Planned and written specifically for teaching and preaching needs. Entries take an expository essay format.
The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary by David L. Petersen et al. For preachers and teachers of the Bible. Unites practical and homiletic concerns with exegetical scholarship (often with multiple layers of comments on the same passage). Single-volume and series formats.