The focus of this two-volume work is on biblical preaching which Larsen defines as the explication and application of the content and purposes of the Bible, the living Word of God. This implies that biblical preaching is inextricably bound, in its aims, processes and outcomes, to the nature and character of the God who has revealed himself through the Word. Larsen rightly asserts that there is a crisis in preaching in our time, and thus he seeks to draw upon the vast resources of the history of preaching to instruct, correct, and inspire modern preachers to practice and promote lively expository preaching once again.
He is unashamedly evangelical and places himself squarely in the flow of classical biblical Christianity. Thus, he asserts that the foundations of biblical preaching are the conviction that the Bible is indeed the living Word of God, that the Bible is designed to be proclaimed by those who are called of God to do so, and that the study of the history of preaching is necessary for any preaching ministry to flourish over time because it provides cautionary tales, ministry-shaping insights, and the hope that God will cause his Word to prosper in every age.
Larsen commences his survey of history, then, with a treatment of preaching in the Old and New Testaments, a feature which is somewhat unique and refreshing. From there, he guides his readers on a journey through the history of preaching in the early church, the Middle Ages, the Reformation and Enlightenment, the Victorian Era, and the twentieth century. The final two chapters on the twentieth century, to which he devotes nearly two-hundred-fifty pages, are particularly impressive. As a whole, his presentation is thorough, insightful, readable, and likely to enflame the preaching ministries of all who will listen well and then take up this study on their own.
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