Conversational Preaching

Book excerpt: In Conversational Preaching, we are given an in-depth investigation into how humans communicate and how understanding interpersonal communications skills can be of considerable value for those called to preach God’s word. “Dr. Sowards has made rather elegant use of the model of interpersonal communication as a device to explore preaching and communicating with congregants.” – Dr. Dalton Kehoe, Senior Scholar, Communication Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada “Sowards’ book advances the idea of conversational preaching beyond the merely metaphorical by applying practical insights from Interpersonal Communications Theory to the act of sermon crafting.” – The Rev. Dr. Micah Jackson, Ph.D., Bishop John Elbridge Hines Associate Professor of Preaching and Director of Comprehensive Wellness, Seminary of the Southwest, in Austin, Texas This book is for preachers and students of preaching who want to become better preachers and communicators. I have explored the theories of interpersonal communication and shown how preachers can benefit from such knowledge. I described the concept of noise as an impediment to communications and explored the topic with regard to politics, beliefs about the poor, past religious experiences and having an underdeveloped faith. I examined the concept of feedback and how effective feedback can be fodder for future sermons. I developed a model for conversational preaching using interpersonal communications theory and state that the ultimate goal of any sermon would be to facilitate a conversation with the hearers of a sermon and God.