A comprehensive introduction to preaching, emphasizing the encounter with God's grace as the goal and heart of the sermon.""Many people outside the church take a dim view of preaching precisely because they regard it as an overly directive, overly confident . . . even chastising form of speech. Ironically, some of us inside the church know what Paul Scott Wilson knows . . . in recent years, preaching has often stopped well short of such bold speech. In this inspiring volume, Wilson invites preachers back to the sermon's first, best purpose: to proclaim the glorious reality of God's new world in Christ. Wilson mines the riches of the past to inspire preachers in this present time to engage proclamation in its many forms so that all preachers may become eager and exuberant proclaimers of the best news the world has ever heard.""−Scott Hoezee, Director for The Center for Excellence in Preaching, Calvin Theological Seminary""With characteristic flair and scholarship, Wilson reconnects proclamation with teaching as the dual parts of preaching. Championing an urgent need for proclamation, he presents nine subgenres, drenching them with sermon examples drawn from the early church to the present. A rich sermon fare to savor in-depth. It challenges intellect and spirit.""−Michael Quicke, Koller Professor of Preaching and Communication, Northern Seminary""Wilson weaves a conversation with a cast that spans nearly every century of the ...