Book Reviews by Revd Ian Smith December 2011

Preaching like a woman

Susan Durber 
SPCK 978-0281059188
£12.99

Susan’s book is effectively in 3 sections; there are chapters where she explains what she is doing and intended in a set of sermons; there are the sermons themselves and a final chapter on preparing a sermon.

The sermons read very well by themselves and I preferred to read her reasoning behind them after than before. The sermons can be read by themselves and are models of clarity with excellent beginning, middle and end. The final chapter on constructing a sermon is worth reading alone. She clearly works very hard with the biblical text before any sermon emerges.

I found this an immensely stimulating read and would commend it to all preachers. Those who preach regularly will especially benefit from the last chapter but the sermons themselves are devotionally rich.

Review by:  Revd Ian Smith

Fear and Trust – God-centred leadership

David Runcorn 
SPCK 9780281063895
£9.99

With leadership being a necessary ingredient of any parish profile now this book serves as an invaluable corrective to much that is written and absorbed in church today. It is both a profound reading of 1 and 2 Samuel as Old Testament texts that need exploring with fresh eyes and a book of distilled wisdom from an honest and experienced priest.

Careful reading of the Old Testament text reveals the work of God among women and the womb and not the warrior. It also reveals what listening and peacemaking skills are often omitted from busy programmes.

David Runcorn is to be thanked for this timely and beautifully written little book, which at just over a hundred pages says more in paragraphs than others manage in chapters. Ideal for a deanery chapter reflection?

Review by Revd Ian Smith