Thoughts on preaching - Alexander - VIII - Letters continued

Required reading
Thoughts on preaching by J. W. Alexander (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue 'Letters to young ministers' by reading Letters 6 and 7.

My summary
In Letter Six Alexander gives us examples of men who were laborious pastors as well as men of scholarship.  The letter is actually quite a nice collection of mini biographies on puritan authors.

In Letter Seven Alexander encourages the practice of extemporaneous preaching. 

What grabbed me
At the end of the reading there was a great piece of advice about all preaching: 'Until you cease to regard the preaching of the word as in any sense a rhetorical exercise, it matters little whether you read or speak, or what method of preparation is adopted; you will be "as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal."'

I still remember at college 'practising' preaching.  Such ideas really encourage the concept that preaching is simply a form of public speaking rather than speaking with the authority of the living God.

Next week's reading       
Continue 'Letters to young ministers' by reading Letters 8, 9 and 10.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.