Book Review: 'Pastoral Preaching: Expository Preaching for Pastoral Work'

Richard Caldwell, Pastoral Preaching: Expository Preaching for Pastoral Work (Rainer Publishing, 2016).

In Pastoral Preaching: Expository Preaching for Pastoral Work by Richard Caldwell, the author makes a compelling case that preaching and pastoral care are inseparable. Caldwell’s central thesis is that if preaching is truly to serve the church, it must be done by the one who shepherds the flock—not merely an orator in front of a congregation. He writes, for example, that “preaching is a pastoral work” and the pulpit should be entered by one whose heart is calibrated to shepherd the people of God. The strength of the book lies in its insistence that expository preaching is not a technique divorced from pastoral concern, but rather the most faithful way to carry out the pastor’s duty to feed, guide and watch over the flock.

Caldwell organizes his reflections not as a how-to manual but as a pastoral meditation on the preacher’s identity, calling, and mindset. He devotes attention to the idea that the preacher is first a shepherd of the church and then that he should be the preacher as well. This emphasis is refreshing in a landscape filled with books on sermon structure, communication techniques, and platform ministry. Instead, Caldwell invites pastors to ask: “Am I watching for souls?” and “Does my preparation express care for real people in real congregations?” By framing sermon preparation as part of shepherding, the book challenges pastors to move beyond information-dispensing and into incarnational, Scripture-rooted ministry. The book may feel light to those looking for detailed homiletical frameworks or step-by-step sermon outlines since Caldwell’s focus is more pastoral theology than pulpit mechanics.

Pastoral Preaching is a valuable read for pastors and preachers who long for their pulpit work to connect deeply with their pastoral heart. Its blend of theological reflection and pastoral exhortation reminds readers that the sermon is not merely a speech, but a means of caring for souls. While practitioners seeking detailed models or contemporary trends might find it less robust in that area, the strength of the book is its timely corrective: preaching must care for people and be shaped by the shepherd’s heart. For those seeking to align their pulpit ministry with a true pastoral heart, this book is for you.

David L. Allen