Well-Driven Nails

I wanted to do another book review of a recently completed book Well-Driven Nails, The Power of Finding Your Own Voice By Byron Forrest Yawn. Yes another Yawn book and no I have not been yawning my way through them.

As usual for Pastor Yawn it is well written and he discusses things that are not often talked about in our circles. He makes some strong points about preaching and uses information from interviews with John Piper who emphasizes Passion, R.C. Sproul Clarity and John Mac Arthur Simplicity. It is great to hear the thoughts of these great men put into a concise and readable format. I must say there are a lot less colloquialisms in this book, and it tend to be just a bit more scholarly than Pastor Yawns other book, but you have to look at his audience.

There of course were some great quotes from John Piper on preaching which I have to share with you. One of my favorites being this one.

I just know that what I want is the gift of self-forgetfulness in what I would call a full engagement, a passion, a full zeal with what's there in the text, and the reality of God in and through the text. I want to see HIm, and know Him, be engaged by Him, be thrilled by Him, say it whatever effectiveness I can, and let the chips fall where they will...


It is important to prepare as best we can for a sermon. To search out the scriptures for the whole truth, but we ultimately have to leave it all in the hands of God. As I always say to myself "leave it all in the pulpit". In other words give it all I have holding nothing back and let God do His work through me. Maybe R.C. Sproul says it better than I can:

When I step into the pulpit I have a fundamental feeling of helplessness. The Spirit must accompany the word with power. Anything I bring is futile unless the Spirit accompanies it. My job is to be as accurate as I can be in my understanding and as dynamic as I can be in my presentation. But I have no confidence any of that will have any impact. It depends on the Spirit. It will have no effect otherwise.


All this being said presentation is so important. I used to have the concept the more boring I was the more spiritual I was, until I was convicted when some one basically said what John Piper says below. JP basically suggest that it can be a form of blasphemy if we present the word of God without the energy and excitment it should bring to anyone.

Oh Brothers, do not lie about the value of the gospel by the dullness of your demeanor. Exposition of the most glorious reality is a glorious reality. If it is not expository exultation - authentic, from the heart - something false is being said about the value of the Gospel. Don't say by your face, or by your voice, or by your life that the Gospel is not the Gospel of the all-satisfying glory of Christ. It is.


If you do presentations at all about God or His word I would recommend that you read this book. If you preach regularly you must read this book. It will help you greatly as you continue to sharpen and hone your skills for the glory of God. After all that is what preaching is about to glorify God and encourage other to do so as well.