Pulpit Journeys
Geoffrey Stevenson (ed), Darton, Longman & Todd, London

Pulpit Journeys is a collection of personal stories and interviews, in which prominent British preachers describe their formative influences and walks of faith.

It is a book that one could take to bed and enjoy rather than grimly read because it is good for you.

Evangelist Roger Forster describes waking up after being concussed in a car accident to hear an indignant patient in a nearby bed saying he had “been preaching at him all night”.

The Rev. Susan Durber, who is a minister of the United Reformed Church, writes of telling stories to her spellbound little brother, with pieces of Lego bricks becoming the characters or houses.

Using stories is a theme that is covered more than once. Baptist minister, Steve Chalke, whose essay is called “Communicating through Story”, said stories are it. “Jesus did that — told stories, asked questions, told stories, asked questions, and that’s all he did; 90 per cent of what he did.”

Other themes that are covered are using your voice, writing a sermon, how to communicate, keeping in touch with the concerns of your listeners, mentoring, time keeping, personal discipline, use of humour and prophecy.

Many of the preachers reminisce about their mentors and the people who inspired them.

Pulpit Journeys would be an excellent present for the new theological student or budding lay preacher.

Katy Gerner