This book is heavy on music terminology, particularly Jazz. The author attempts to frame good preaching through the lens of a Jazz musician who can improvise creatively according to the audience. He made some good observations about the hearers of today and some observations should inform our preaching. This book has some helpful methods for preaching preparation and how to be a better communicator to connect with the hearers. This book is light on Scripture and heavy on communication, the temptation to water down biblical truth in order to suit a particular group of hearer is high and possibly encouraged. This is not a book that I will recommend to preachers to read slowly but to skim through to be aware of what is being taught to future preachers.

This is almost a jolly book! It is peppered with sketches that draw the humour out of the situations that preachers find themselves in. The old-fashioned thinking and the struggles to bring sermons up to date in the world that we all now live in, we have generally all been there, and this book makes it ok that this is our starting point. The importance of community and of witness is made much of, preachers are there to share the gospel and to be the gospel in the world and yet it is hard to translate that to being in front of people are sharing the word. The idea of 'Christ centred' preaching is explored in new and helpful ways. The references are scattered throughout the book, with Luther referenced with much care and thought as the neighbour with an idea that sparked a thought.
It is a useful reference book that can also be read from start to finish.

Solid advice on how to preach in light of cultural changes, trauma, and other things affected those who might be listening.

(I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)