Book Review - As Kingfishers Catch Fire by Eugene Peterson

“I found myself taking a deep breath, sitting back letting the book drop slowly to the table as I pondered what I had just read. I’m familiar with this passage of scripture, but I’ve never considered it like this before. Then came the uncomfortable thought that I had misunderstood the Ten Commandments all my life. This was immediately followed by a sense of joy at what these ten rules actually might mean – and I felt free. “

This was my experience more than once as I slowly read through “As Kingfishers Catch Fire”. It’s a collection of sermons by Eugene Peterson, something of an anthology of his preaching over 29 years in one church in Marylands. I’m not going to try to explain the title, though as I read his introduction again I realise just how fitting it is.

What I can say is that this book has had a profound impact on me.

It’s not the first book of Peterson’s that I’ve read. Nor is the first book of sermons that I’ve read. In fact, it’s so different to sermons that I have read in the past that at one point I found myself wondering if I could listen to this kind of preaching week after week. I now think I probably could, though I understand that not all would agree with this for themselves.

Peterson is a poetic figure. By that I mean that his language is filled with poetic imagery – which is not very Presbyterian, but is very good. As I read his sermons, I have found my thoughts begin to grab hold of a theme, or a phrase, or an image, and to then hold that in my mind as I read the rest of that section. And in this way, the message of the sermon strikes into my heart, not just into my brain. This is surely something that preaching should do to all who hear it. 

 Peterson has divided the book into seven sections each with a subheading of “Preaching in the company of  . . .” Here we are given the chance to sit in on some preaching in the company of Moses, David, Isaiah, Solomon, Peter, Paul and John of Patmos. Each section has seven sermons, and though none of these is a long read, you get the chance to think deeply on what God is revealing through his word.

As a preacher myself one of the things that has stood out for me is the preparation time that must have been taken in these sermons. These sermons reveal to me a length of thought and meditation that must clearly have been given in preparation; the careful consideration of a phrase, the right use of a metaphor, and the sense that this is an un-rushed sermon all work together to make somethings stick with me even now.

I have underlined so many things from this book. There are so many phrases that would make great posters, memes, Instagram posts, etc. But doing that will rob them of the context in which they come and so will reduce their impact. (But I made some anyway)

This is not a book to be read quickly. If you do and you tell me you didn’t enjoy it, I would say to you, “Read it again. One sermon every two days. Write the phrase that catches your attention and ponder it for the rest of that day. Then if you still don’t like it, let me know, and we’ll talk.”

If you are in ministry, this book contains pastoral gold. It won’t make you a great preacher, but it will show the value of knowing your people. It will help you as you search for wisdom. 

This is one of the best books I have read.

Can I preach like a train driver?

I preach. And I often enjoy that task, although the work of preparing is something I still find difficult and taxing. But like others who have this task, I don't always know what impact - if any - my preaching does have.

Last Sunday I preached at a church with people I know and love dearly, and my wonderful wife was amongst them. So, as we drove home from that church, I asked for some feedback. It was good feedback that highlighted some strengths, and some weaknesses in the sermon that morning. She picked up that it sounded like I was going in circles - and with some embarrassment I concede that I was feeling a bit that way even while I was preaching! (How does that happen?!?!?)

I have a number of preaching opportunities coming up in the next couple of months, including two camps directed at teenagers, and I want every sermon to have its greatest impact. So I reached into the bookshelf and pulled off this book by Tim Hawkins, Preach like a train driver. And I'm glad I did. In reading this I have been challenged that while I may not be a boring preacher, I might be giving people information and keeping them interested without actually taking them anywhere. If people are allowing me into their churches and into their ears, I want to be doing more than that.

Why a train driver?

A train driver knows where he is going, takes passengers with him, and gets to the destination. I've heard and preached enough sermons where it is more like a pilot circling around the airport until the plane runs out of fuel. So the train driver image can be a helpful one. (I confess that a motorbike is my preferred mode of transport though.)

There is a lot in the book that is very helpful, but as I have been preaching for many years it was more a reminder than a new insight. The section on 'The Book' - the place of the Bible etc - is something I am well familiar with and wholly in agreement with Tim. And it doesn't hurt to be reminded of these things.

The Hook

But it was his section on 'The Hook' that has stuck out for me. With chapters like "What's it like to live in your listener's world?" and "Why would they want to engage with you?" readers are challenged to not only consider the Bible they preach from, but also the people they are preaching too. Now, I know that Hawkins isn't the first to write on these issues. I've read other writers and heard other teachers on the same topic, and maybe that's why I found it so helpful - I keep forgetting this important lesson. I assume that because I'm excited about propitiation, then that's exactly what everyone will be excited about.

But I could be wrong.

On page 102, Hawkins uses the example from a friend of his preaching from Acts 17. As I read what his friend had done, I thought it was very good. So when Hawkins writes, "a great message. But the bit he missed out was the emotional connection" I have to stop and wonder what he means. When he then gives his own example of taking a good introduction and making an emotional connection, I see exactly what he means. Even as a reader I feel connected because I understand what he is raising. (That will all make a lot more sense if you read pages 102,103 of this book.)

What this book is not.

If you are wanting a book that will help you understand the biblical text in a way that will help you to preach it better, don't rely on this book. That is not its aim. If you are wanting to learn more about understanding the Bible, join me at the annual Engage conference in Melbourne in January.

What this book is.

If you are already doing some preaching, and have the sense that people are praying for the rapture to come when you get to the 40 minute mark of your sermon, (ie. that people are bored listening to you drone on and on) then this will be a help to you.

If, like me, you do preach a fair bit and want your messages to have a better impact, then what you read in this book could greatly help you.

I'm glad I read this. I think I'll be reading some sections of this again.