Preaching for Growth. By Ronald J. Allen. St. Louis: CBP Press, 1981. 80 pages. Paper, $5.95.  

Despite what its title might imply, Allen’s book does not describe some special type of preaching that will produce church growth. Instead he argues that churches grow when preachers nourish their congregations on messages that skillfully present the gracious love of God.  

This brief work presents twenty principles for sound preaching, each of which is discussed briefly (two to three pages plus extensive endnotes). At the back of the book Allen presents the principles in the form of twenty diagnostic questions. He suggests that a preacher read the book alongside a stack of his sermons, letting the twenty questions shape the preacher’s plan for developing preaching that leads to growth.  

This book does not break much new ground in preaching, but it does provide a handy checklist of the basics. A busy pastor would find it a useful aid as he makes a mid-course check-up on his preaching.