The Sermon Doctor: Prescriptions for Successful Preaching. By Harry Farra. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989. 197 pages.  

Farra has written a striking book. Readers of Lyle Schaller will find the format familiar: the book records a series of fictional meetings between the Sermon Doctor and three discouraged preachers. Though Farra is no novelist, the narrative format is a refreshing change.  

Farra is a graduate of Bethel Theological Seminary and holds a Ph.D. in communication from Penn State. He teaches speech communication at Geneva College. This varied background shows in his book.  

Farra has an eclectic approach that draws expertly from classical rhetoric, yet shows familiarity with and appreciation for the contemporary emphasis on narrative. He also incorporates relevant material from communication theory. His combination of these materials has produced a stimulating book.  

The Sermon Doctor has helpful tools for diagnosis like the Homiletical Grid. But it is more than diagnosis; it offers apt descriptions. Yet Farra does not insist on a single “right” way to preach; instead, he helps preachers understand the dynamics of the way they have chosen to preach. This is a must book for preachers who have felt that their preaching is losing its edge.