Sundiver (The Uplift Saga, Book 1)
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Sundiver
  • Not worth the effort
  • A great Sci-Fi universe, but this book seems incomplete
  • first installment was a disappointment
  • Don't bother
Sundiver (The Uplift Saga, Book 1)
David Brin
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Similar Items:
  1. Startide Rising (The Uplift Saga, Book 2) Startide Rising (The Uplift Saga, Book 2)
  2. The Uplift War (The Uplift Saga, Book 3) The Uplift War (The Uplift Saga, Book 3)
  3. Heaven's Reach (The Second Uplift Trilogy #3) Heaven's Reach (The Second Uplift Trilogy #3)
  4. Brightness Reef (The Uplift Trilogy, Book 1) Brightness Reef (The Uplift Trilogy, Book 1)
  5. Infinity's Shore (The Uplift Saga, Book 5) Infinity's Shore (The Uplift Saga, Book 5)

ASIN: 0553269828
Release Date: 1985-01-01

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Sundiver.......2007-09-11

Brilliant beginning to the first Uplift Trilogy. Brin creates a very believeable future universe of many species of beings connected via the various levls of hyperspace. The tale relates how Earth and humanity (typically) flout the galactic rules of the uplift "game", playing by their own rules to carve out a small empire which isbeholding to none of the old established races. The dolphins are the vehicle used to propel the story along a a newly uplifted race, newly sentient, owing their existence to mankind. So Sundiver, a dolphin crewed ship discvers a fleet of ancient ships from a long vanished, unknown race. The other more belligerent races try to find Sundiver and the fleet wthout success, until Sundiver is spotted and cased into a crash landing on a planet holding many secrets. The rest you must read. It is spellbinding, as are the two sequels.

3 out of 5 stars Not worth the effort.......2007-06-13

I began reading this book, Sundiver, because I was under the impression that David Brin was an accomplished writer due to the many accolades and awards his books have gotten. However, upon reading the very first paragraph of this book, I knew immediately that this was going to be a tedious read (the situation only grows worse for "Startide Rising" and "Uplift War"). This realization is a direct result of Brin's writing style, that being the most boring, prosaic, and uninteresting style known to man. I think Brin eventually realized this, because he uses exclamation points every other sentence in order to keep you awake! See, works pretty well doesn't it?

The plot plods along like a snail with its very juvenile Hardy Boys-esque detective "who-done-it" mystery, which apart from being predictable, didn't seem like the right literary device to use in this story. I would have much rather read about the Sun creatures, and their connection to Humanity's patronage; but like any other Brin novel the cool aspects of the book are NEVER explained. One instead wades through hundreds and hundreds of pages of worthless filler filled with the aspects of various alien diets, their insipid unpronounceable languages (which Brin usually approximates with Cough#&*@#Sneeze...how creative) with a pointless sex scene thrown in there to spice things up a bit.

The reason I gave it three stars is that this is the best book out of the "Uplift Trilogy", which seeing how it really isn't part of the series proper speaks volumes of my personal distaste for "Startide Rising" and "The Uplift War". Do yourself a favor stay away from Brin and instead pick up anything by Dan Simmons, Vernor Vinge, Fredrick Pohl or Larry Niven, all equally worth your time.

3 out of 5 stars A great Sci-Fi universe, but this book seems incomplete.......2007-04-23

I was immidiately hooked to David Brin's writing when I started Sundiver. He has a style akin to many sci-fi authors that I've come to love and he creates a vivid universe with an epic scope. The ideas of this universe are great. I love the hierarchy of Uplifted races, the social orders this creates and where humanity fits into this very busy and bustling galaxy. This book lays out some good groundwork for the rest of the series (which I have not yet read) but is itself incomplete, at least to me it seems so.

The premise of this novel hooked me before I even read started the book. The idea of taking a ship into the sun to find the origins of human life fascinated me and this was what kept me reading. Even with as little "action" as this book has, I was still flipping pages like it was no one's business, eager for explanations and conclusions. Unfortunately... we don't get a whole lot of explanations and conclusions. At least, not for what I was anticipating.

Sundiver turns from a novel of discovery and scientific posibilities to a mystery and "whodunnit" type thriller. The focus goes from the sun and its strange inhabitants to sabotage of the project and discovering who's behind it. We learn that other races are trying to see project Sundiver fail for reasons of their own, and this politcal aspect of the book becomes the main focus. While this part was interesting, Brin seems to almost forget what the story was about, and even at the very end, he doesn't really explain what the book was setup for in the first place. It seems unfair to start a book anticipating one thing, and get a conclusion for something completly different.

Still, there were many things I loved about Sundiver. Besides what I had already mentioned about the Uplift idea and the political aspects, Brin knows how to make a story very visually interesting. His descriptions of our Sun are vivid and I learned more about it reading this book than I ever did in science class. He takes something so commonplace as the Sun that we see everyday and makes it into this enormous entity shrouded in mystery. And the visual at the end of the main character Jacob lying on his back on the Sunship, "upside down" as it were, as the ship was falling into the sun was amazing. I was able to imagine it perfectly and it almost made me dizzy thinking about it.

All in all, I would recommend Sundiver. The ending was very dissapointing, as it really didn't have one, but there are a lot of interesting ideas and characters (though maybe not fully fleshed ones) to make the book an entertaining piece of sci-fi. I have already purchased the rest of the books and look forward to reading more Uplift.

2 out of 5 stars first installment was a disappointment.......2007-04-12

I want to like this series, and I plan on reading the next book, however the first installment was a disappointment. Much like the Kiln People, Sundiver starts out with some interesting ideas and drags at the end.

Sundiver introduced some very interesting concepts after Contact with alien species and the relationship of the Patron species to the emerging sentient species (Client) and their eon's long indentureship. In other words, humans (patron) genetically engineer chimpanzees and dolphins (client), therefore those species act as servants to humans since we `uplifted' them - they owe us. This relationship occurs galaxy wide and the question remains, Who uplifted humans? In addition humans are separated into two different social classes, Citizens and probationary citizens where the probates have limited rights. All very interesting stuff, but this is the background of the story unfortunately.

The book more concentrates on a murder mystery of an uplifted chimpanzee after his ship was deliberately damaged. By whom and why? This is where the story drags and the book seemed too long and drawn out. The story also jumps around where I found myself double checking the pages to make sure none were missing.

1 out of 5 stars Don't bother.......2007-04-07

Other reviewers refer to this as a "classic" sci fi series and I was looking forward to being able to enjoy this and other books by David Brin. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

PROS: There are some really good ideas here. The dynamic of how the various alien races relate to each other and to humans, and how humans relate to other sapients on Earth, is interesting. The narrator's struggle with his split personality is interesting. Also, it's nice to read a sci fi book that stays in one narrative thread (most books in this genre insist on jumping between multiple narratives).

CONS: The writing ranges from mediocre to poor and the plot feels contrived. There are abrupt changes between chapters with no real explanation, and the narrator gets dragged from one scene to the next with little logic. A lot of the dialogue is stilted, and what's with all those exclamation marks? The plot is a mystery, but it keeps jumping to just one more even less believable solution.

Overall, some fun ideas, but by the last 50 pages I was just scanning the book to get it over with.
Sundiver-The Ultimate Voyage
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Sundiver-The Ultimate Voyage

    Manufacturer: Bantam Book
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback
    ASIN: 0553133128

    Product Description

    Sundiver-The ultimate Voyage.A Journey Into The Fires Of The Sun...In Search Of Those Who Made Us Human.
    Sundiver
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Sundiver
      David Brin
      Manufacturer: Bantam
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Mass Market Paperback

      GeneralGeneral | Brin, David | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
      PaperbackPaperback | Brin, David | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
      ASIN: 0553207601
      Sundiver
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Sundiver
        David Brin
        Manufacturer: NY Bantam 1980.
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback
        ASIN: B000N3S67S
        Sundiver
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Sundiver
          David Brin
          Manufacturer: New York: Bantam Books, 1981
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback
          ASIN: B000O3KIK0
          Sundiver
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Sundiver
            David Brin
            Manufacturer: New York, NY Bantam 1990.
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback
            ASIN: B000MVDJWS
            SUNDIVER (UPLIFT, NO 1)
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              SUNDIVER (UPLIFT, NO 1)
              DAVID BRIN
              Manufacturer: Bantam
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback
              ASIN: 055325216X
              Sundiver: An Uplift Novel
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Sundiver: An Uplift Novel

                Manufacturer: Recorded Books
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Audio Cassette
                ASIN: 0788753304

                Product Description

                Nine cassettes/12.5 hours....David Brins Uplift novels are among the most thrilling, highly regarded works of contemporary science fiction. Beginning with Sundiver, Brin provides an intriguing exploration of humanitys future in the universe. For nearly a billion years, every known sentient species in the universe has been the result of genetic and cultural guidance--or "uplifting"--by a previously uplifted patron race. Then humans are discovered. Having already uplifted chimps and dolphins, humanity clearly qualifies as an intelligent species, but did they actually evolve their own intelligence, or did some mysterious patron race begin the process, then suddenly abandon Earth? The answer to this mystery might be as close as our own sun, but it will take a daring dive into its fiery interior to know for sure. Sundiver begins David Brins thoughtful, exhilarating exploration of a future filled with an imaginative array of strange alien races, dazzling scientific achievements, and age-old enigmas. Narrator George Wilson gives a strong, enthusiastic voice to Brins search for humanitys destiny in the cosmic order of life.
                3 Book Set of Science Fiction by David Brin; Kiln People, The River of Time, The Practice Effect
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  3 Book Set of Science Fiction by David Brin; Kiln People, The River of Time, The Practice Effect
                  Davin Brin
                  Manufacturer: Tor, Bantam
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback

                  GeneralGeneral | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
                  ASIN: B000OTH0NM
                  Jusqu'au coeur du soleil (FT:  Sundiver)
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    Jusqu'au coeur du soleil (FT: Sundiver)
                    David Brin
                    Manufacturer: LGF
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Mass Market Paperback
                    ASIN: 2253071757

                    How To Prepare Sermons
                    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                    • Homiletics - Preaching. Teaching
                    • Tremendous
                    • Great for beginners
                    • this is a good book for a young minister.
                    How To Prepare Sermons
                    William Evans
                    Manufacturer: Moody Publishers
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Hardcover

                    Church AdministrationChurch Administration | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                    MinistryMinistry | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                    PreachingPreaching | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                    GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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                    1. On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons: Fourth Edition On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons: Fourth Edition
                    2. 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching
                    3. How to Preach without Notes, repack How to Preach without Notes, repack
                    4. Preaching Without Notes Preaching Without Notes
                    5. Great Doctrines of the Bible Great Doctrines of the Bible

                    ASIN: 0802437257

                    Book Description

                    A discussion of theory and practice, focusing on methods, outlines, guides for study, the use of illustrations, and the selection of texts.

                    Customer Reviews:

                    5 out of 5 stars Homiletics - Preaching. Teaching.......2007-03-29

                    A coffee table easy to read book, but can be used by university theology students studying homiletics. Excellent read for all leaders of churches or anyone who has to preach a sermon. The outlines are excellent.

                    5 out of 5 stars Tremendous.......2001-11-23

                    Mr. Evans has done a great job of placing a lot of material in a small amount of space. His concise way of sharing on the subject of HOMILETICS is exactly what the beginner needs. That is not to say that a seasoned minister cannot benefit from this book. On the contrary, I have been preaching for over 20 years and I found his common sense approach refreshing. It never hurts to go over this stuff again. A quick read.

                    4 out of 5 stars Great for beginners.......2001-06-17

                    This book doesn't claim to be a full orbed outline of homiletics. It does claim to be a book that it will help the average layperson, or the young preacher, in sermon preperation. As a student in a ministerial program offered by an evangelical denomination, I have greatly benifitted from reading it. I used it to help me prepare the first sermon I preached. I would reccomend to anyone; but, if you've taken any classes in homiletics it is too basic for you. On the other hand, if your a deacon or an elder that wishes to stand in the gap for your pastor from time to time, get the book!

                    5 out of 5 stars this is a good book for a young minister........1999-09-30

                    this is the book that i us in teaching young minister. I have found this book to be very helpful and giving them the know how in the areas of how to prepare a sermon. The most of then do very well with this book and they enjoy it. I would tell all young minister to get this book of pastor.
                    Power in the Pulpit: How America's Most Effective Black Preachers Prepare Their Sermons
                    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                    • Awesome!!
                    • Crumbs from the tables of master pulpiteers
                    • The Best
                    • For those who may be seeking to re-examine their sermon prep
                    • Effective Preaching From Preparation To Sermon Delivery
                    Power in the Pulpit: How America's Most Effective Black Preachers Prepare Their Sermons

                    Manufacturer: Westminster John Knox Press
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback

                    MinistryMinistry | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                    PreachingPreaching | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                    GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                    Similar Items:
                    1. The Heart of Black Preaching The Heart of Black Preaching
                    2. The Certain Sound of the Trumpet: Crafting a Sermon of Authority The Certain Sound of the Trumpet: Crafting a Sermon of Authority
                    3. Preaching Without Notes Preaching Without Notes
                    4. Black Preaching: The Recovery of a Powerful Art Black Preaching: The Recovery of a Powerful Art
                    5. The Hum: Call and Response in African American Preaching (Abingdon Preacher's Library) The Hum: Call and Response in African American Preaching (Abingdon Preacher's Library)

                    ASIN: 0664224814

                    Customer Reviews:

                    5 out of 5 stars Awesome!!.......2007-02-10

                    This book is a great advisory for the preacher. It is a refresher for all Seminarians who payed attention in your Homiletic studies. It also provides insight to different approaches probably not covered by your professors. It is a great book!

                    5 out of 5 stars Crumbs from the tables of master pulpiteers.......2006-11-08

                    Purchased the text for a course in our district school of ministry. Only a small percentage of us young (new) preachers have the opportunity or a ability to sit at the feet of preachers of this caliber. Fewer still can glean from their earnest sharing of their preparation from kernel to message. This book is not the cold technical manual of some other preaching texts but,don't miss the power found in the details of preparation and delivery. There is a sharing of this human experience and the wrestling with God to minister a word that is from him in due season. Rev. William D.Watley wrote, "In my experience,most sermons, while having the Holy Spirit as their ultimate source, come to us as seed or as spark or as sperm in the midst of our own work and warfare,struggles and strife,agony and anxieties,experiences and ecstasies,fallings and risings,stumbling and recoveries,and require some participation and input from us to produce a finished product." I only wish that for a few more dollars there was also a CD to hear the printed messages since preaching in general,and black preaching in particular, is an aural experience

                    5 out of 5 stars The Best.......2005-06-30

                    I have read fifteen books on preaching in the first six months of 2005. Having read them, if I could choose just one that helped me most as a preacher, it is this text. We hear from some of the best Black preachers in America - how they preach and a sample sermon of each. You sit at the feet of masters.

                    I am a minister - white - who gained tremendously from these ginats in our pulpits.

                    4 out of 5 stars For those who may be seeking to re-examine their sermon prep.......2004-05-19

                    LaRue has brought together a broad well-balanced spectrum of preaching experience. His introduction briefly explores the history of black preaching and then presents eleven characteristic similarities of method of the twelve preachers he invited into his project. Two of these characteristics that jumped off the pages of the contributor's essays were the importance of wrestling with the text and discipline and perspective. Wrestling with the text was invariably the first activity mentioned, most reading in the original language and several translations. LaRue mentions the "invitation to the listening congregation to enter into the world of the text being a defining feature of traditional black preaching." Discipline and perspective are key experiences shared by each contributor. The discipline of organizing their lives to give adequate and thoughtful time to preparation was emphasized. "All recognized they had to study in order to remain fresh, vibrant, interesting, creative and faithful." Each also pointed out the need for rest and avocation.

                    In each chapter, a pastor or preacher first reflects with essay or interview on their preaching life. Inevitably, for those who have pastoral duties it presents a helpful glimpse into the daily life of pastoring. Many of them had a day of the week devoted to sermon writing and several of them had agreements with their congregation that this time was sacred. Some of them found late night inspiration and some early morning. Most of them worked daily on some aspect of sermon preparation. Each prepared a manuscript but never used them in their delivery. There is a natural movement from text to presentation and no anxiety was expressed about forgetting something in the manuscript. Contributor Gardner C. Taylor reflects, "I would remember my starting point, where I was going, and where I would conclude. I followed those thoughts in my mind. Now I would lose a lot of material which I thought was wonderful but perhaps it wasn't. Maybe it needed to be lost. But I also picked up material I had no notion about when I was preparing the sermon. This new material would come in the actual preaching of the sermon."

                    The book is comprehensive and well-presented. All the contributors were helpful with example and reflection on the task at hand. It was with eager and excited anticipation that I picked up this book. Black preaching can be all of those things mentioned earlier: fresh, vibrant, interesting and creative. My one caution is that something was lost in the printed word, lost in translation. It might have been more helpful to actually have a transcript of an actual preached sermon rather than a manuscript. I do recommend the book, particularly for those who may be seeking to re-examine their sermon preparation method; it was excellent in this regard.

                    5 out of 5 stars Effective Preaching From Preparation To Sermon Delivery.......2004-04-15

                    Power In The Pulpit is a must read for any pastor, seminary student or lay speaker. Cleophus J. Larue highlights some of the best women and men preachers in the African American preaching Community. These people of faith boldly bring the reader into the most intimate acts of their personal worship: sermon preparation. Each preacher shares their weekly routine and the hours upon hours that she/he spends in preparing to preach the word to their congregations. These processes are so detailed that the reader experiences the sermon development along with the preacher. After laboring with each preacher, the actual sermon text then follows for the reader to enjoy the final manuscript. The only thing missing from this book would be the impossible--the hearing of the word in the actual congregations. If you want to be an excellent preacher instead of a good preacher, read Power In The Pulpit!
                    Power in the Pulpit: How to Prepare and Deliver Expository Sermons
                    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                    • Should be required Homiletics reading
                    • Great Book on Preaching
                    • Pastor's Comprehensive Guide to Expository Preaching
                    • Power in the Pulpit- Review from a student
                    Power in the Pulpit: How to Prepare and Deliver Expository Sermons
                    Jerry Vines , and James Shaddix
                    Manufacturer: Moody Publishers
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Hardcover

                    PreachingPreaching | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                    SermonsSermons | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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                    1. Christ-Centered Preaching,: Redeeming the Expository Sermon Christ-Centered Preaching,: Redeeming the Expository Sermon
                    2. Biblical Preaching,: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages Biblical Preaching,: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages
                    3. Preaching the Whole Bible As Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching Preaching the Whole Bible As Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching
                    4. 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching
                    5. Toward an Exegetical Theology: Biblical Exegesis for Preaching and Teaching Toward an Exegetical Theology: Biblical Exegesis for Preaching and Teaching

                    ASIN: 0802477402

                    Book Description

                    The call to preach is just that - a call to preach. The call to preach, however, is more than just preaching. The call to preach is a call to prepare. Too many pastors have refrained from preparation while they await the Holy Spirit to do all of the work.God expects preachers to prepare sermons as much as possible and allow Him to prepare the preachers.Join Dr. Jerry Vines and Dr. Jim Shaddix as they achieve a balanced approach to teaching sermon preparation in Power in the Pulpit. Combines the essential perspectives of a pastor of forty years with another pastor who also devotes daily time to training pastors in the context of theological education. Thus, Power in the Pulpit is a practical preaching help from a pastoral perspective in the tradition where expository preaching is a paramount and frequent event in the life of the local church.Power in the Pulpit is the combined work of Dr. Vines's two earlier publications on preaching: A Practical Guide to Sermon Preparation (Moody Press, 1985) and A Guide to Effective Sermon Delivery (Moody Press, 1986). Dr. Shaddix carefully organizes and supplements the material to offer this useful resource which closes the gap between classroom theory and what a pastor experiences in his weekly sermon preparation.

                    Customer Reviews:

                    5 out of 5 stars Should be required Homiletics reading.......2007-06-14

                    I was previously looking for resources that centered around biblical expository preaching. The reason being is that many times a minister gets into the trap of coming up with a "snappy" sermon that may be taking one verse out of context or does not convey the original meaning to those to whom the book was written. I believe people want the truth from the Bible and not my opinion. They see that preacher as God's ambassador and spokesmen and they want to know what "Thus saith the Lord".

                    This is the first preaching book that I've read from Dr Vines and I am glad that it has combined 2 books and has been updated by Dr Shaddix to give classic expository preaching along with contemporary advice to speak the truth effectively. They combine theory with their wealth of practical experience to give the reader a "start to finish" systematic way to prepare and deliver expository sermons. Even tiny nuggets of good practical advice about breathing, how to save your voice, and many other things would make this a blessing to any preacher. You can start applying it today...

                    5 out of 5 stars Great Book on Preaching.......2007-06-10

                    This book is one of the best books on preaching I have read. It is very practical. Though it is academic, it is not difficult reading. This book should be required reading in any seminary or Bible college.

                    5 out of 5 stars Pastor's Comprehensive Guide to Expository Preaching.......2001-12-19

                    "Power in the Pulpit" is Jim Shaddix's reorganized, updated, and expanded compilation of two earlier works by Jerry Vines. As such, the book is co-authored by an academician and a pastor. Its purpose is to give practical help to the local church pastor who has the responsibility of preaching weekly. It is designed to champion an expository approach to preaching while being sensitive to the nuances of weekly pastoral preaching. The goal of the authors is to close the gap between classroom theory and what actually works in a pastor's weekly preparation.

                    The book is divided into the three parts, those being preparation, process, and presentation of exposition. "Power in the Pulpit" is a comprehensive, thorough, and exhaustive study of the art and science of expository preaching. Theological and philosophical foundations are examined, detailed descriptions of the process are explored, and practical suggestions for implementation are encouraged. The book is written in language a novice can understand with principles that the seasoned preaching veteran will find helpful. At the time of this writing, if I could recommend only one volume on expository preaching, this would be it.

                    5 out of 5 stars Power in the Pulpit- Review from a student.......2001-09-06

                    Vines, Jerry, and Jim Shaddix. Power in the Pulpit. Chicago: Moody Press, 1999.

                    Author Sketch

                    Dr. Jerry Vines is the pastor of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida. He has served two terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has been a pastor for more than forty years. He and his wife, Janet, have four children. He has authored many books, some of which include Spirit Works, Spirit Life, The Believers Guide to Hebrews, and The Believers Guide to First Corinthians.
                    Dr. Jim Shaddix serves as Professor of Preaching at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he is the Dean of Chapel. While working on his Masters of Divinity Degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he started and pastored Arlington Park Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas. Dr. Shaddix and his wife live in New Orleans with their three children.

                    Book Purpose

                    Power in the Pulpit is the combination of two books on preaching, A Practical Guide to Sermon Preparation and A Guide to Effective Sermon Delivery, written by Jerry Vines in 1985 and 1986. These two books were updated, revised, expanded and put into one volume by Jim Shaddix resulting in a volume that is suitable for the classroom setting and also helpful to the pastor who prepares and delivers sermons each week. Power in the Pulpit seeks to take advantage of years of practical experience and classroom training by closing the gap between classroom theory and what actually works in a pastor's weekly preparation. The book's purpose is to give practical help specifically to the man who is faced with the responsibility of preaching on a week by week basis (Vines and Shaddix 1999, 13).

                    Content Summary

                    Power in the Pulpit is divided into three major divisions: The Preparation for Exposition, The Process of Exposition, and The Presentation of Exposition. Each division is a vital component of exposition, which if neglected results in messages that are less than appropriate sacrifices to God in worship. Each major division is divided into subsections which guide the preacher through each important step in preparing messages that reflect biblical truth. Thus, the process culminates in sermons which declare truth with passion and conviction.
                    Part one, The Preparation for Exposition, includes discussions on Defining the Task, Laying the Foundation, and Developing the Preacher. These elements are not hoops which must be jumped through to develop a sermon. Rather, they help form convictions in the preacher's heart about their great calling and the importance of developing the preacher as well as the sermon. Defining the Task includes a practical theology of preaching, a philosophy of preaching, and a rational for expository preaching. These three elements lay the foundation of presuppositions on which the book is written and establish a high standard on which preachers are to live out their calling. Developing the Preacher makes it clear that the preacher plays an integral role in the preaching event. Therefore, several healthy disciplines are discussed that optimize the preacher's performance.
                    Part two, The Process of Exposition, takes the reader from choosing a text through building the sermon. Analyzing the Text is the beginning point. During this process, the preacher uncovers or "exposes" the true meaning of the text within its own context and culture. The next step, Unifying the Theme, leads the preacher through developing the foundational sermon elements: the central idea of the text, the proposition, the purpose, and the title. The following three steps, Designing the Structure, Maturing the Ideas, and Building the Sermon, take the preacher through the process of giving form to a message by developing an outline, putting substance to the outline through the functional elements (explanation, argumentation, application, and illustration), and allowing the sermon to take shape through the formal elements of the sermon (introduction, exposition, summation, and invitation).
                    Part three, The Presentation of the Exposition, includes discussions on expressing thoughts through preaching style, use of voice, last minute preparations before delivering the sermon, and sermon delivery.

                    Personal Evaluation of the Book's Contribution to Expository Preaching Theory and Methodology

                    With more than fifty years of pulpit experience and academic credibility, the authors have a firm grasp on both theoretical homiletics and practical preaching experience. Although not an exhaustive work, it covers all basic elements essential to the preaching event offered in a user friendly fashion. The book is unique in the fact that it includes thorough treatments of both sermon preparation and sermon delivery. The chapter on developing the preacher is often overlooked in preaching books and does much to reinforce the responsibility of taking care of oneself both spiritually and physically and should serve to further the notion that preaching cannot be separated from the preacher. "Effective delivery and reception of the Word are tied to the related concepts of character and integrity"(Vines and Shaddix 1999, 71). In the outset, the authors put forth a solid rationale for expository preaching as the best option for consistently feeding people the Word of God. "Both you and your people can be confident that you are not speaking your own thoughts or opinions. You are speaking, ¡®Thus saith the Lord.' That confidence gives immense force to your ministry"(Vines and Shaddix 1999, 34). The multiple forms presented for constructing expository sermons make it clear that exposition is not a form, but a process used to "expose" biblical truth and to relay that truth to everyday life. This point needs to become clearer in an age of needs-based preachers who react against exposition as boring and irrelevant. This book combines the basic elements of classic expository preaching and some contemporary theory to ensure that the communication of God's truth will be as powerful in the twenty-first century as it was in the first century.
                    How to prepare sermons and gospel addresses,
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      How to prepare sermons and gospel addresses,
                      William Evans
                      Manufacturer: The Bible Institute Colportage Association
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Unknown Binding
                      ASIN: B0006AGQ98
                      Como preparar mensajes biblicos: How to Prepare Bible Messages
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                        Como preparar mensajes biblicos: How to Prepare Bible Messages
                        James Braga
                        Manufacturer: Editorial Portavoz
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Hardcover

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                        ASIN: 0825410789

                        Book Description

                        Libro practico que trata los principales tipos de sermones y como prepararlos. [A "how-to-do-it" book that covers the principal types of biblical sermons and the mechanics for sermon construction.]
                        How To Prepare a Sermon an Expository Se
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                          How To Prepare a Sermon an Expository Se
                          Harold Knott
                          Manufacturer: UNSPECIFIED VENDOR
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Paperback
                          ASIN: B000VVWQWI
                          How to prepare a sermon,
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                            How to prepare a sermon,
                            Harold Elrin Knott
                            Manufacturer: Standard Press
                            ProductGroup: Book
                            Binding: Unknown Binding
                            ASIN: B000858TI2
                            How to Prepare an Expository Sermon
                            Average customer rating: Not rated
                              How to Prepare an Expository Sermon
                              Harold Elrin Knott
                              Manufacturer: The Standard Pub. Co
                              ProductGroup: Book
                              Binding: Paperback

                              PreachingPreaching | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                              ASIN: B00086UGTQ
                              How to Prepare an Expository Sermon
                              Average customer rating: Not rated
                                How to Prepare an Expository Sermon
                                Harold E. Knott
                                Manufacturer: Standard
                                ProductGroup: Book
                                Binding: Hardcover
                                ASIN: B000UF54NS
                                How to Prepare sermons and Gospel Addresses
                                Average customer rating: Not rated
                                  How to Prepare sermons and Gospel Addresses
                                  William Evans
                                  Manufacturer: Moody Press
                                  ProductGroup: Book
                                  Binding: Hardcover
                                  ASIN: B000NQ6ODI

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                                  2. Symphony of Light (#12) (Robotech)
                                  3. The Adventures of Lando Calrissian (Star Wars)
                                  4. The Approaching Storm (Star Wars)
                                  5. The Art of Halo
                                  6. The Bromeliad Trilogy: Truckers, Diggers, and Wings
                                  7. The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke
                                  8. The Courtship of Princess Leia (Star Wars)
                                  9. The Diary of Pelly D
                                  10. The Difference Engine

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