Ministry workers looking to deliver empowering messages can turn to Deep Preaching, the new book by Biola University’s Talbot Professor of Preaching and Leadership, Kent Edwards, who rethinks methods of preaching to provide pastors with advice on creating "awe-inspiring" sermons. Catching the attention of preachers, the book was praised by judges of the PreachingToday.com Book Awards as one of five outstanding books that strengthens a preacher’s soul and skills.

Winning the category in "feeding the preacher’s soul," Edwards sees the award as an opportunity for the book to make a greater impact on people in ministry.

"Deep Preaching has a message that is desperately needed today," said Edwards. "It is my hope that this award will help the book reach a wider audience in North America and around the world through translation."

The book addresses pastors’ style and methods of preaching. Edwards calls on pastors to rethink their methods by providing useful insight that encourages better preparations of sermons. He focuses on topics such as prayer, meditation, fasting and the Holy Spirit.

One of the judges chose Edwards’ book as a winner because the book challenged him to be a better preacher and ignited ’a fire to preach’. The judge also commented that he would use Deep Preaching as a tool to help mentor his staff and young pastors.

Edwards wrote the book acknowledging the importance of helping others be better equipped and motivated.

"This book came out of my desire to preach—and help others preach—sermons that have the same impact as the Apostles sermons did in the book of Acts," said Edwards. "My goal was to show preachers how they could utilize the resources of the Holy Spirit in their preaching."

Edwards is a professor of preaching and leadership and director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Biola’s Talbot School of Theology. He is the author of four other books and various published articles. Currently, Edwards is working on a proposal for a new book with colleague Kevin Lawson that extends the ideas of Deep Preaching.

PreachingToday.com, a subsidiary of Christianity Today International, is an online resource for preachers and teachers offering tools and training that will help people better communicate the gospel.

Written by Jennifer Thach, Media Relations Intern. Jenna Bartlo, Media Relations Coordinator, can be reached at (562) 777-4061 or through email at jenna.l.bartlo@biola.edu