The Making of the Sermon

A Masterwork of Homiletics—Reissued in a Definitive Study and Note-Taker’s Edition.

What separates a forgettable religious lecture from a sermon that arrests the conscience, illuminates the mind, and transforms the soul? Constructing a biblical sermon requires more than sincere intention; it demands spiritual discernment, rhetorical clarity, and disciplined homiletical craftsmanship.

For generations, T. Harwood Pattison’s The Making of the Sermon stood as the gold standard of homiletic training in theological seminaries. As Professor of Homiletics and Pastoral Theology at Rochester Theological Seminary, Pattison brought together pastoral warmth, literary refinement, and practical architectural rigor. Rather than offering dry academic theory or hollow oratorical tricks, he presents the sermon as a living organism—born in the preacher’s secret prayer closet, structured with logical integrity, and delivered with urgent conviction.

What You Will Discover Inside:

The Text and the Theme: How to select, interpret, and state the central proposition of Scripture with clarity, preserving the natural force of the inspired passage.

Sermon Architecture: Field-tested guidance on drafting compelling introductions, coherent divisions, organic transitions, and conclusions that press for spiritual decision.

The Art of Illustration: How to draw from history, literature, nature, and human experience to illuminate biblical truth without trivializing the pulpit.

Style, Vocabulary, and Delivery: Practical instruction on cultivating simplicity, energy, precision, and reverent authority in the spoken word.

The Preacher’s Heart and Character: Why no homiletical technique can compensate for a lack of personal holiness, earnest prayer, and total reliance on the Holy Spirit.

Distinctive Features of This Psalm 119 Press Edition

Too often, reissues of classic preaching texts are either cheap, unreadable scans or stripped of the apparatus needed for serious academic work. This volume from Psalm 119 Press has been purposefully redesigned for active study, classroom use, and lifelong pastoral reference:

Expansive Wide Margins: Generous outer margins provide ample blank whitespace for sermon notes, lecture outlines, homiletic reflections, and personal annotations.

Original Page Numbers Preserved: Historic pagination is clearly marked within the text, allowing students, pastors, and scholars to verify classic citations, follow historical syllabi, and cross-reference academic papers effortlessly.

Comprehensive Scripture Reference Index: Quickly cross-reference biblical passages and trace how Pattison applies specific Old and New Testament texts to preaching.

New In-Depth Subject Index: An essential research tool built to help you navigate homiletical concepts, sermon methods, historical preachers, and rhetorical principles in seconds.

Carefully Restored, Readable Typography: Meticulously proofread and reset in an elegant serif font, eliminating the broken letters, misaligned lines, and OCR defects common in legacy reprints.

Whether you are a seminary student delivering your first sermon outline or a seasoned minister seeking to refine your craft and rekindle pulpit freshness, The Making of the Sermon remains an indispensable blueprint for faithful preaching.

Sharpen your homiletical craft and equip your study—scroll up and secure your copy today.