REVIEWS
49
So a comedian walks into a church : confessions of a kneel-down stand-up
Paul Kerensa , Darton , Longman & Todd ( 2013 )
Preaching : communicating faith in an age of scepticism
Timothy Keller , Hodder & Stoughton ( 2015 )
Paul Kerensa is both a stand-up comedian and a comedy writer ( including Miranda ), but I am afraid if you are wanting a ‘ church joke book ’, then this is not the book for you .
When Paul is away from home he takes to the stage on a Saturday night and takes communion on Sunday . It seems not to matter where he is – he finds a church where he can worship . It does not matter which denomination is to hand , he is comfortable in that setting . Unsurprisingly , he is clearly able to find comedy anywhere .
The opening words of chapter one are :
‘“ Excuse me ? Where ’ s the nearest Church of England church ?”
“ England ,” the Scottish woman inevitably replied .’
This sets the tone for the humour that he finds on his travels around various churches he happens across on his travels . It is not a travelogue , neither is it a joke book , but it is book full of humour , much of it selfdeprecating . The story of the choosing of the name of his firstborn son based on an absent organist is typical .
Some of the humour pokes fun at churches – the irony of attending a service in a Welsh-speaking church ( with no translation ) will not be lost on the reader , and quite possibility will end up as a storyline in one of his future comedies .
The book , although full of humour , does have a very serious theme – his view of the comparison between different forms of worship at a variety of mainstream churches , from URC to Quakers , Café Church to rural Anglican as well as Pentecostals , Methodists , and The Salvation Army . Overall , I loved this book .
ALAN RASHLEIGH
My faith has been greatly enriched by Tim Keller ’ s writing and preaching over the past few years , especially his book , The Reason for God : Belief in an Age of Scepticism . Consequently I was keen to read Preaching .
The main message of Preaching is that we are to preach Christ . Keller lays the foundation with an emphasis on expository preaching , then outlines how to preach to the contemporary culture and concludes with a section on the role of the Spirit and the importance of the character of the preacher .
Preaching doesn ’ t address the ‘ how to ’ question but focuses on the ‘ what ’ and ‘ why ’ of preaching . It includes an appendix that demonstrates Keller ’ s own approach to writing a sermon and includes two case studies , one expository and one topical .
The book is written for preachers who address congregations that include people who are either new to the faith or perhaps somewhat sceptical about faith . Keller ’ s Church of the Redeemer in New York attracts many people who come to have intellectual questions about faith answered !
Keller introduces many helpful and thought-provoking ideas . I found myself agreeing with much of what Keller says but at times wondered if some of his reasoning was convoluted , especially the way in which he suggests that passages of Scripture aren ’ t being used correctly unless they are used to point visibly to Christ .
Preaching has challenged me to rethink my own preaching . Can I preach Christ more ? However , if I could only read one of Keller ’ s books , I would choose The Reason for God over
Preaching with its broader reach which can be used to articulate and deepen faith in any setting !
ALAN IRVIN