PREACHING THAT SPEAKS TO WOMEN
By Alice P. Matthews
IVP. 182 pages. £8.99
ISBN 0 85111 990 5
In the average congregation, over 60% are women. However, Alice Matthews asserts that many male preachers seldom refer to women in their sermons, or include illustrations and applications that apply specifically to them. She therefore offers a challenge to preachers to develop a deeper understanding of the women in their congregations so that their sermons 'speak more powerfully to the issues of women's lives and the needs of their hearts'.
In this comprehensive study, Matthews explores the various ways in which women hear, learn and process the messages they receive, according to their different life-experiences, self-perceptions and spirituality. She examines the implications of preaching that is entirely male in perspective and the challenges of leading in such a way that will empower women hearers to obey the great commandment - to love God with all their hearts, souls, minds and strength, and to love others as themselves.
