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Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878–1969), regarded by many as a master preacher whose sermons
attracted huge congregations and radio audiences, articulated the above simple statement of
preaching philosophy. A Baptist, Fosdick graduated from Union Theological Seminary (1904) and
served several churches in the New York City area and as a chaplain during World War I. He
quickly became known as a gifted preacher, and his sermons caught the attention of John D.
Rockefeller. Rockefeller was then the main benefactor of the Riverside Church, a new and large
cathedral church being built in upper Manhattan. At Rockefeller’s urging, the church called
Fosdick as its first pastor, a position he held from 1926 until 1946.
While there, he became one of the most influential clergymen and preachers in American history.
In addition to preaching several times each week, he taught homiletics at Union Theological
Seminary, authored 47 books, and wrote hundreds of magazine articles. He delivered sermons for
NBC’s “National Vespers Hour,” which aired for 19 years and was carried on shortwave radio to
17 countries. Fosdick was on Time magazine’s cover in 1925 and 1930. In 1928 Harper’s magazine
invited him to write a major essay on the topic “what is the matter with preaching.”2 Based on that
article, here are a dozen lessons in preaching from Harry Emerson Fosdick.
Conclusion
It is essential that sermons be well-prepared and prayed for so that they address the real needs of
the listeners, enabling them to transform, grow, and be empowered. That will allow God and His
Word to reach them with biblical truths. Good preaching influences not only the church as a whole
but also the families and the individuals that hear the message.
1 This sentiment is derived from several statements in Edmund Holt Linn, Preaching as
Counseling: The Unique Method of Harry Emerson Fosdick (King ofPrussia, PA: Judson Press,
1966), 23–25.
2 Quotations in the rest of the article are from Harry Emerson Fosdick, “What Is the Matter With
Preaching?” Harper’s Magazine, July 1928, quoted in in Lionel Crocker, ed., Harry Emerson
Fosdick’s Art of Preaching: An Anthology (Springfield, IL: Charles C.Thomas, 1971).