{"product_id":"the-heart-of-preaching-the-functional-centrality-of-the-gospel-in-the-life-and-work-of-the-preacher","title":"The Heart of Preaching: The Functional Centrality of the Gospel in the Life and Work of the Preacher","description":"\u003ch6\u003eBook Description\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExamining the Role of the Gospel in the Life of the Preacher\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePreachers are gospel experts. They have dedicated countless hours to studying the good news during seminary courses and while preparing for sermons. They share its message with accuracy and confidence with the congregation every Sunday. It’s clear they have a strong biblical and theological understanding of the gospel, but what about a functional one?  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Heart of Preaching\u003c\/em\u003e, author Mike Bullmore explores the functional centrality of the gospel to help pastors convey its power in a more tangible way. Bullmore draws on decades of pastoral experience to navigate common heart challenges, clarify nuanced definitions, and provide practical advice for sermon preparation, delivery, and planning. This book is a valuable resource for those who want to see the gospel animate not only their preaching but their pastoral ministry and the entirety of their Christian life. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExplores the Functional Centrality of the Gospel:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eShows how to make the gospel functionally central to preaching, pastoral ministry, and the whole Christian life\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWritten for Preaching Pastors:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ePastor Mike Bullmore offers an insider perspective on the real-world challenges faced by preachers \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePractical:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eProvides advice for sermon preparation, delivery, and planning\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFrom 9Marks:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eDedicated to helping pastors, ministries, and church members build healthy churches \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/static.crossway.org\/excerpts\/media\/517e7b08ec58a6e4c0cb76c6f74c4777d4ece096\/The_Heart_of_Preaching_Excerpt.pdf\"\u003eRead Chapter 1\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003eAuthor\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMike Bullmore\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (PhD, Northwestern University) served as the founding and senior pastor of CrossWay Community Church in Bristol, Wisconsin, for 25 years. He now spends his time in various venues helping to train the next generation of faithful pastors. Mike lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with his wife, Beverly. They have three children.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEndorsements\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I know many people whose minds were expanded and whose hearts were thrilled as they heard Mike Bullmore teach about the functional centrality of the gospel. That very teaching is at the heart of Mike’s life, ministry, preaching, and, of course, his book. It proves the ideal foundation for this book and all the wisdom it teaches. I can gladly recommend that\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Heart of Preaching\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003etake its spot in every pastor’s library.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003eTim Challies\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e, \u003c\/strong\u003eauthor,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSeasons of Sorrow\u003c\/em\u003e; coauthor,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eFrom the Rising of the Sun\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Too often, the gospel becomes an accessory in our preaching—something added rather than something essential. In this new volume, Mike Bullmore calls pastors back to what we all too easily forget: The gospel must be the very center of our preaching ministry. This wonderful work reminds us that the gospel sustains, shapes, and powers every sermon we preach. I heartily commend this book to every pastor who longs to keep the good news central in the lives of his people.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003eSean DeMars\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ePastor, Glory Community Church, Decatur, AL; Host,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eRoom for Nuance\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003epodcast; author,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eRebel to Your Will: A Story of Abuse, Addiction, and Father Hunger\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“In\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Heart of Preaching\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, Mike Bullmore gives the church a much-needed reminder that faithful preaching begins with a faithful preacher. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by the gospel, this book offers clarity on expositional preaching, practical guidance for the task, and wise counsel for the long haul of ministry. Bullmore’s warmth, honesty, and pastoral insight make this a resource that will strengthen preachers, their preaching, and the church itself. Every pastor will benefit from its encouragement, instruction, and gospel-centered vision.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003eTony Merida\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ePastor, Imago Dei Church, Raleigh, NC  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Whenever I’m asked which pastors have had the most profound influence on my ministry, one man immediately comes to mind. Through Mike Bullmore, God fanned into flame a passion in me to preach and shepherd his people in a way that is grounded in and shaped by the functional centrality of the gospel. Mike’s clarity, faithfulness, and determination to “aspire to excellence without making praise for that excellence the goal of [his] aspiration” are the reasons so many of us who have experienced his mentorship long to follow in his footsteps. I am delighted that a new generation of pastoral leaders around the world will now be able to receive the wisdom we have treasured through the pages of this book.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003eDavid Sunday\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ePresident, WordPartners; Teaching Pastor, New Covenant Bible Church, Saint Charles, IL\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The importance of this book on preaching lies in its essential and often-neglected focus, but the force of it lies in Pastor Mike’s decades of faithfulness in living out that focus and training many like myself to do the same. Expository preaching that extols the functional effects of the gospel of grace must come out of rigorously reinforced biblical convictions, and Pastor Mike has articulated those convictions in this book with fantastic clarity for our benefit. May the Spirit infuse this glorious discipline into each communicator of God’s word through this incredibly helpful resource.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003eAdam Bailie\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eSenior Lead Pastor, Christ Church, Phoenix, AZ\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What kind of book on preaching does an aspiring (or a mature) pastor need? Above all, he needs a book that grounds the task of preaching, the goal of preaching, and the hope of preaching, as well as the life of the preacher and the methodology for preaching, in a marveling grasp and a deeply insightful functional application of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ideally, such a book would provide discernment for the preaching task, guidance for the preaching process, and encouragement for the preaching life—and it would be written by a man whose integrity of life has modeled the truths contained therein for decades. That’s the book that is before you, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003eJeff T. Purswell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eDirector of Theology and Training, Sovereign Grace Churches; Pastor at Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I have heard thousands of good sermons and forgotten most, but I vividly recall a sermon Mike Bullmore preached in 2005 on the functional centrality of the gospel. It was a landmark sermon in my life, and I’m delighted to see its essence on the opening pages of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Heart of Preaching\u003c\/i\u003e, a crisply written book that will bless seminary students and pastors alike. If you are a beginner at preaching, dive into this book and learn from a veteran pastor who can help you establish fruitful preparation and preaching habits worth keeping. If you are an experienced preacher, the wisdom on these pages will kindle afresh the gift of God within you and make you a better preacher of God’s word.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003eMilton Vincent\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e, \u003c\/strong\u003ePastor-Teacher, Cornerstone Fellowship Bible Church, Riverside, CA; author,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Gospel Primer for Christians\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThe Heart of Preaching\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a gift for any preacher who feels as if he’s trying to cut down trees every week with a dull ax. Like his sermons, Mike’s iron-sharpening instruction in these pages—distilled from nearly two decades in the classroom and four in the pulpit—is marked by genuine insight, expressed in just the right words and the right number of points, and centered on the preacher’s only hope in life and death. Over the years, Mike has taught these lessons to hundreds of aspiring preachers, who have done their best to pass them on. Thanks to\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Heart of Preaching\u003c\/i\u003e, our job is now easier than ever.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003eJared Compton\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eAssociate Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology, Bethlehem College and Seminary\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Mike Bullmore’s\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eThe Heart of Preaching\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eshould be standard reading for those who expound God’s word. His decades of faithful ministry, coupled with his shared commitment to train men to better handle God’s word, are things I have witnessed firsthand over many years. I am thrilled to commend this book to you.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003eDavid R. Helm\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eSenior Pastor, Christ Church Chicago; Chairman, The Charles Simeon Trust\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003eAdditional Information\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCover: Softcover\u003cbr\u003eNumber of Pages: 216\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Crossway\u003cbr\u003ePublication Date: June 16, 2026\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bullmore, Mike","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48324821909745,"sku":"9798874906160","price":20.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0449\/8731\/8425\/files\/9798874906160.png?v=1781701410","url":"https:\/\/reformedbookservices.com\/products\/the-heart-of-preaching-the-functional-centrality-of-the-gospel-in-the-life-and-work-of-the-preacher","provider":"Reformed Book Services","version":"1.0","type":"link"}