Mark 10:21 says, "Jesus looked at him and loved him..." Maybe one of the most missed aspects of preaching today is loving the people to whom we preach and loving the community in which we live. To love them requires that we look at them. Preaching with Empathy challenges every preacher to soften our callous caused by years of hurt and, as Jesus did, love. Love those whom Jesus loves by getting close enough to really see them. Dr. Luchetti's book will help preachers preach with empathy if they are willing to get close enough to love again. Aaron
I love this book, and highly recommend it for ALL who care about the art of preaching or who simply wish to learn more about empathy (a topic not often written about in such an accessible manner!) and how to communicate more effectively in any context. Brannon
In an era when partisanship and even tribalism are prevalent, being empathetic is counter cultural. Learning to preaching empathetically is necessary when listeners seem more attuned to ideas that have the possibility of taken as partisan rhetoric. Readers of Preaching with Empathy can learn to develop a relational bond with their audience whether it is across ideology or even ethnicity. In order to truly gain a hearing for the gospel in such contentious times requires the ability to position ourselves in other’s perspectives. Luchetti is right to build on Bonhoeffer’s quote, “We should listen with the ears of God that we may speak the Word of God.” Scott