Review of Famine in the Land by Steven Lawson

Author: Steven J. Lawson

Pages: 134 pages

Publisher: Moody Publishers

Price: 12.74

Genre: Church Ministry/Pastoral


Quick Summary:

This book is an expansion of a four-part series originally published in Bibliotheca Sacra in 2001-2002. Lawson’s plea in this book is to get back to the expository preaching of the world. In his own word Lawson sees this book to directly address, what is “the crying need of the hour, specifically that the modern-day pulpit be restored to her former glory of generations past, days when God’s truth was fearlessly proclaimed –days when doctrinal clarity, theological precision, and heart-searching application once poured forth from pulpits.”

Lawson hopes in this passionate call for expository preaching to show us the priority of biblical preaching, the power of biblical preaching, the pattern of biblical preaching, and the passion of biblical preaching. The author attempts to define the problem and offer the only biblical solution—expository preaching.

What I Liked:

Lawson draws from some great expositors in the past and as such there are very good quotes strung throughout this book. The author’s passion is present on every page of this book. You know that Lawson avidly practices what he is proclaiming in this book. Furthermore, he is right. I agree with about everything in this book. However…

What I Disliked:

This book might be unnecessary. I hope I am wrong because it is a quality book and it is very beneficial. Yet, Lawson writes in the MacArthur style that does not attempt to prove his statements but merely states them as true. If you are already convinced of expository preaching then this book will simply add a few more bullets to your gun. As one that is fully convinced of the need for expository preaching and as one that agrees with everything Lawson says—I found the book unchallenging. If you are not convinced of the need for expository preaching then I am not certain that this book will convince you. Therefore, it is my opinion that this book might be unnecessary; it reaches neither audience.

And this is a shame because Steven Lawson has a lot of good things to say. He is a man worth listening to and following. I wish that he would have either attempted to prove the need for expository preaching and therefore wrote in a more polemical style or attempted to strengthen those that already believe in the need for expository preaching.

Should You Buy It?

You can get it for relatively cheap on Amazon or Ebay. And even though I say that the book might be unnecessary it certainly is worth 5 bucks. After all I could be wrong. You might benefit greatly from this book. If it is only recently that you have been convinced of the need for expository preaching then perhaps you will benefit. I would however suggest that you buy instead Feed My Sheep, Christ-Centered Preaching, or The Supremacy of God in Preaching, these, in my opinion will serve you better.

Rating: 3 out of 5

UPDATE: I am selling this book for very cheap on EBAY (If you live close to me I'll cut the shipping or just end up giving you the book)...buy it here