KANSAS CITY, Mo—Midwestern Seminary celebrated today the release of two new volumes of Charles Spurgeon’s sermons compiled by President Jason K. Allen. Each volume contains six sermons written and preached by Charles Spurgeon, centered on the themes Preaching and The Great Commission.
Commenting on the books’ release, Allen shared, “No preacher, living or dead, has more influenced my life, ministry, and preaching than the great Charles Haddon Spurgeon. I want him to so impact and influence others’ lives, ministries, and preaching as well. I am delighted to have partnered with B&H to release two volumes on, and taken from, the preaching ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon.”
The sermons included in the new collections were originally published by Charles Spurgeon in Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, a series of volumes in which Spurgeon annually compiled sermons that he preached throughout his 38-year pastorate of London’s Metropolitan Tabernacle.
Reflecting on the selection of the themes of preaching and the Great Commission and their importance for the Church today, Allen said, “These are topics to which the Church needs to be reawakened and ministers need to recommit themselves. We live in an era where churches are apathetic and too many ministers are apathetic as well.”
Preaching contains the sermons “Preach, Preach, Preach Everywhere,” “The Burden of the Word of the Lord,” “Preaching! Man’s Privilege and God’s Power!” “Preach the Gospel,” “The Word of the Cross,” and “The Man of One Subject.”
The Great Commission features the sermons “The Missionaries’ Charge and Charts,” “How to Become Fishers of Men,” “Christ’s First and Last Subject,” “The Power of the Risen Savior,” “Soul Winning,” and “Messengers Wanted.”
In introducing the book, Allen said, “When believers look for their purpose in life, they should look to the Great Commission. When ministers look for what should animate their ministry, they should look to the Great Commission. And when churches look for a mission statement, they should look to the Great Commission.”
Pointing to Spurgeon as an exemplar of this commitment through his various ministries, including his orphanages and pastors’ college, Allen noted that Spurgeon’s central focus was always on preaching the gospel.
He said, “At the very heart of Spurgeon’s ministry was his pulpit ministry. He oversaw some 66 different ministries and Christian organizations. His writing ministry, travels throughout the British Isles, and virtually everything he did was extensive. But all of that flowed from his pulpit ministry. To know Spurgeon was to know a preacher.”
The dominant thread in Spurgeon’s preaching, which weaves together the two new sermon collections, is the central importance of Christ and His sacrificial death to save sinners.
Allen addressed this theme of Spurgeon’s sermons in his introduction to Preaching, saying, “He consistently presented a gospel witness, concluding every sermon by making a dash to the cross. His Christocentric approach to preaching meant that every time he preached, the gospel was proclaimed. This also meant sinners were regularly converted under his ministry.”
Spurgeon’s emphasis on the gospel and his gifting with words make Allen’s new sermon collections a beneficial resource not only to inspire faithful preaching and evangelism, but to aid preachers in sharpening their skills.
Allen noted Spurgeon’s giftedness as a preacher and how his written sermons continue to impact today’s readers as they did their original hearers. He said, “Spurgeon’s words from start to finish are always rich with Scripture and presented with imagination, eloquence, and power that grips the soul.”
Furthermore, Allen highlighted the value of Spurgeon’s writing to inspire readers in love and worship of Christ. He shared, “As I reviewed Spurgeon’s works and combed through countless sermons that he had preached on the topics of the Great Commission and preaching, it was an immensely rich devotional experience.”
Allen expressed his hope that the new volumes would stir in readers both passion and action to advance the good news of salvation, saying, “Let these sermons by Spurgeon kindle afresh your love for the Great Commission, your eagerness to preach the gospel, and your desire to take that saving message to the nations.”
Preaching and The Great Commission are available for purchase from B&H and wherever Christian books are sold.
