"Howell's graceful vision of preaching, of preacher, and of preaching in relationship to the contemporary experience of our listeners is magnificently energizing. Urgent. Imaginative. Honest. Full of grace." --Thomas Edward McGrath, Pastor, Hope Presbyterian Church, Winter Haven, Florida "Howell, gifted preacher, scholar, pastor, author and teacher, offers preachers a rich fare in the feast that is The Beauty of the Word. He interweaves biblical, historical, literary, and popular culture insights into a book that, while offering practical advice on the craft of preaching, is, at the same time, an eloquent meditation on the glory and limitations of preaching and the preaching life." --Alyce M. McKenzie, Professor of Homiletics, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University "In a culture where everything gets ground into bite-sized, easily digestible sound bites, Howell sounds the trumpet clearly, waking us up to the truth of the gospel's urgency and scope. Howell reminds us that the gospel is a word unlike other words, a word with some size!" --from the foreword by Thomas G. Long, Candler School of Theology, Emory University