He’s been called a “pulpiteer,” a “preacher’s preacher,” and a “trainer of preachers.” Inscribed on a granite bench at the foot of his grave are the words, “A Friend of Preachers.” Those of us who were privileged to sit at his feet as he sought to equip us for the real life situations and responsibilities of being a preacher respectfully addressed him as, “Brother Winkler.” Charles Wendell Winkler spent sixty-one years proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and preparing others to do the same. It often seemed as though he had his own special vocabulary as the words “sermonic material,” “spizarinctum,” and the infamous “lead statement” flowed from his lips. Hardly a conversation could be carried on with him without his logical mind arranging it into “point one,” “point two,” and “next.” It doesn’t seem possible that almost a decade has passed since he went home to be with the Lord on October 23, 2005.

Of the many important lessons learned from him, one in particular must never be missed. Wendell Winkler was a man of “the Book.” He believed in diligently studying his Bible. He believed in meticulously memorizing what was written in his Bible. And, he believed in precisely reading from, or more appropriately, quoting from his Bible. As is evidenced in his sermons, his class books, and his other writings, he believed that every lesson should be filled with Scripture. One dare not turn in a sermon in one of his classes if it did not have the “text” upon which it was built. He often encouraged his students to make most of their sermons “expository sermons.” He taught us to address almost every problem or situation one might encounter by simply sticking with the text.

Brother Winkler’s entire philosophy of preaching was summed up in what he called, “The Bible’s definition of preaching.” He found that definition in these words: “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8). Brother Winkler believed that Bible preaching is easy if one would simply follow that definition. First, a preacher should tell his hearers what God said. Next, he should help the hearer by forming the message into a concise, understandable statement. Then, he taught that a good illustration does wonders in helping a person understand what he is being taught. Finally, application should be made of the principle learned and then you are ready to start the process again with the next point. How much more effective some preachers would be if only they simply told people what God says and then explained and illustrated it so that their hearers could more easily understand what God requires of them and then help them apply it to the situations they face in everyday life. This kind of preaching worked in Old Testament times. It worked in the first century. It worked for Wendell Winkler. What’s more, it will work for preachers today and tomorrow if only we choose to use the power (Romans 1:16) God gave us.

In future posts, we will explore some of the passages Brother Winkler called, “Great Texts On Preaching.” They are the precepts that will help preachers of both today and tomorrow become powerful proclaimers who are “men of the the Book.”