Book excerpt: Those who preach have been called to deliver the truth, and must do so with a conviction that every truth demands a response. J. Josh Smith aims to start a conversation about the role of exhortation in preaching. With emphasis on the biblical and theological foundation for exhortation, and attention to how exhortation is used in both Old and New Testaments, Smith makes a compelling argument that preaching must include both explanation and exhortation. Preaching for a Verdict also provides practical steps to implement effective exhortation in preaching, and offers a variety of biblical models of exhortation to equip the reader to deliver the message of Christ with authority. Text-driven preaching demands text-driven exhortation.