To Preach the Gospel
“Peter believed that the use of the sanctified imagination, the painting of word pictures, using the vehicle of a story, was Jesus’s way of teaching. It will forever be, he believed, the most effective method.”
Catherine Marshall, A Man Called Peter
Dr. Peter Marshall (May 27, 1902 – January 26, 1949), a Scottish-born American preacher, is remembered for his powerful and timeless exploration of what makes preaching truly transformative. These five lectures, delivered in 1944 at Gettysburg Seminary and published here for the first time, reveal the spiritual depth, practical wisdom, and compelling voice of one of America’s most beloved Christian leaders.
Drawing from his experience as pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church and Chaplain of the United States Senate, Dr. Marshall presents five essential elements of effective preaching: The Man, the Message, the Vision, the Method, and the Setting. With vivid storytelling and theological clarity, he challenges ministers to move beyond routine sermons and instead communicate eternal truth with authenticity, conviction, and spiritual power.
More than a guide for clergy, this book speaks to anyone called to share the Gospel in everyday life. Marshall’s insights emphasize that preaching is not merely spoken–it is lived through character, humility, and faithful action.
To Preach the Gospel remains an inspiring resource for seminarians, pastors, ministry leaders, and believers seeking to make Christ known in a changing world.
Featuring a foreword, preface, and afterword from family members and respected leaders, this volume also provides a rich portrait of the man behind the pulpit.
About the Author
57th Chaplain of the United States Senate, Dr. Peter Marshall was the inspirational Scots American who rose to become one of the most widely acclaimed twentieth-century ministers as pastor of New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington (Lincoln’s church). Here, his winsome personality and compelling sermons reached their greatest power and widest audience throughout the Second World War. Dr. Marshall’s luminous personal story is recounted in Catherine Marshall’s best-selling biography and the film “A Man Called Peter.”
Other Contributors
PREFACE: Peter Jonathan Marshall
Peter Marshall, grandson of Peter and Catherine Marshall and son of the late Peter and Edith Wallis Marshall, is the founder of Peter Marshall & Company CP in Texas. Peter is a graduate of The McCallie School and Presbyterian College.
FOREWARD: Philip Lader
Philip Lader, former U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s and member of President Clinton’s Cabinet, was Chairman of the global advertising/communications firm, WPP plc, Vice Chairman of RAND Corporation, Sr. Adviser to Morgan Stanley, and a director of Lloyds of London and numerous international companies. Educated at Duke, Michigan, Oxford and Harvard Law School, he served as president of two universities and was awarded honorary doctorates by 14 other universities.
AFTERWORD: Linda LeSourd Lader
Reverend Linda LeSourd Lader, the daughter of Leonard LeSourd and stepdaughter of Catherine Marshall, is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and Yale Divinity School and is an ordained Presbyterian minister. Linda, with her husband Philip Lader, founded Renaissance Weekends in 1981, the non-partisan retreats that seek to build bridges between innovative leaders from diverse fields.
NOTE: Margaret Shannon
Margaret Shannon, a research historian with a B.A. in history and music from Transylvania University, established Washington Historical Research in 1978 at the urging of her mentor Catherine Marshall for whom she researched the novel, Julie. A curator of exhibitions at the Library of Congress, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and Washington National Cathedral, she is the Cathedral Choral Society’s award-winning program annotator. She has worked closely for over two decades with Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Jon Meacham.
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