Hoekzema is aseminary instructor who trains pastors in the use of appropriate methodologies of discourse. His three articles focus on the question whether pastors’ methods of preaching are responsive to the individual characteristics of the hearers. He analyses some sermons that seem well structured yet leave the hearer largely untouched. He distinguishes three aspects that should be present in a sermon in order to touch hearts and change attitudes.
Hoekzema’s articles are extremely helpful because of their practicality. Not only does he describe the ‘mind processes’ in response to preaching, he also proposes a methodology that is clearly motivated by recognition of those responses. He suggests different areas of focus, lists them sequentially and provides concrete examples to clarify the intent.
It becomes obvious that some of his ideas come from scientific research models, yet he does not use the jargon, neither does he refer to any of the sources. That might be a strength in this case since he wants to address the layman, not the trained minister.

Summary:
Hoekzema distinguishes three aspects that should be present in a sermon. Content wise the sermon should instruct and teach. This aspect speaks to the mind. The discourse should also form, encourage, comfort and correct. This aspect speaks to the heart. Hoekzema argues that a combination of these two aspect, carefully considered as goals of the sermon, should enable the hearer to apply with his own will what he has learned. But Hoeksema sees a third aspect beyond instruction and formation. The whole person needs to be addressed. That is the combination of mind, heart and will. This level no longer deals with the separate aspects of an mind, heart, will, but it deals with integrated, whole person. This whole person is one who can relate with other people and with God and who can function independently as a Christian in church and larger community. Hoekzema’s seminary students have to develop their sermons using goals that are meant to address each of these levels. The sermon then has to progress hierarchically from the first, the lower level, to the higher ones. The highest level of encouragement of the whole person assumes that forming has preceded it, while formation assumes that instruction has preceded it.
The level which most often gets over looked and undervalued is the second, the one that addresses the heart. At this level attitude are formed and interests, values and norms are developed. Attitudes are positive or negative ways of feeling about certain things or people. Attitudes have a cognitive aspect but at the core they are formed by feelings. This may vary from quite weak feeling to very strong ones. The following example has a sequence from weak to strong: have a interest for ..., be open to ..., be positive toward ..., have a need for ..., have inner acceptance for ..., identify with... Attitudes are formed mainly by way of feelings. This feeling has developed somewhat because of a cognitive instruction but mostly because of a meeting, an experience. This may be an experience with an issue or a person. When the experience takes place you recognize that there is something important to you and that therefore the experience is relevant.
A pastor must aim to give his hearers an experience, not only cognitive instruction. They will recognize certain aspects that speak to their own lives. If the experience is a positive one, that will then also determine the attitude that is born from it. The experience has to be integrated and linked to the Word of God that is under study. A concrete treatment of actions in a Bible passage can give a hearer a meeting with God, an experience that confirms for him that God is gracious. Through the preaching we have to meet Jesus and experience His love. Faith does not consist merely of knowledge but it is a relationship of love for God.
The preacher must know his flock well in order to be able to speak concretely about matters that his hearers will recognize. Only then can they have that meeting, that experience that makes the sermon relevant and has it change attitudes .