Expository Preaching: The Way, the Truth, and the Life?

Strangers in a Foreign Land

In my particular ministry context, a 70-year old church that was “re-planted” almost two years ago, the parishioners come from preaching backgrounds as diverse as their tastes in music. Some of them come from churches where the Word was preached faithfully by a man who gave himself to the Word and prayer (Acts 6:4). Others come from churches where the only thing preached was the “pastor’s” latest soap-box. Then, others come from the middle ground where the Word was “preached,” but not accurately. So, as you can imagine, they all approach the preaching event now with different baggage.

For much of our congregation, experiencing expository preaching is like being a stranger in a foreign land (like being an OU fan in South Louisiana). They simply aren’t used to it. They might be used to topical sermons, especially those that are from different books of the Bible each week. They also might not be used to the idea of spending months or years in the same book of the Bible. Whatever the case, these parishioners are understandably

While many people are simply unfamiliar with expository preaching, there are some who are hostile toward it. Sometimes they’re hostile because they’re resistant to change. Other times it’s because they’ve encountered expository preachers who are arrogant jerks that denigrate any model of preaching that isn’t expository and make parishioners feel stupid and nonspiritual if they prefer a different style of preaching. Whatever the specific case, I can understand why they might be hesitant to embrace something they’ve never before encountered.

What is Expository Preaching?

Scores of books have been written on the art and science of expository preaching, so I’m not going to waste my time and yours by regurgitating a book into this blog (check out this 10 minute video). But, I do want to provide some basic definitions that will help the conversation.

These definitions are from Vines and Shaddix’s book, Power in the Pulpit:

Expository sermon: “A discourse that expounds a passage of Scripture, organizes it around a central theme and main divisions which issue forth from the text, and then decisively applies its message to the listeners. [1] Expository preaching: “The delivery of expository sermons on a consistent and regular basis.”[2] General Exposition: “Preaching expository sermons on selected and distinct Bible texts.” [3] Systematic Exposition: “The consecutive and exhaustive treatment of a book of the Bible or extended portions thereof, dividing the text into paragraphs and consecutively preaching from them.”[4]

In addition to expository preaching, there are also several other common models of preaching with which people are often more familiar:

Topical sermon: “The topical sermon is built around some particular subject. The idea for the subject may be taken from the Bible or elsewhere. Usually the preacher gathers what the Bible teaches about one particular topic, organizes those passages into a logical presentation, and then delivers a topical sermon.”[5] Textual sermon: “A textual sermon is one based on one or two verses from the Bible. The main theme and the major divisions of the sermon come from the text itself. This sermon seeks to expound what the text itself actually says.”[6] Narrative sermon: “Traditionally, a narrative sermon has been considered simply as one based upon a narrative text.”[7]

Based on these definitions, the key difference between expository and other types of preaching is that the text controls the sermon, not the other way around. Based on my own history with Southern Baptist churches, I can say that much of SBC preaching is topical or textual. Now, neither of these models is deficient. There is a place for both in the church. However, the problem with topical preaching is that it often ends up being a soap-box rant about a particular topic with various Scriptures (procured through use of a concordance) added in for support, regardless of whether or not the Scriptures in question actually support the preacher’s thesis. Topical preaching is difficult because one has to draw in texts from all over the Bible to support a thesis while simultaneously being true to the individual contexts from which those texts are drawn. If done properly, topical preaching can be a blessing to the church. If done poorly, it can be detrimental to the congregation.

In addition to topical preaching, many SBC churches have preachers that use the textual sermon model. They preach a couple of verses from a different Bible book each week. The benefit of textual sermons is that they should be expository, which means they should teach people the original intent of the text and how it applies to today. The potential drawback to textual sermons is that the preacher is responsible for picking a text each week, which means he will be tempted to avoid certain texts that are difficult to preach, difficult to understand, or difficult to hear (from the churchgoer’s perspective).

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

Systematic expository preaching is not the only style of preaching beneficial to and needed by the church. It’s also not the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is those things. However, I do believe that it is the style of preaching that best honors the Word of God and best feeds the sheep. Taken from Power in the Pulpit, here a couple benefits of expository preaching:

Biblical Literacy: Over time, the systematic preaching of books leads to a congregation that knows what the Bible says and how it applies to today in a variety of situations. Accountability: The systematic preaching of books requires the pastor to preach all of God’s Word, not just the portions that he likes or that are easy to preach. It also forces the preacher to work hard at sermon preparation. He must delve into the Word and find out what it means and then tell the congregation. Protection: Systematic preaching of books protects the preacher from getting into a rut and it protects the congregation from being hearing the same sermon/topic over and over and over again. Stress Relief: Preachers who preach through books of the Bible don’t have to worry about figuring out what to preach each week. They just preach whatever verses are next. Appetite Development: Over time, as a congregation encounters more and more Scripture, they will begin to have a greater desire for the Word. Systematic expository preaching leads to a people hungry for biblical meat. Spiritual Maturity: Possibly the greatest benefit of systematic expository preaching is spiritual growth and maturity in the believer. As they encounter the Word each week, over time believers are shaped by God’s Truth. While other models of preaching can strengthen and mature the believer, expository preaching confronts the believer with the fullness of God’s Word, thus resulting in the most spiritual growth and sanctification.

In addition to the reasons just mentioned, I also look to 2 Timothy 3:16 as an impetus for systematic expository preaching. Paul writes, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” Well, if all of Scripture is profitable, then all of Scripture should be preached. Furthermore, if all of Scripture is profitable, then we need to know what all of Scripture means. Systematic expository preaching is the best way for believers to learn the full counsel of God’s Word.

3 Common Objections to Expository Preaching

There are times when other styles of preaching are appropriate. Definitely. I agree. For example, what about special times during the year such as Christmas? Or, what about when tragedy strikes the congregation? I wholeheartedly believe there will be times throughout the year where the pastor should deviate from the regular preaching schedule to address important topics or situations, speak to a particular need, encourage the people in a specific way, etc. However, these deviations are not to be the norm. The majority of the year should be spent on systematic preaching through brooks of the Bible. Systematic expository preaching does not allow for the leading of the Holy Spirit. I disagree. What people mean when they make this objection is that expository preaching locks the pastor into a pattern and he has to preach the next verses of Scripture in the book no matter what happens in the life of the congregation. That’s simply not true. Expository preaching is a pattern, not a restriction. As discussed above, there are times when the pastor can and should deviate as the Spirit leads. But, what I want to ask people who make this objection is, “Are you saying that the Holy Spirit doesn’t lead pastors to preach through books of the Bible? Isn’t it the Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures in the first place?” Systematic expository preaching ignores the needs of specific people. Shouldn’t the pastor know each person in his congregation well enough to know what text (topic) they need to hear each week? Well, on any given week there is a myriad of people present, from babies to the elderly. There are single people and married people. New believers and those saved for decades. There are spiritual infants and the spiritually mature. Rich and poor. Educated and uneducated. How in the world could a pastor preach a sermon each week that addresses each individual person? I would go crazy trying to think of something that everyone needs to hear. Consequently, I think systematic expository preaching presents the fullness of God’s Word each week (over time, of course) and trusts the Holy Spirit to apply to each individual person in some way regardless of his or her background and present situation. Also, if the sermon doesn’t “apply” to a person on a given Sunday, it will soon enough. Plus, we need to know all of the Word, not just the parts that are “pertinent” today. Scripture is the primary tool God uses for our sanctification. Over time, as we read it, study it, internalize it, and through Holy Spirit empowerment are changed by it, we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus. We look more and more like Jesus. So, preachers, preach the Word faithfully and systematically and watch the congregation grow in maturity. There will be occasions when you can deviate and address key issues, but for the most part, the congregation needs all of the Word to be preached. The Holy Spirit is far better at applying a text to a diversity of people than you and I are.

May the Word be preached, His people changed, and His name honored.

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[1] Jerry Vines and Jim Shaddix, Power in the Pulpit (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1999),29.

[2] Ibid., 31.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid., 31-2.

[5] Ibid., 29.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.