David Murray writes that, back in the Scottish Highlands, preachers tended to offer in their sermons ‘what the Lord had laid on their hearts’.  Such sermons were expository, but consecutive expository preaching was regarded with some suspicion.

Coming to the USA, David Murray says, he has grown to appreciate the value of extended sermon series that work through a section – often, an entire book – of the Bible.

Murray finds the following advantages in such consecutive preaching:

• The pastor and congregation are ‘stretched’ to preach on and hear about subjects that would not be normally chosen;
• The preacher and hearers are immersed in one book of the Bible for many weeks and months;
• It helps to keep passages in context;
• It teaches people how to read and study their Bibles;
• It provides a balanced diet and prevents pastors from sticking to their ‘hobby horses’;
• The pastor does not need to agonize over his choice of text each week;
• There does not need to be so much introduction and background given each week;
• The overall argument or narrative of the book is better grasped and understood;
• It helps people to see the overall plan of Scripture;
• It encourages people to prepare ahead by reading and thinking about the passage;
• It emphasizes the centrality and authority of Scripture.

However, there are also some pitfalls to be avoided:

• Ensure that each sermon is complete in itself, rather than finishing this week what you didn’t finish last week;
• The portion of Scripture for each sermon should not be too few verses, so that the series goes on too long, or too many, so that the preaching becomes shallow and superficial;
• There should be a memorable theme and points for each sermon rather than simply making it a running commentary;
• It may be helpful to read a related passage of Scripture rather than the same portion every week for many weeks;
• Prayerfully consider the need for variation. For example, a series on a Pauline Epistle might be followed by a Gospel or an Old Testament narrative book;
• Break the series from time to time to provide a change. Sometimes it may be wise to take a break for a few weeks or even months before returning to it;
• Be prepared to preach on a text the Lord ‘lays on your heart’ even if it breaks the sermon series. Remain “open” to God’s direction each week.
• Be conscious of your limitations. Few preachers can sustain their congregation’s interest in a long series of consecutive expository sermons, especially if two or more series are going on at the same time;
• Before finally deciding to start a series, read the book through a few times and begin to map out preaching portions. This will also help you to decide if this is the right book and if your own gifts will stretch enough to take it on;
• As starting a series is a major decision that will set the course of the congregation for a while, it may be wise to consult with some carefully chosen elders or mature Christians;
• Try to avoid becoming a mere teacher or lecturer rather than a preacher;
• There is no need for a long recap at the beginning of every sermon.
• Remember to preach evangelistically to the lost before you, rather than just to build up the Christians in the congregation.

This is wise and helpful advice.  I think, however, that a few more caveats might be added:

• How many preachers should be involved in delivering an expository series?  If just one, then we have the advantage of consistency and efficiency.  If more than one, we lose something of these advantages (each preacher has to repeat the background work for himself), but gain that of variety.
• Any form of expository preaching (whether consecutive or not) may focus so much on the text in hand, that there is a neglect of the overall thrust of the Bible’s story.  Exegetical theology wins, but biblical theology, systematic theology and casuistical theology (if there is such a term!) lose.  I am increasingly of a mind that there is a place for regular topical series, as well as a place for alternative preaching methodologies (such as narrative preaching).
• Goodmanson notes that expository preaching (whether consecutive or not) can lead to the tendency to give an unbalanced or incomplete account of a topic.  He gives the example of the gift of tongues in Acts 2.  The wise preacher will take account of other texts that refer to glossolalia, and to that extent the sermon will have (rightly) become more topical than expository.
• Goodmanson also reminds us that Paul was able to declare to the Ephesian elders that he had not shunned to declare to them ‘the whole counsel of God’ (Acts 20:27) in the space of two years.  Yet it is unlikely that he preached consecutively through the whole of the (Old Testament) Scriptures, or even a significant portion of them.
• Consecutive expository preaching is not biblical!  No preacher in the Bible does it, and no biblical author mandates it.  It is a (not unreasonable) inference from the nature, authority and importance of Scripture, but cannot be regarded as divinely ordained.