Category Archives: Preaching

Charles Simeon: ‘no friend to systematizers in theology’

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In the preface to his multi-volume collecton of sermon ‘skeletons’, Charles Simeon declares himself to be ‘no friend to systematizers in theology’.  And he expends a considerable amount of energy developing and enforcing this thought.

By theological systems, he means, principally, Calvinism and Arminianism.  He declares that, unlike the proponents of such systems,

‘he takes his religion from the Bible; and endeavours, as much as possible, to speak as that speaks.’

If he finds that two or more biblical texts appear to contradict one another, he endeavours to be faithful to the true sense of each of them, not favouring one over the other, as ‘systematizers’ tend to do.…

Narrative preaching – strengths and weaknesses

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The narrative sermon is a sermon in the form of a story.

Calvin Miller writes:

‘The narrative sermon, rather than containing stories, is a story which, from outset to conclusion, binds the entire sermon to a single plot as theme. Here and there sub-plots, separate illustrations or precepts may punctuate or ornament the narrative, but the theme narrative stays in force all the way through—from the sermon’s “once-upon-a-time” until its “happy ever after.”’

A. Strengths

1.…

Sermon evaluation – Haddon Robinson

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Haddon Robinson offers the following as ‘a comprehensive check-up: questions to ensure you are covering the essentials.

I think that such questionnaires are useful as starting-points.  However, when used as prescriptons for preaching excellence, they can lead to sermons that are predictable, formulaic and unimaginative.  In other words, they can be helpful servants, but rotten masters.  Preachers should used such tools regularly at the beginning of their ministry, and occasionally thereafter.  Once these ‘essentials’ have been covered, much interest and helpfulness can be generated precisely by the intelligent and creative breaking of some of these rules.…

What is textual preaching?

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Textual preaching is notoriously difficult to define with precision.  This is partly because of the name itself (shouldn’t all preaching be based on the biblical text?), and partly because it overlaps someone with other types of preaching (expository and topical).

But even if precision not possible, we can note some of the leading characteristics of textual preaching, and then talk about possible benefits and pitfalls.

Notable exponents of textual preaching include: John Wesley, Charles Simeon, C.H.…

Three (or four) approaches to sermon application

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Adam Nesmith has outlined three different ways (he calls them ‘philosophies’, but I think that’s a bit too ambitious) in which the preacher might incorporate application into his message.

1. No distinct application section

The sermon is essentially an explanation of the text, and the preacher hopes that the Holy Spirit will apply it to the hearts and lives of the hearers.  There may be some occasional application points along the way, but there is no structured approach to this.…

A preacher’s heuristic

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As a help to releasing the creative juices, a preacher may find it helpful to ask questions such:

  • Whom am I speaking to?
  • How should this text affect the way my listeners live tomorrow?
  • What are the word pictures in this text, and how can I use them as running “scenery” in the sermon?
  • Who will benefit from the truths in this text?
  • What felt needs and real needs does this text address?
  • What principles does this text teach?
…

Advantages of heart-changing, expository preaching

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Expository preaching:

  1. does justice to the biblical material which makes it clear that God works through his word to change people’s lives—as it ‘uncages the lion’ and allows God’s word to speak.
  2. acknowledges that it is God alone, through the Spirit, who works in people’s lives, and that it is not our job to change people through clever or inspiring communication.
  3. minimizes the danger of manipulating people, because the text itself controls what we say and how we say it.
…

Preachers and their preaching – Vaughan Roberts

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Vaughan Roberts (born 1965) has been rector of St Ebbes, Oxford, since 1998, and Director of the Proclamation Trust since 2009.

He is committed to consecutive expository preaching.  He and his associates will preach through a book of the Bible (or a significant portion of a book), taking between five and thirty verses at a time.

A fairly typical specimen is a sermon entitled ‘God’s merciful plan’, which is part of a series on Romans 9-11 headed ‘The Gospel and Israel’.…

Spurgeon: against consecutive expository preaching

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Many present-day evangelical preachers are strongly in favour of expository sermon series.  That is to say, they like to preach through a book of the Bible (or an extended portion of the book) paragraph-by-paragraph or section-by-section.

These same preachers tend to admire C.H. Spurgeon as ‘the prince of preachers’.

How curious, then, that Spurgeon’s preaching was textual, rather than expository.  His texts were usually just one or two verses.  He would often introduce thoughts that did not arise from the text itself. …

Matthew 2:11 – ‘Gold, frankincense, and myrrh’

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2:11 As [the magi] came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Summary.  Rather than supposing that the gifts brought by the magi carry symbolic meaning, it is probably better to view them as gifts ‘fit for a king’.

Do the gifts have symbolic meaning?  I have some hesitation about this, but I’ll put this out as a gentle warning to my fellow-preachers anyway.…