A Life of Study – Part 1

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Fred Craddock, in chapter 4 of Preaching makes a series of suggestions for cultivating and guarding a life of study. I’ll share five of his ten suggestions in these two posts, with comments added:

1. Inform your congregation of your study schedule, explaining that study time is time spent with the whole congregation. It is better to plan times of study than to try and fit them in around other things. If it is in the schedule, then try to treat those times as you would another appointment – keep it and don’t be interrupted whenever possible.

2. Be realistic in your expectations of your study life. You cannot read every book on every subject relevant to your role. However, hunt out the key landmark books in each field and know them well. Each key book will be followed by dozens of other books that interact with the key book. Try to get at the source of the discussion. This would apply to Biblical studies, counseling, homiletics, pastoral ministries, church growth, cultural analysis, systematic theology and so on. Find the key books and interact with them.

How do you find key books? Ask experts in the field, or well-trained peers. Be aware of helpful tools like John Glynn’s Commentary and Reference Survey (currently on 10th edition). Read introduction’s to journal articles, skim book reviews, etc. The lists of required texts in seminary book stores are also valuable. A little time well spent in hunting will save a lot of time reading secondary texts.

Topical Preaching – Part 2

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More food for thought on the issue of topical preaching.  As I wrote in part 1, it is possible to preach a sermon that is both expository and topical.  Yet generally speaking I urge people to stay in one text.  Why?

There is always more in one passage than you can preach in one sermon.  While it is possible to get the main idea and preach it effectively, that does not mean that you exhaust a passage by doing so.  By staying in one text for the whole message you give yourself a better opportunity to dig deeper in that passage.  We tend to assume people understand something when we should explain it further.  We tend to assume people apply principles when we should apply more explicitly.  Preach in such a way that people see the value of spending some time in a passage, rather than finding a superficial nugget and rushing on to another. 

Most wild safaris in the backseat of a concordance are unhelpful.  It is easy to open a concordance and find several other passages that have at least one word in common with the passage you’re preaching.  It’s common for new preachers to fill time in this way (you can’t be criticized for being unbiblical if the message is full of Bible verses!)  I’ve heard messages where we’ve been taken on a wild Scriptural safari, bouncing along uncomfortable roads to disconnected texts, catching a brief glimpse of something and then revving the engine for another ride.  More often than not these glimpses at other verses add nothing to the message or to our understanding of our “target passage.”  There are occasions when citing or reading other verses is helpful (see future post), but evaluate carefully before stealing this time and energy from your specific text.

It is stretching, refreshing and helpful for you and your listeners to soak in a specific passage rather than skimming over the surface of the old familiar favorites.  Preach your text!

What About Topical Preaching?

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When I’ve taught preaching either in a course or a seminar, I’ve regularly encountered a certain question. “Why do you focus on preaching a single passage so much and not give instruction on preaching topically?”  My response is hopefully balanced but instructive to those that ask.  

There is a place for topical preaching, but not a steady diet of it.  Sometimes a situation calls for a biblical message that encompasses several passages.  But God gave us a collection of books, rather than topical studies, so we do well to usually feed on the Bible book-by-book.  I remember at seminary that the president was working his way through Luke in the family chapel each Thursday morning.  Then there was a mini-crisis on campus caused by some confusion regarding aspects of spiritual warfare.  So for two Thursdays he addressed the issues in a biblical and clear manner using expository-topical messages.  Then he returned to Luke for the rest of the semester.

Topical preaching is much more work.  For many preachers a topical sermon is a short-cut.  Instead of working in a specific text, they are free to speak on what they want using the verses they know to support their thought.  This may be topical preaching, but it is not expository-topical preaching.  Let’s say a message has three points, each with its own text.  To truly preach that message the preacher has to do all the exegetical and homiletical work in each text, while constantly re-evaluating to make sure the overall message idea is fair to the texts.  In simple terms, three passages mean three sets of study.  To preach this way well is much more work.

Since it is harder, I don’t teach it on an introductory course.  If I were to teach a series of three or four homiletics courses, with each a pre-requisite for the next, then topical preaching would be taught in the third or fourth course.  Hence in a first preaching course I would rather have people understand the basics and do them well.  It’s better to learn to ride a bike first, before introducing complicated ramp stunts.

Where to Place “The Reading” – Part 2

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In part 1 we considered the importance of establishing and underlining the biblical authority of a message.  We underlined the importance of a commitment to expository preaching and the need to reinforce that commitment through attitude and action throughout a sermon.  Now some thoughts on reconsidering the traditional placement of the reading before or at the start of the message:

In some sermons the reading “up front” would be ideal.  If you think through the options and conclude that this would be best for audience, for sermon flow, etc., then do not become a rebel against tradition for the sake of rebellion. Reading first is a good option with much in its favor.

If the tension of the sermon is tied to the unfolding of the text, then perhaps reading the passage as you proceed would be better.  It may be helpful for the sake of clarity if the text is read in its entirety first.  However, this does run the risk of dissipating any tension in the sermon.  A sermon without any inbuilt tension can be as dull as a predictable joke (although with more value).  If the text is a narrative, then it is probably better not to read the resolution of the inbuilt tension before telling the story.  If the sermon contains an element of intrigue, then it also may be wise to split the reading throughout the sermon.  If reading the text and then stating the big idea (or even just the “subject” half of the big idea) leaves listeners feeling as if they could leave at that point because they know what is coming, then perhaps the reading should not have been completed at that moment in the sermon.

If tradition requires or expects an earlier reading, perhaps offer a helpful alternative.  If the text for the message would be best, then by all means have it read earlier.  However, if tension would be lost, select an alternative.  (Be careful also not to let worship leaders steal the tension of a sermon by their pre-message comments!)  For example, many New Testament texts rely heavily on one or two Old Testament texts.  So a sermon in 1st Peter could use a reading from the Old Testament such as Psalm 34 (if the passage is focused on the suffering of God’s people in “exile”) or Isaiah 53 (if the passage is focused on Christ’s passion).  Both passages were heavy on the mind of Peter as he wrote his letter.  If a passage is quoted in the preaching text, perhaps reading that passage in its context would be helpful.

Where to Place “The Reading”– Part 1

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Traditionally there are two options for when to read the Bible passage for a sermon. One is earlier in the service, the other is at the start of the sermon. Either of these may be ideal. Neither of these is required. While starting with the reading may help with establishing the authority of the sermon, there are other ways to achieve this goal. Furthermore, there may be good reasons not to start with the reading. Today I will make suggestions for underlining the biblical authority in a sermon, then tomorrow I will give reasons for considering the placement of the reading more carefully.

Decide to communicate the authority of Scripture throughout your preaching. The reading at the start of the message may help, but is not the only ingredient. In fact, reading the passage up front does not guarantee that biblical authority is communicated. Many preachers read a passage and then bounce off it to their own thoughts and message. It is important to commit to, and reinforce, the authority of Scripture in your preaching.

First and foremost, commit to expository preaching. The commitment of the expository preacher is not to a certain form of sermon, but to a philosophy that places the Bible in the main role. The Bible determines sermon idea, sermon content, suggests possible sermon shape, sometimes even sermon illustrations. The message comes from a study of the Bible and is communicated through a study of the Bible using a literal, grammatical, historical, contextual hermeneutic. Without a commitment to preaching an expositional sermon, the following suggestions will be of only minimal help. It is possible to preach a topical-expository sermon, but more of that in a future post.

Reinforce the message of the authority of the Bible through your attitude. Demonstrate a submissive approach to the text, an inquisitive approach, an open to learning approach. Through your attitude and comments throughout the sermon, demonstrate that the Bible is the source of the authority.

Reinforce the authority of the Bible by letting your Bible show. Don’t read the passage, then put your Bible down and preach from notes. This can give the wrong impression. I think it is helpful and important to let people see that you are reading from the Bible (even if you’ve memorized the passage). Don’t let the podium hide the Bible. Don’t just cut and paste Bible text into your notes. Preaching without notes, but with Bible in hand can really help reinforce your view of the Bible. (See earlier posts on preaching without notes.)

Default Mode Preaching – Part Last

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Just three more areas to think about and push ourselves in:

3. Gestures – Are you naturally dependent on certain movements?  You may not know, but check a video or ask a friend.  Like the voice, overplanning will result in unnatural “performance.”   However, evaluation and forethought may raise subconscious repetition to conscious appropriate variation.  Your goal is not to perform or to impress, but to communicate.

4. Relationship to the Pulpit – Do you hold it?  Do you lean on it?  Are you conjoined with it?  Perhaps it would stretch you to remove it for a Sunday, or preach from a different location.  Try preaching with your Bible in your hands, or use a music stand off to one side.  The podium can be an immense crutch for some, and a communication block for listeners.  Hide less, communicate more.

5. Ending – It’s easy to always finish the same way.  Pause for thought, straight into a song (them not you), punchy last line, thoughtful prayer, etc.  Any of these could be good if chosen purposefully.  Take the time to plan the ending of your next sermon properly so you don’t default to a landing in autopilot.

Default Mode Preaching

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Earlier this week I posted a couple of times about default preaching.  That is, the way we can easily settle into a routine structure or style of sermon.  For the sake of our listeners, it is good to try adding variation to our sermons.  Yet also for our own sake this is worthwhile.  Not only does pushing beyond default stimulate our growth as preachers, it also rekindles our sense of dependence on God.  How dangerous it is to settle into a pattern and risk preaching in our own strength!  Today and tomorrow I want to share a few more areas in which default can set in, and in which we can consciously stimulate our own “beyond default preaching” . . .

1. The Start – Do you always start with a funny story or interesting statistic?  Do you always begin with the thrilling phrase, “please turn with me . . .”?   What can you do differently to start your next message more effectively?  Remember to let your sermon purpose and the congregational need for the message loom large in your thinking.

2. Use of Voice – Basically the issue is appropriate variation.  Think through the message and recognize where emphasis should come from extra volume or power, and where it could better come from less.  What about rate of speech and tone?  Don’t get stuck in the default middle 20%, but consciously add appropriate variation.

Guarding the Authority of Application

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We may strive for objectivity and authority in our exegetical work (although it is tentative due to our limitations). However we tend to feel very tentative when it comes to application. How do we make sure our contemporary applications of the text are in line with the passage and its theological truth?

Timothy Warren, of Dallas Theological Seminary, suggests two guardrails that will help keep an application on track and protect the authority of the application. The expositional process moves from the text, through exegesis and theological abstraction to application (the exegetical idea, theological idea and homiletical idea, if you like). On each side of this path, Timothy Warren suggests a guardrail to keep the preacher on track:

Guardrail 1 – Audience. By considering the original referent and description of the passage’s intended audience, the preacher can be protected from an inappropriate application to his audience. For example, if the passage was originally written to scold Israel’s errant leadership (such as Ezekiel 34), it would be inconsistent to scold a church full of faithful followers. The audience is different, so the purpose of the sermon will differ from the purpose of the text. We move from original audience, to universal audience, to our contemporary audience.

Guardrail 2 – Purpose. By recognizing the original intention of the author, it is possible to consider whether the purpose will remain the same or differ for the contemporary listeners. So why did the author write it? Why did God make sure it was preserved for all? Why are you preaching this passage to your specific listeners?

Every time we study a passage and develop a sermon we are moving through these steps: contextualized, decontextualized, recontextualised. By keeping aware of the two guardrails – audience and purpose – we can be more certain that our applications of the text are legitimate and carry the necessary divine authority.

Sunukjian’s 5-Step Intro

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Donald Sunukjian thinks through elements of the preaching process in fine detail. His book, An Invitation to Biblical Preaching, is full of real nuggets for the thoughtful preacher wishing to fine tune their methodology. For instance, consider his five step approach to an introduction:

1. Engage audience interest – develop a sense of need through use of humor, reference to personal or contemporary matters of concern.

2. Focus the message on either the Big Idea (deductive sermon) or the subject / question (inductive sermon).

3. Set the stage biblically – provide helpful background, context, setting, etc. If necessary review the sermon series. However, do not mention the chapter and verse yet. Once you mention it, they won’t be listening because they will be distracted by the hunt.

4. Preview the direction of the message as much as necessary – identify any major hunks or structural movements to come so the listener has a fair idea of what is to come.

5. Announce the passage – giving the chapter and verse, then allowing people to look it up before continuing. Wait quietly at this point, people aren’t listening to you anyway while they hunt, and your patience will motivate people to actually bring and open their Bibles.

    Beyond Default Introductions

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    “Last week we looked at Exodus 3, please turn with me to Exodus 4.”  Such a statement may be technically accurate, but for listeners it is tedious and irrelevant.  As preachers we need to get the attention of the listeners rather than assuming we have it merely because they are still sitting there.

    Yet getting attention is an inexact science.  You could shout, dance, set fire to the floral arrangement or try to tear a phone book.  All would get attention, but most would achieve very little that is good for your sermon.  No matter how effective we are at gaining attention, that only gives us a brief window of opportunity before any gains are lost.  The introduction must go beyond attention.

    It seems to me that a decent introduction becomes a great introduction when it truly surfaces genuine need that will then be addressed by the passage.  Most sermons I hear (and preach), would be much stronger if more attention was given to this issue of raising need.  As Haddon Robinson has said, “the true test of an introduction is whether people want to hear the sermon once the introduction is over.”  Simple but true.  Strive to create a real hunger and thirst for what is to come, and then move people effectively into the message and text.