President’s Perspective: Exposing Exposition

I am indebted to The Courier for an opportunity to write on such an important subject. There are libraries of information on exposition, so I decided simply to answer three questions I believe are worthwhile.

What is expository preaching?

A great deal of modern preaching is incorrectly labeled exposition. Therefore, a definition must be established. Expository preaching can be defined as preaching devoted to communicating the central meaning or idea of a biblical passage as the central message of the sermon by exploring, explaining, and applying a biblical passage with the intent of redemptive life-change for the glory of God. In short, it is giving the Bible a voice.

The subject, message, structure and application of the sermon are derived from the chosen text — and nothing else. Sydney Greidanus says expository preaching is “Bible-centered preaching.” True expository preaching, however, is not just delivering exegetical information. It involves both a dependence on the text and the Holy Spirit’s work in the life and heart of the preacher. As Haddon Robinson astutely pointed out years ago, “Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept, arrived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through him to his hearers.” Expository preaching is not simply relaying information derived from biblical study. It is the living Word of God taking root in a living person to speak to a living audience on living life!

Exposing ExpositionSome critics assert that expository preaching is disconnected, mundane, or just plain boring to modern audiences. James Thompson addressed this when he wrote that “preaching is a trust and … the preacher is to act as a trustee of the message on God’s behalf.” He is not at liberty to alter or modernize the eternal message. However, the preacher must be so in tune and surrendered to the Holy Spirit’s application of the text in his own life that he (not the text) avoids being disconnected, mundane, or just plain boring. I like to summarize it this way: Expository preaching is not boring or disconnected to a modern audience, but preachers can be both!

Why is expository preaching the most faithful way to preach?

We must go no further than 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to find a powerful reason for preaching through the entire Word of God. Paul encourages his young protégé to remember that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” God chose to reveal himself through the written word of men under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In other words, God’s picture of Himself to men is the Bible. The Bible is like God’s ultimate Facebook profile. This is why so much emphasis is placed on God’s revealed Word from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible does not separate God’s words from His deeds. As Nehemiah records in chapter 8 of his book, when they wanted to celebrate God’s faithfulness in restoring a wall for Israel, they told Ezra to “bring out the book.”

Interestingly, Nehemiah also shows us that reading the Law was not divorced from explaining its meaning. The Levites “read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.” This Law was so revered because it was given to God’s people as a sign of possession. Expository preaching, both biblically and theologically, is the purest way to heed Paul’s call to “preach the Word … correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction.”

Practically speaking, there are numerous advantages and benefits to expository preaching. I like the list Jerry Vines and Jim Shaddix offer in their book, “Power in the Pulpit.” First, preaching systematically through texts of Scripture is the greatest means to combat the growing trend among Christians toward biblical illiteracy. People do not know the God of the Bible because they do not know the Bible. Second, expository preaching holds both preacher and hearer accountable. The preacher is held accountable to study if he commits to treating each passage he preaches in an expository manner. Likewise, he is also held accountable to deal with the entire counsel of God’s Word. He cannot pick and choose topics at will. The congregation, in turn, is held accountable to hear the whole counsel of God’s Word and choose to obey God or disobey God. Expository preaching helps the preacher promote God’s agenda for his people. Third, exposition alleviates the stress of deciding what to preach. His heart can then be focused on the task of proclaiming the text versus finding it. Fourth, preaching the Word faithfully creates hearers who demand that the Word be preached faithfully. Once an individual or group grows accustomed to exposition, they will not settle for anything less. Finally, and not surprisingly, this appetite for the Word is a sign of spiritual growth and maturity. Jesus’ prayer, recorded in John 17, clearly shows the relationship between God’s Word and sanctification when He asks the Father to “sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth.”

Where are we today?

If one truly believes biblical exposition to be a primary ingredient to church health, the reality becomes obvious. Many who ardently propagate the methods of the church growth movement assert that churches are shrinking because they are not connecting. I agree that struggling or unhealthy churches do have a problem of connecting, but I am also convinced that the greatest way to connect God’s people to their Master is through His Word. This is done most beautifully and effectively through expository preaching.

My own observations have shown a renewed interest in expository preaching among young pastors. Some of this, no doubt, is linked to the popularity of theological study because of the conservative resurgence within evangelical denominations like the Southern Baptist Convention. The doctrinal debates over the authority and infallibility of Scripture have had effects on how biblical passages are interpreted and treated within the preaching event. I am convinced God loves his church and will not allow her to starve. It is my prayer that He is raising up a new generation of leaders who will expound the Word with bold assurance.