Topical vs. Expository Preaching discussion

Image by Brent Nelson via Flickr

This is for my WOLBI Homiletics guys and anyone else interested in the discussion between Topical vs. Expository preaching. This article is an interesting introduction to start the discussion and makes a few good points in the list given.
  
A Caution for Expository Preaching, Dr. Iain Murray



I really don't think it needs to be an either/or debate. Whether "Topical" or "Expository" every text handled must be "rightly divided" - properly interpreted. In a sense, good topical preaching must be expository as it must properly 'exposit' ever text used. I prefer to compare Topical vs. Textual sermons. Textual being the use of a primary text in the message and preaching the message of that text.

Some of the ideas we highlighted in class:

Topical:

Christmas, Easter and other seasons of the year are often best covered in a topical way.
Current issues - be careful with this one. One of the cardinal rules of preaching that I learned at NBBI was "Do not use the pulpit as a whipping post."
Doctrine -How else can Systematic Theology be covered (but heaven forbid we preach Systematic Theology!)? ie. preaching of the gospel - to clearly present the gospel, one must use multiple texts to cover the points of a Creator God's Holiness, Man's sin, Jesus perfect sacrifice/substitute, Man's needed response.

Textual:

Context - should be easier to explain passage as it relates to its context because that is where you are.
Context of the Big Idea - should be easier to relate a passage to the overall theme of the book/chapter it's in.
Preach the Whole Counsel - should be easier to cover difficult issues as they come up in the text without seeming to 'pick-on' a particular person or situation.

I say 'should' as I suggested each of the points for the Textual sermon because the power of the Textual sermon is in the preparer/presenter. Just as the dangers of Topical sermons are being shallow and disconnected so the Textual sermon may be boring or irrelevant in the hands of one who is ill-equipped to prepare and deliver a text with accuracy, relevance, and impact.

Happy Preaching Textually or Topically as the Lord leads to drive home the meaning and life-applications of His incredible Truth!

How to Ruin Your Accountability group

As a follow up to the theme of Accountability. I just came across this link today.

8 Ways to Ruin Your Accountability Group | The Resurgence

Speaking to students here at WOLBI last night from the book of Haggai I was reminded,

"It's not about what I do - it's the heart that does it."

I've heard Ravi Zacharias quote T.S. Elliott,

  "This is the greatest treason, to do the right thing for the wrong reason." 

We can ruin accountability the same way we can ruin everything else - make it a ritual with no heart.

Alone = In Trouble! The need for Accountability

Here's a great post from some of our American WOL friends.

The truth is - NO man is an island unto himself.

We were created for community and it is not good for us to be alone. I'm regularly reminded of Hebrews 3:12-13 which says, "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
None of us would say we desire an "evil unbelieving heart" or blatantly want to "depart from God" but if we are not heeding verse 13 that will be the sad reality.
If you are alone in the Christian life with no one to talk to, confess to, be confronted and exhorted by, pray with and be encouraged by, YOU ARE IN TROUBLE! Our hearts are deceitful. We desperately need daily exhortation to keep our lying, rationalizing heart and it's desires in check.

Enjoy reading Debunking the Lone Ranger Myth

Also check out Ways to Ruin Accountability

Everyone Lives Their Faith

From Jon in Real Life

In a recent Deans' Chapel at the Word of Life Bible Institute I challenged students with a presentation I call "No Christians Allowed." I don't know about you but I am tired of being a hypocritical professing Christians. My personal testimony haunts my memory of times near and far when I spoke with my lips and denied with my life. I want to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, one who seeks to live according to the standards set out in God's Word - the Bible. I don't want to simply be a Canadian "Cultural" Christian.
Now the reality is (if we are truly honest with ourselves) - we are all hypocrites. Christians or anyone with any spirituality at all (which includes everyone) consistently and perfectly lives up to their professed faith. A part of the human condition is that we are all hypocrites at times and to some degree. The challenge is not fueling the flame of our natural hypocritical bent.

 “For neither man nor angel can discern hypocrisy, the only evil that walks invisible.” 

– John Milton -

I heard a quote a number of years ago that has greatly impacted my life (blessings to Casey at E3 Resources, the creators of the Evangecube, for sharing it with me):

"What I say I believe is NOT what I believe. What I believe is defined by my actions and my integrity."

Just as the Apostle James tells us in the second chapter of his epistle, "Faith without works is dead." Faith without works is not 'in progress', 'on hold' or 'good enough.' Said another way, if I do not have faith, I do not have works and if I do not have works, I do not have faith. I am not saying that we work for our faith but that works are a natural and necessary by-product of genuine faith.

That being said, to live is to express faith. All of the things we do, say and think reflect what we truly believe.

So here is the bottom line and our greatest test:

What faith are we living?!