Topical vs. Expository Preaching Response

I praise God for the popularity of the Topical vs. Expository Preaching post. It is encouraging to see people all over the world concerned with "Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth." 

In response, here is a guest post from my friend, colleague, and co-professor of Homiletics (the art of preaching) here at the Word of Life Bible Institute. Enjoy Doug Reider as he breaks down his thoughts on Iain Murray's article.

I have serious problems with Iain Murray’s argument. Take his five disadvantages:

1.      “It assumes that all preachers are capable of making effective sermons along these lines.” This one screamed problem! Someone who isn’t capable of doing an expository sermon should probably not be doing a sermon at all! His point here is saying either that some can’t figure out what most texts are saying (hence the need to always do a topical sermon) or that some can’t preach what the text is saying (you can’t figure out how to put the ideas into words that the people can understand).

a.       If you really can’t figure out what Scripture is saying, then why should anyone trust your ability to figure out what Scripture is saying about a topic? The reality is that you can’t. If you can’t do biblical theology, they you can’t do systematic theology. Is theology based on our philosophy or on Scripture?

b.      If you can’t figure out how to preach what you see Scripture is saying, then why would a topical sermon be any easier? Should we avoid a subject matter just because it’s hard?

c.       This does not mean that you have to understand every passage in Scripture or be able to expound on every idea taught—one must start someplace. There are certainly passages I don’t understand well enough to preach and subject matter I’d struggle preaching, but that shows need for improvement, not a reason to ignore those passages or subject matter.

2.      Preaching is emphasizing application, as he’s pointing out. I would agree. Preaching does not equal teaching. But, he is implying that topical sermons emphasize application better. That is not true. It can be true, but there is no direct connection. Of course, I’ll be able to preach a topic that is easier to apply…and ignore all those I don’t like to apply.

3.      Interesting…so? :) Maybe more churches need to add the lecture part.

4.      And topical preaching’s track record is impressive? That’s almost comical. “It [expository preaching] has never proved popular in the long term, and the reason for that, I think, is clear: a sermon needs a text as the basis for a memorable message.” And there’s the problem—topical sermons do not need a text. In fact, they don’t need Scripture at all.

5.      And here again he’s right. There really are reasons for topical preaching. A purely evangelistic message will be topical—you’re talking about salvation, which is a topic. But if every sermon from the pulpit is about salvation, then the people starve.

The only way to do a good topical message is to consider all texts that deal with the topic, otherwise one is only considering texts that support one’s own concept of the idea. If topical messages are to be preferred, that implies that considering all texts is somehow easier, which it is not, or that one doesn’t really need to consider the entirety of Scripture on a topic, which produces eisegesis. If I don’t consider the entirety of Scripture, then I’m no longer doing induction (the basis of systematic theology) and it will be very easy to drift into heresy. Topical messages are inherently deductive (start with the idea and then look for backup support).

Again, that does not mean topical messages don’t have their place. There’s a good reason for them and to use them, but someone who only preaches expository messages, at worst, may bore people if he preaches poorly (as the author points out) whereas someone who preaches topical messages, at worst, will go into heresy. For example, say I wanted to preach the idea that God made homosexuals to be homosexuals and intends them to live that way? Could I preach that topic? Sure could…and I’d have a boat load of individual verses to back my topic up. On the other hand, good luck trying to get that idea across using expository preaching without sounding contrived. :)

Strategy for the Battle of the Mind - John Piper

Raise an ANTHEM of praise through a life of purity. Enjoy as Pastor Piper shares this helpful acrostic on the battle with temptation.

I appreciate John Piper's heart for God, his passion for prolific writing and the sharing of God's truth. I would disagree with his use of Matt. 11:12 as an illustration and likely his theology of the kingdom but am grateful for his heart for God and pastoral ministry. I would also add Romans 6 to "Say No" as we 'reckon ourselves dead to sin!'

May God richly bless as we seek to worship Him in our minds!!

ANTHEM: Strategies for Fighting Lust

November 05, 2001 | by John Piper |
 © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

Image via WikipediaI have in mind men and women. For men it's obvious. The need for warfare against the bombardment of visual temptation to fixate on sexual images is urgent. For women it is less obvious, but just as great if we broaden the scope of temptation to food or figure or relational fantasies. When I say "lust" I mean the realm of thought, imagination, and desire that leads to sexual misconduct. So here is one set of strategies in the war against wrong desires. I put it in the form of an acronym, A N T H E M.

A – AVOID as much as is possible and reasonable the sights and situations that arouse unfitting desire. I say "possible and reasonable" because some exposure to temptation is inevitable. And I say "unfitting desire" because not all desires for sex, food, and family are bad. We know when they are unfitting and unhelpful and on their way to becoming enslaving. We know our weaknesses and what triggers them. "Avoiding" is a Biblical strategy. "Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness" (2 Timothy 2:22). "Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:14).

N – Say NO to every lustful thought within five seconds. And say it with the authority of Jesus Christ. "In the name of Jesus, NO!" You don't have much more than five seconds. Give it more unopposed time than that, and it will lodge itself with such force as to be almost immovable. Say it out loud if you dare. Be tough and warlike. As John Owen said, "Be killing sin or it will be killing you." Strike fast and strike hard. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" ( James 4:7).

T – TURN the mind forcefully toward Christ as a superior satisfaction. Saying "no" will not suffice. You must move from defense to offense. Fight fire with fire. Attack the promises of sin with the promises of Christ. The Bible calls lusts "deceitful desires" (Ephesians 4:22). They lie. They promise more than they can deliver. The Bible calls them "passions of your former ignorance" (1 Peter 1:14). Only fools yield. "All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter" (Proverbs 7:22). Deceit is defeated by truth. Ignorance is defeated by knowledge. It must be glorious truth and beautiful knowledge. This is why I wrote Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ. We must stock our minds with the superior promises and pleasures of Jesus. Then we must turn to them immediately after saying, "NO!"

H – HOLD the promise and the pleasure of Christ firmly in your mind until it pushes the other images out. "Fix your eyes on Jesus" (Hebrews 3:1). Here is where many fail. They give in too soon. They say, "I tried to push it out, and it didn't work." I ask, "How long did you try?" How hard did you exert your mind? The mind is a muscle. You can flex it with vehemence. Take the kingdom violently (Matthew 11:12). Be brutal. Hold the promise of Christ before your eyes. Hold it. Hold it! Don't let it go! Keep holding it! How long? As long as it takes. Fight! For Christ's sake, fight till you win! If an electric garage door were about to crush your child you would hold it up with all our might and holler for help, and hold it and hold it and hold it and hold it.

E – ENJOY a superior satisfaction. Cultivate the capacities for pleasure in Christ. One reason lust reigns in so many is that Christ has so little appeal. We default to deceit because we have little delight in Christ. Don't say, "That's just not me." What steps have you taken to waken affection for Jesus? Have you fought for joy? Don't be fatalistic. You were created to treasure Christ with all your heart – more than you treasure sex or sugar. If you have little taste for Jesus, competing pleasures will triumph. Plead with God for the satisfaction you don't have: "Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days" (Psalm 90:14). Then look, look, look at the most magnificent Person in the universe until you see him the way he is.

M – MOVE into a useful activity away from idleness and other vulnerable behaviors. Lust grows fast in the garden of leisure. Find a good work to do, and do it with all your might. "Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord" (Romans 12:11). "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). Abound in work. Get up and do something. Sweep a room. Hammer a nail. Write a letter. Fix a faucet. And do it for Jesus' sake. You were made to manage and create. Christ died to make you "zealous for good deeds" (Titus 2:14). Displace deceitful lusts with a passion for good deeds.

Fighting at your side,

Pastor John

 

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Cell Phone Company Ethics

Cell phones are fast becoming a necessary part of our global lives. In fact, when I need to contact a student at WOLBI to whom I cannot send a text, I find myself frustrated by the strangeness of situation. With this developing dependency on technology comes the equally enslaving dependency on the companies that offer these services. Have you even been disgruntled through your interaction with a cell phone provider? I am sure I am not alone in my irritation with cell phone company ethics.

It should not surprise me that in our post-modern, no-morality-declaring culture that we have problems with ethics (our moral philosophy -the way we live out what we believe). The problem with moral relativity (a view that suggests there is no universal standard for right and wrong - this is oversimplified but will do for now. For further definition) is that everyone may have a different set of 'rules for life' or ethics.

This was obviously the case a couple weeks ago when a family cell was overcharged on a bill. "Not a big deal," I thought, "It happens to everyone." Until I phoned to get the charges reversed...
The company, which will remain nameless to protect their extreme guilty-ness, was apologetic but not overly willing to simply reverse the charges. Apparently this is a very difficult thing to do. Their response was, "We will credit the funds to your account." What!?

Does anyone else feel this logic is 'wrong-headed'? You take money from me that you are not authorized to take and then you want to 'hang on to it' until I may be indebted to you?!

Since when is taking someone's money without asking not stealing and thus, criminal? And if you steal and get caught, should you not repay what you took?! Call me crazy but is this kind of logic relative now too?

What amazed me the most was the complete lack of understanding that this is a morally wrong thing to do and very poor business ethics. Is it also normal for such a company to have no option for people to inform the company? I was told that their was no avenue for me to voice the concern other than the note flagged on the account. Thus I am resigned to simply inform and implore your readership to my cell phone fiasco plight.

Do you have any cell phone horror stories? I'd love to be an ear for your unanswered cry for justice. Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email.

All that said, I guess their is always another solution...you could always read How to Recycle Your Cell Phone.

Bible College or Seminary Scholarship Opportunity

Going to Seminary is expensive. On top of that, finding a scholarship can be really difficult. That's why I was so excited to find this Seminary Scholarship website today. Not only are they giving away a $1,000.00 scholarship and a digital theological library, all I had to do to apply was watch a short video and answer a few questions! It took less than 15 minutes. What is best of all is that if you're in seminary and apply for the Seminary Scholarship, and put my name as the person who referred you, if you win the scholarship, so do I! We could both get a $1,000.00 scholarship and digital theological library. So, do us both a favor and go apply for the Seminary Scholarship today.