Expository preaching is a style of preaching that seeks to explain and apply the meaning of a biblical text. The goal is to help the congregation understand what the Bible says and how it applies to their lives. Here are some key features of expository preaching:
Preaches Through a Passage
Expository preaching works through a passage verse-by-verse, phrase-by-phrase, or concept-by-concept. It does not jump around from point to point but stays anchored in one main passage of Scripture. This allows the preacher to dig deep into the meaning of the text.
Exposes the Original Meaning
Expository preaching seeks to uncover the original intended meaning of a passage. It looks at the historical context, literary genre, grammar, and word meanings to understand what the biblical author was communicating to the original audience. This guards against reading modern ideas into the text.
Applies the Meaning
In expository preaching, the preacher does not only explain the original meaning but also applies it to the modern listeners. This involves drawing timeless theological principles and showing how the ancient text speaks to life today. Application should grow naturally out of interpretation.
Relies on the Power of God’s Word
Expository preaching has confidence in the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. It does not require clever speech or the latest ideas to impact lives. The preacher trusts that God’s Word faithfully preached will accomplish God’s purposes (Isaiah 55:10-11).
Takes Time
Because it treats texts carefully in context, expository preaching requires diligent study and preparation. The preacher cannot quickly put together a superficial topical message. This model takes dedication to mine the depths of Scripture week after week.
Can Preach Through Various Genres
Expository preaching can work through different biblical genres – epistles, narratives, wisdom, prophecy, and more. Each genre has its own challenges but the overall goal remains exposing the true meaning and applying it.
Demands Humility
The expositor must approach Scripture humbly, willing to submit to the text. He or she cannot manipulate the passage to fit a predetermined agenda but must modify personal opinions around God’s Word. The preacher is in fact under the authority of Scripture.
Fosters Bible Literacy
Systematically preaching through Scripture instills substantial biblical knowledge in a congregation over time. Expository series through books or sections of the Bible offer an excellent biblical education for the church.
Common Critiques
Despite its biblical fides, expository preaching attracts some criticism:
- It can lack passion and fail to connect emotionally.
- Heavy focus on explanation shortchanges application.
- It declines to address certain “hot topic” issues not found in a passage.
- Consecutive exposition through books ignores current events or interests.
- Some texts seem to naturally lend themselves to other preaching approaches.
Four Main Types of Expository Messages
While maintaining the overall aim of exposing meaning, expository sermons can take different specific forms:
1. Verse-by-Verse Exposition
Preaches through a passage line-by-line and verse-by-verse, offering explanation and comment on each phrase. This meticulous approach provides maximum detail.
2. Paragraph Preaching
Uses paragraph divisions in a passage as the basic units of thought for sermon points. Each point unpacks the flow of one paragraph. This allows grasping the overall logic of the text.
3. Idea Preaching
Identifies the key ideas or concepts contained in a passage and organizes the message around those main points. This approach looks at the didactic material as a whole.
4. Textual Preaching
Focuses on explaining the meaning and application of a specific verse or small section of Scripture. This laser focus provides depth on one concise passage.
Suitability for Particular Passages
Certain biblical texts lend themselves more naturally to the verse-by-verse approach of expository preaching:
- Epistles – With clear logical flow and didactic content, the New Testament letters offer fertile ground for sustained exposition that unpacks each concept.
- Law – The legal material in Exodus through Deuteronomy rewards careful treatment of each statute in sequence to grasp the covenant’s demands as a whole.
- Wisdom – The weighty, tightly linked proverbs and instructions in books like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job beg for thorough examination of how each precept fits in context.
- Prophecy – The dense symbolism and interconnected oracles in prophetic books like Isaiah and Ezekiel need verse-by-verse illumination to make sense of their messages.
Other genres and texts present more challenges for the consecutive approach:
- Narrative – Stories cover a wide range of material quickly, making it difficult to linger long on each scene. Key themes must be extracted and bridged.
- Gospels – The content overlaps between parallel accounts and rapid movement between events and teachings requires selective synthesis.
- Poetry – The concise, image-heavy nature of Hebrew poetry defies over-analysis of each line or phrase and calls for sensitivity to the whole dramatic movement.
Steps to Expository Preaching
Though requiring prayer and creativity, expository preaching follows a definable process:
1. Select the Scripture Passage
Choose a meaningful passage based on congregational needs, biblical sequence, or the church year. Resist pressure to start with a topic and look for a related text only later.
2. Study the Passage
Master the original meaning through historical research, word studies, theology, and considering scholarly resources. Move from the original audience to current relevance.
3. Determine the Main Idea
Prayerfully decide on a singular, straightforward, memorable idea that captures the essence of the passage in relation to your congregation. Let this control the rest of the process.
4. Organize Supporting Points
Outline the main heads and sub-points that support and flesh out your main idea. Be selective; do not try to say everything about a passage. Stick to the key ideas and their logical development.
5. Add Introductions and Conclusions
Frame your message by introducing the context, need, and direction upfront and tying the ultimate takeaway together at the end. This keeps the body on track.
6. Fill Out the Body
Following your outline, unpack your main idea by explaining supporting points in depth, making sub-points clear. Demonstrate how each part of the text builds upon the other into a cohesive thrust.
7. Research Illustrations
Think of stories, quotes, current events, and examples that illuminate the meaning in memorable ways. Anchor them to the culture of your listeners. Illustrations must serve the passage, not overshadow it.
8. Add Transitions
Smoothing the flow from point to point with transitional sentences and thought progression makes the message coherent. This logic helps listeners track with you.
9. Practice Delivery
Practice proper public speaking technique to clearly convey the message: vocal variety, eye contact, gestures, concise language. The goal is excellence in preaching God’s Word, not performance.
Benefits of Expository Preaching
Some key advantages summarize the value of the expository approach:
- It submits to the authority of Scripture as the source of message content.
- It provides deep nourishment as it systematically covers biblical truths.
- It allows each part of the Word of God to have its full impact.
- It protects against avoiding difficult texts or riding hobby horses.
- It prevents imposition of foreign ideas onto the text.
- It teaches the congregation how to study the Bible for themselves.
- It provides variety as different genres and books are covered.
- It gives the Holy Spirit more to work with as He applies God’s Word.
In an age of ignorance about the Bible, expository preaching offers an effective method for equipping believers with spiritual discernment and maturity. Faithful teaching and application of Scripture should characterize every pulpit committed to glorifying Christ.