Expository preaching (teaching) is popular. However, a great number of expository preachers today are upholding to the forms of expository preaching only, which is explaining biblical texts verse by verse, chapter by chapter, and book by book. This is a typical procedure: reading the text then textual commentaries, then presenting major points in the text, and lastly some applications. The focus is on explaining the text and its meanings.
There is nothing wrong with explaining the texts, and one certainly needs to understand the texts. But explaining the texts is not enough, far from enough. What distinguishes the preaching of MLJ or John MacArthur is not that they are simply explaining the texts, rather, one essence of their preaching is doctrinal teaching, including doctrinal arguments. They teach the biblical doctrines relevant to the texts and address the common concerns people have related to such doctrines or the associated practice. This is also one of the prominent features of Puritan preaching. The power of Puritan preaching lies not in the forms, or any forms, but in the doctrinal richness and experimental depth. The doctrines are the bones, and the experimental analysis is the flesh. Only then could a proper Christian piety be built.
Popular expository preaching today lacks both. It explains the texts within the framework of orthodoxy, that is, no heresies are being taught (which is good). And it draws out some practical lessons for Christians and makes an evangelistic appeal to unbelievers (which is also good). Christians and unbelievers certainly could benefit from such teaching. But only to a certain extent, limited extent. The problem is that there is not enough substance to support a Christian piety or a Christian conversion.
Let’s look at Christian piety here. Christian piety cannot be separated from being informed about rules of piety (pious thinking and pious deeds), which are what common preaching provides. This information fills the vacuum created by ignorance. If someone does not know what piety is, he certainly will not be pious or pursue piety. Man’s predicament is not his ignorance alone. What obstructs true piety is not ignorance alone. Lack of pious thinking has a more fundamental problem beyond what to think, but the underlying framework of thinking, the system of thinking that one upholds to. Lack of pious deeds has a more fundamental problem beyond what to do or the will to do it, but the heart, where everything else springs out.
That is why powerful preaching has doctrinal content as bones and experimental analysis as flesh. The former deals with the framework of thinking and the latter deals with the heart. The former is an anatomy of the mind and the latter of the heart. God’s Word is what pierces into the mind and heart, as Hebrews 4:12-13 says. Without this, the preacher is talking at a level disengaged from the reality of the audience. In another word, the preacher is not attacking the fortress that imprisons the man, his mind and heart. He is simply shouting at the gate and hope somehow the listener will walk out.
Powerful preaching brings the listener high through doctrines, showing God, His nature, and His works, so that the listener may know the mind of God, in order to think after God. Then it brings the listener deep into the heart of man through experimental analysis, “discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart”, so that the listener may know his own heart and get cleansed, healed, edified by God’s grace and truth. Compared to this, explaining the texts is rudimentary; not unimportant but only a prerequisite, an entrance to something more outstanding.
Some may argue that the recommended manner of preaching is too complicated and too difficult for regular listeners, who are not even familiar with the basic facts of the Bible or basic rules of piety. However, most listeners may have an even bigger issue: they are content with not knowing basic facts of the Bible or basic rules of piety, and content with knowing some basic facts of the Bible or basic rules of piety. They do not see the need, not to mention urgency, of knowing more. What gives them such impression? Is it not the orthodox yet empty, pious yet superficial teaching? They do not see the need for change at the structural level, in the mind and heart. That is why they are content with the operational level.
The power of God’s Word is to transform man at both the structural level and the operational level. The former is more critical since the status of former determines the status of latter. If we would like to see a man functioning properly, he must have proper bones and flesh. Sound preaching is healthy preaching, and a preaching in order to be called healthy, must build up healthy bones and flesh.
This is the high calling of preachers and pastors.
