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Which Do You Prefer .....

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by wpe3bql, May 26, 2015.

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  1. wpe3bql

    wpe3bql Member

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    ..... Expository or Topical preaching?

    I've been a member of some churches where one seemed to emphasize one of them, and then I've also been a member of some churches that seemed to emphasize the other one.

    If I had to make a choice, I'd pick expository preaching.

    When I was only a 3-YO "Babe in Christ," I joined an IFBC whose Pastor was very much an expository preacher. In fact, he would preach on one book on Sunday AM, on another one on Sunday PM, and on another one on Wednesday PM!

    He was also very much a Greek scholar, but he never "preached down" to us folks in the pew.

    He retired as Pastor in the middle 1980's. He was then invited to serve as an adjunct professor in Greek at a Bible college in the Midwest.

    He's now rejoicing face to face with Jesus, but he definitely was strong on encouraging people to secure as much valid Biblical education as possible.

    This isn't to say that he never preached a topical message, but they were few and far between.

    Occasionally he'd do a series of messages on a particular subject or on a major Bible character.

    Although it's been some 40+ years since I was with him on a week to week basis, I still remember those sermons he'd preach!
     
    #1 wpe3bql, May 26, 2015
  2. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    Expository preaching - although I believe topical is often needed as well. Now that I think of it, I suppose the Book of Hebrews is really a topical sermon that expounds.....(sorry...it just popped into my head). I think that they can be blended, but I also think that Rev will disagree with your categories.

    My problem with topical sermons is that sometimes pastors end up taking passages out of their context (it is easier than some may admit for this to happen). My problem with expository is when one merely goes down the passage and does not address the topics that the church needs to hear (I've heard some that were a bit too academic). I think that we can do both - address issues and topics of concern by expositorily working through Scripture.
     
    #2 JonC, May 26, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: May 26, 2015
  3. wpe3bql

    wpe3bql Member

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    JonC ---

    I agree with what you said.

    One Pastor I had would often times "Take a text, and then depart from it."

    That got old really quick.

    The thing that concerns me with 110%+ topical preaching is that it usually winds up having a church full of Biblically illiterate people---something that the cults prey on.

    Yes, you may find some expository preachers that seldom descend from their ivory towers, but that is not per se the fault of the concept of expository preaching.
     
    #3 wpe3bql, May 26, 2015
  4. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Expository preaching CAN be topical as well. My husband will alternate a book of the Bible with a bit of a topical series but he really does dig into God's Word for the topical subject as well. It's a pet peeve of ours to do the cherry picking topical study rather than really seeing what the Word has to say about a particular subject. He almost never uses a single verse in a passage but will usually use a few verses to even the whole chapter. It makes for a lot of reading!!

    Right now we are doing a series on James called "It Makes a Difference". :)
     
    #4 annsni, May 27, 2015
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  5. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    Yes.............
     
    #5 go2church, May 28, 2015
  6. JohnDeereFan

    JohnDeereFan Well-Known Member
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    I prefer topical preaching.

    Topical preaching is fine, but for me, although I prefer topical preaching, the need is expository preaching.

    Besides, if you teach folks the Word, they'll already know how to handle the topic.
     
    #6 JohnDeereFan, Oct 12, 2015
  7. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    I am a topical preacher.
     
    #7 Salty, Oct 12, 2015
  8. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    I am an Expository Preacher and consider it the only preaching with complete affinity to the text of the Scriptures.

    I have avoided Topical preaching for two reasons.

    1. The danger of proof texting.

    2. The danger of hobby horse preaching.

    There is now a third type of preaching that is sweeping many seminaries today: Narrative Preaching. My pastor uses this methodology (it is more than a mere method) and I like some of his sermons and am not so enamoured with others. In my opinion it often lacks the clarity and simplicity that good preaching should have. :)

    But regardless of your chosen method, "Preach the word!" :)
     
    #8 TCassidy, Oct 12, 2015
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  9. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    Nothing but expository for me.:)
     
    #9 Earth Wind and Fire, Oct 12, 2015
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  10. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    LOL! :p:rolleyes:
     
    #10 TCassidy, Oct 12, 2015
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  11. dyanmarie25

    dyanmarie25 Member

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    I would have to go with expository preaching. I believe every word/message in the Bible should be explained in a very detailed manner.
     
    #11 dyanmarie25, Oct 15, 2015
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  12. Craigbythesea

    Craigbythesea Active Member

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    Only one of these has a biblical president—and that biblical president could scarcely be more pervasive. Can you even begin to imagine Jesus preaching an expository sermon! Eek Or Paul? Rolleyes Or Peter? Whistling Let’s get real here!
     
    #12 Craigbythesea, Mar 13, 2016
  13. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    I know Jesus, and I know Paul, and I know Peter, but who are you? :)
     
    #13 TCassidy, Mar 13, 2016
  14. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    IMO, We need both.

    Expository then topical.

    The balance is the important issue.

    There is also, devotional preaching (again IMO) where folks are called to repentance and/or renewal.

    HankD
     
    #14 HankD, Mar 24, 2016
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