Posted on March 5, 2009 - by Stephen Murray
Andy Stanley on Expository Preaching
Guys that preach verse-by-verse through books of the Bible– that is just cheating. It’s cheating because that would be easy, first of all. That isn’t how you grow people. No one in the Scripture modeled that. There’s not one example of that. (read the rest and the context of his comment here)
Andy Stanley is an extremely gifted communicator and God has used him in a big way but I’m afraid I don’t see eye to eye with him on this one. The reason I’m primarily an expository preacher is theological not methodological nor for any other reason. I’m simply convinced that I am a fallible instrument through which God chooses to make his word known. One of the ways I can compensate for my fallibility and falleness is to allow the Scripture to set the agenda of my messages as opposed to me ultimately deciding which way to present Scriptural truths. It is not easy nor is it cheating – it’s a theological statement and a long list of expository preachers from church history would suggest that actually people do grow through it.
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Stephen Murray
Christian, husband to my beautiful Robin, missional dreamer, pastor, church planter, Arsenal, Sharks and Springbok supporter, surfer (in the real sea), patriotic South African, Capetonian. Find out more about the church planting work I'm involved in at my support blog.
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March 5, 2009
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Mary said:
I agree, Stephen. I would add that the Holy Spirit preaches in an expository manner through Scripture itself. And I’d also add that far from being easy, expository preaching can be very difficult, because one cannot leave the difficult bits out.
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March 6, 2009
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dave said:
he has some good things to say, but letting felt needs drive the agenda rather than bringing the ever relevant word page by page to God’s people seems loopy to me. Sure, sometimes an expository-topical preach is helpful, but the norm has to be just letting God speak through the books he gave us.
Peter Adam is helpful,
http://beginningwithmoses.org/bigger/expositorypreaching.htm
As is Matt Chandler at the recent DG conference.
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March 6, 2009
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Jenny Hillebrand said:
I don’t always preach verse by verse, but I have learnt that God knows the needs of the congregation way better than I do and that Scripture somehow speaks to all far more effectively than my attempts at being topical. So if I have a thought on a passage and consider leaving it out because ‘it won’t apply to anyone there’, I leave it in because I have seen how God knows better!
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March 28, 2009
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Thomas said:
One of Stanley’s books was a primary source for my postgraduate studies. His philosophy shows. I highlighted a tendency of his to delete God’s role from his exegesis, which he would unlikely do with closer examination. Re the David and Goliath episode, he states: “David’s leadership was established through his courage — not his talent or even his calling by God”.