A majority of those who attend church would agree that Scripture should obviously set the agenda for any sermon. However, in a lot of churches, it isn’t the case. Does your church actually preach the Word of God every Sunday?
Ed Stetzer and H.B. Charles Jr. explain why its important for every Christian to find a church that provides preaching with a firm foundation in the Scripture.
“I believe there ought to be a priority on Scripture in preaching.”
Often, preachers will present the congregation with ideas they’ve thought up on their own and they pick out Scripture verses that seem back up their claims. Many pastors have succumbed to this kind of preaching and have begun to use Scripture to support their agenda instead of letting Scripture set the agenda.
Traditional vs. Topical
If you go to church regularly there is a good chance you’ve been exposed to many different styles of preaching. Two of the most common are traditional and topical preaching.
Traditional expository preaching involves a minister who teaches on a specific set of passages. Ministers will often create a sermon series working through a particular book of the Bible. This style is the most common and often thought of as more biblically-based.
Topical preaching is an alternative style which provides the audience with a broad survey or panorama regarding what Scripture teaches about a certain topic such as depression or spiritual warfare. Topical preaching carries with it a negative connotation because it is often not driven by Scripture. However, it can be done in a way that is grounded in Christ and not human understanding.
“The goal in all of it is to make the text the priority, and let the Word of God speak.”
It is important to be wary of ministers who use the Word of God as a springboard to promote and validate their own ideas. Jesus Christ is the head of the body of believers, not the pastor. It is imperative for the messages being preached in a church to be rooted in Bible and centered on Christ regardless of the style of exposition.
Is the Word of God the foundation of the sermons you hear at your church?
