Preaching in the International Church

“the same but different”

- The Lord and His Word

- ‘the same’ on Steroids

- from exhilaration to despair…and all points in between

“if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for the

battle?” 1 Corinthians 14.8

“It is my conviction that all true Christian preaching is expository

preaching. Every sermon should in some sense be an exposition of Scripture in the context.” John

Stott

Topical Sermons

Advantages • MEMORABLE• THOROUGH • SPECIFIC• AUTHORITATIVE• EASIER?

Concerns • BIBLICAL? • CONNECTIONS? • CONTEXT? • BALANCED? • WHOLE BOOKS? • SPIRITUAL GROWTH?

Textual Sermons

Advantages• READY TO BEGIN • FEW RESOURCES • MAXIMIZE STUDY TIME • MORE ISSUES STUDIED• CONTEXT UNDERSTOOD • LESS CONTROVERSY • BIBLE KNOWLEDGE

MEASURED • EFFECTIVE TRAINING

Concerns • FALSE PROMISE? • WEARINESS?• FRESH? • LEFT OUT? • TRAPPED?• INTERRUPTIONS?• TRANSIENCE ?

Big Books have Big Messages!

- Every 7 Chapters- Divide it into Natural Blocks

- Preach Big Blocks (Deuteronomy)- One Sermon on the Whole Book

- A Chapter a Week - A Verse a Week

Stability and Diversity

- Book Studies- Preaching Pastor

- Passage consistently Preached- Variety of Preachers

“our hearers are very intelligent but biblically uneducated”

Mark Dever

“Thus says the Lord GOD: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I

have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they

have gone.” Ezekiel 11.16