Monday, February 11, 2008

DTMW4I: Derek Thomas

Expository preaching is a necessary corollary of the doctrine of the God-breathed nature of Scripture. The idea is not so much that God breathed into the Scriptures, but that the Scriptures are the product of His breathing out.--Feed My Sheep, 63
Derek Thomas then goes on to list 6 advantages of the lectio continua preaching model:
    1. It introduces the congregation to the entire Bible.
    2. It ensures that infrequently traveled areas of the Bible are covered.
    3. Preachers unwittingly shape the way their hearers read their Bibles. Consecutive expository preaching can inculcate sound habits of personal Bible study.
    4. Only by the discipline of consecutive expository preaching will a congregation be exposed to the full range of Scripture's interests and concerns.
    5. It is not an unworthy consideration to desire to sustain a congregation's interest from week to week by variety.
    6. Nothing I know better aids preachers in thinking ahead and preparing ahead than this discipline of consecutive expository preaching.



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Dr. Derek Thomas, originally from Wales, is Associate Professor of Systematic and Practical Theology as well as Dean of Chapel at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. He serves as the Minister of Teaching at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson.

2 comments:

brother_barabbas said...

amen?!!

Keith's Blog said...

7. Every human need or topic will eventually be covered in the course of preaching through books of the Bible. If you preach topically, you will miss lots of topics.

8. The congregation receives a vast collection of biblical truth to compare and contrast, that is, with which to do theology. (like, remember in Exodus we saw this, or in Romans we saw this, etc.)

9. The congregation has a biblical benchmark to measure growth and events ("I was saved while we were in Matthew", "I started coming while we were in Acts", "our building was built . . .", "our marriage was saved . . .", etc.

10. Everyone can see how God moves personal or world events to match what the preacher is preaching, rather than the preacher trying to manipulate sermons in order to be relevant. The eternal is always relevant.