To list or not to list? That is the question for preachers who prepare expository sermons. I listen to a fair share of sermons online and even live. At least half of the sermons which can be classified as ‘expository’ employ a list as an organizing principle. These sermons unpack a biblical passage by presenting five facts about God’s love, three marks of a committed disciple, four principles about the testing of our faith, or three strategies for finding God’s will. Is this an appropriate approach? To list or not to list? That is the question!
My preference is to follow the contours of a biblical passage. That is, I proceed through a passage by following the Scripture writer’s flow of thought. What I like best about this approach is the variety it creates. It rescues me from falling into the same old predictable pattern in each sermon.
Sometimes, following the contours of a biblical passage will dictate a list. The writer of Proverbs introduces a block of text by saying, “There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him” (Proverbs 6:16). My sermon on this text will not consist of three points and a poem! It will develop a list of seven things which God hates.
Currently, I’m preaching through John 13-21 in a series titled Jesus’ Mission in High Definition. Three weeks ago, I preached through John 13:31-14:14 by sharing four ‘great expectations’ which Jesus has for his followers living between his departure and his second coming. As I wrestled with the shape of the text, I sensed that Jesus was instructing his followers how to live in the wake of his departure. He instructed them in four areas – not one area or three areas. By the way, I’m sold on the ‘big idea’ approach to preaching as expressed by Haddon Robinson in his class textbook, Biblical Preaching. John 13:31-14:14 simply provides an example of a passage in which the main idea contains multi-elements.
However, most passages of Scripture do not unfold through the presentation of a list. This Sunday, I’ll preach on John 15:18-16:4. The first section of text identifies the cause of persecution as the world’s hostility to Jesus. The second block of text calls Jesus’ followers to stay the course when they face persecution. Within this section, Jesus calls for two responses: (1) testify about him and (2) do not go astray because persecution catches you off guard. So there is a small list in this second section! What I don’t want to do, though, is to obliterate the ‘explanation-response’ flow of the sermon by simply presenting “five principles about persecution.”
I’ll share some more thoughts next week on this issue. But what do you think? Do you find list-preaching effective? Why do you practice it or avoid it?
Posted by Steve Mathewson at 9:28 AM on March 2, 2007
Comments
I find that following the flow of the text is much more effective and that lists can sometimes come across as artificial. Plus, as you pointed out, they have that stale, predictable feel when it's done week after week. I believe an outline that follows the flow of the text allows me more creativity in presenting the sermon. And I think one of the strongest reasons is that it allows my to be more conversational. I don't want to be a lecturer. I don't talk to other people in lists all day so why should I in the pulpit?
In my experience I feel that more than half of the sermons I encounter are list based. (Of course that reflects on the church I attend and other churches/pastors/sermons I encounter. . . which may or may not be representative of the norm). Anyway, I question why there are so many list-based preachers. Who is teaching them that way? Is it perhaps the path of least resistance? And why is it equated with expository preaching? (Expository preaching doesn't require listing but it can include it...and listing can be expository preaching but the presence of a list doesn't make it so).
Another problem with listing (when it's not in the text) is that listing is often accompanied by alliteration. I realize that alliteration is a memory device and should help people better remember but I believe it often weakens the sermon. Often one or two points in the list seem awkward in order to make sure they begin with and "R" or "P."
Thanks for this blog Steve and Brian. I may not pastor a church but I love preaching the Word of God and now I get a chance to learn from some of the best!
Posted by: Kevin Mathewson on March 2, 2007
Lists attract my attention when I'm scanning through blog posts or magazine articles because they promise something practical and give me bite-sized nuggets of information. I use lists often in my preaching, though not necessarily as the main structure.
Posted by: Dennis Mullen on March 2, 2007
Great stuff, Steve. The Gospels present the message of the author to a group in a specif seitz en leben (old seminary stuff!)through a story. I've been stuggling with that tendency to list, or fall under the same pattern and handle a Gospel genre well.
I like your idea of finding the flow of the passage. Even broader than the context of the chapter is the flow of the book. John is developing a "that you might believe" theme through several sections, so somehow this text builds on the bigger idea of the book.
Its very difficult to do justice to a story line through a typical linear message. Thanks for the thoughts
Posted by: Tim Weidlich on March 2, 2007