Kelly Burton

Sources of Application

Sermon application is most effective interwoven throughout a sermon. The efficient expositor stirs his listeners back to the subject at hand with pointed questions, eye to eye contact, and first-person singular pronouns. Why wait? Why wait until after an illus... Read More »

Applying Ephesians

God will even the score. Stay awake and He will keep you safe. Every sermon listener ought to hear a short pithy statement throughout your sermon that contains two essential elements: what is true about a Bible text, and what God expects them to do. I have bee... Read More »

Applying Jonah

I just returned from my fortieth high school reunion. Although it was a delight to see so many friends, I walked away realizing that some had not changed at all. Even though so many of us looked so old, there were so few of us making a real go at maturity. The... Read More »

Reasons for Planning Your Preaching

In one of several interviews with Alistair Begg, I asked if he followed a strict order of explanation, illustration, and application when preparing a sermon. Begg replied, ā€œIā€™m a bit of a menace to expository preachers.ā€ Begg is hardly a menace, yet what... Read More »

Sermon Application and the Impact of Disciplines

There is a distinct connection between sermon application and spiritual disciplines. After reflecting on my seminary training, I lament a thorough exposure to sermon application. Sermon application is the portion of the sermon whereby listeners are encouraged ... Read More »

Preaching Pointers from Ephesians

If one was to pull John Calvin’s commentary on Ephesians off the shelf, one would find forty-eight expositional sermons in a seven hundred page commentary! Well, we are not John Calvin, right? Most of us lack the depth of such scholarly insight. Furtherm... Read More »