Doctrinal Preaching
Preach Penal Substitutionary Atonement
The penal substitutionary theory of the atonement is a core doctrine within Christianity. There are many metaphors for the atonement that are useful, understandable, and true.[1]See Colin E. Gunton, The Actuality of Atonement: A Study of Metaphor, Rationality ... Read More »
Interpreting the Text Theologically
One of the questions that often arises when interpreting a text concerns theology. As Steven W. Smith has emphasized: we don’t preach sermons; we preach texts. As such, the meaning of the pericope—the preaching text—should be our greatest concern. We mus... Read More »
Applying Doctrine
You may’ve seen a meme that’s circulated on social media. One man says, “I don’t care about doctrine, I just follow Jesus.” His friend responds, “Oh, and tell me about Jesus?” With great passion, the first man responds, “He’s God incarnate, w... Read More »
Preaching Difficult Texts
Preaching is hard. Our responsibility to rightly divide the word of truth requires discipline and diligence (2 Tim 2:15). And, the magnitude of our task and ultimate accountability before the Lord is humbling and, in many ways, overwhelming (cf. Js 3:1). But t... Read More »
Catechizing the Church
Few times in the history of the Christian church have God’s people been more serious about spiritual maturity than the age of the Puritans (c. 1550–c. 1700). Part of the reason so many people embraced spiritual maturity during this time was because of the ... Read More »
Using the Doctrine in Your Text
As we, for a moment, gaze back into the history of Puritan preaching, it is clear that Puritan preaching affirmed that all biblical doctrine assuredly points to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. J.I. Packer, when writing on the Puritans, noted that “Doctr... Read More »
Uncovering the Doctrine in Your Text
You’ll probably feel a slight loss of control and a vibration. There might be a distinct sound. Your new car is telling you something about your driving. In fact, when you feel the steering wheel course correcting your automobile because you’re weaving out... Read More »
The Danger of Preaching a Doctrine and Not a Text
Who cares if you preach a doctrine, especially orthodox doctrine, instead of a text? You may think “danger” is melodramatic. My goal is to show you the potential dangers when we preach a doctrine instead of a text. Preaching a doctrine and preaching a text... Read More »
The Need for Theology in the Pulpit
The words resound in my mind to this day. The revival preacher had opened the Bible, read the text, and began to preach. As he made his way through the body of the sermon, the people waited with anticipation for the crescendo toward which the preacher was buil... Read More »
