Biblio-Centric Preaching

(Text-Driven Preaching)

Note: I originally wrote this blog for my church’s newsletter over 15 years ago. This article/blog is an updated edition of that original article.

If you ask the average pastor what is his style of preaching, more than likely he would say that his preaching is called “expository” preaching. (more about this in a moment). Yet, as I scan the landscape of preaching in many pulpits across our nation today, I am disheartened at what I see many calling “expository” preaching. It appears that the term “expository” has been stretched to such a point that I am not sure what it means to many today. Perhaps we could say it is like the word evangelicalism. Evangelicalism is now an umbrella that covers a much broader spectrum than it did 50 plus years ago. Because of this misnomer, I am compelled to use another term that I think best captures what is, indeed, meant to be expository preaching. I prefer to use the expression, “Biblio-Centric” preaching.

The word “Biblio” is a Greek word that comes from a word from which we get the word Bible.  Thus, I prefer to use this term in order to speak of bible-centered or more specifically, text-centered or text-driven preaching. My contention is that far too many messages are seeker-driven or felt-need driven or application-driven  instead of being truly biblio-centric or text-driven.

So, what is Biblio-Centric preaching? The most distinguishing characteristic of the biblio-centric preaching is that the preaching is exegetical which is a systematic process of “drawing out” the original meaning of a biblical text. This is accomplished through a historical-cultural analysis, a deep study of the historical context, and a grammatical examination of the original word meanings and  syntax in the text. Thus, the text drives the meaning of the message.  More specifically, text-driven (exegetical) preaching is a term that means the actual structure of the sermon, to some extent, as well as the content or substance of the sermon and the overall meaning of the sermon, all should come from what is found in the text itself after the depths of the text have been mined. The process of mining or digging into the text for its meaning and message is called exegesis.  So in that sense, the sermon is not topically driven, nor felt-need driven; nor is it audience driven or application driven. It is driven by the original meaning of the text. Remember, the best interpreter of scripture is scripture itself.  The Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 2:15 instructed young Timothy to, “be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

Too often a preacher starts with a text, and often a topical idea or felt-need or application from the text, and then he weaves his message around that topic,  felt-need, or application of the text. Instead of beginning with the text and studying the text, the preacher begins with bible commentaries, sermon outlines and a few word studies perhaps; then he weaves  the text around the topic or felt-need that he brought to the text. The digging into the original text (Greek or Hebrew) of the original author is becoming a lost art.  Too often the study is to make a passage fit a need of the audience.  But as one scholar declared, “A text without a context, is a pre-text.”

Please note that such justice to the text cannot be done in a four-to-six hour study. The real exegete has a love and passion to mine the biblical text and his time of study will reflect this love and passion for God’s word. I fear that with the Internet and the flow of information, many pastors are looking for “fast food sermons.”  We should never forget that we who are called to preach, are to remember that we are handling “The” WORD OF GOD. We are to treat it carefully and skillfully.  This takes time, diligence and a passion to deliver the true meaning of God’s message in the text.  Shallow study and preparation lead to shallow messages; shallow messages lead to shallow Christians. Dr. Howard Hendricks of Dallas Seminary often said, “A mist in the pulpit, is a fog in the pew.”  Perhaps John MacArthur said it best:

I don’t need fifteen hours to prepared a sermon. I can prepare a sermon in half an hour. I need fifteen hours to understand the text with clarity. It’s hard to get to the point of clarity. You have to be driven to understand it. But, if you step into the pulpit with a substantially clear grasp of the biblical concept, it has a profound effect on how you preach.

I believe that God’s word has greater power and  authority when we allow the Holy Spirit to take its textual meaning and speak first to the messenger and secondly, to the people of God through the messenger. I recognize the need at times for topical messages such as marriage, the family, biblical biographies, etc.  I certainly have preached on all of those topics through the years.  However, it is my view that these should be the exception to the rule and not the norm. For when a preacher is committed to text-driven preaching, he will find that the majority of preaching series will be book-by-book, verse-by-verse studies of God’s word, with a passion to capture the meaning and message of the original writers.  The preaching will not be driven by felt-needs or its popularity to a given audience.  Equally, I believe that the product of such preaching will, in turn, equip believers how to study the Word…not simply give them a few croutons from the bread of life. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

My purpose is not to condemn any one group, but to first, state clearly  the role of every pastor who attempts to impart God’s word to God’s people. Secondly, I desire to remind and call preachers and teachers back to the in-depth study and teaching of God’s Word. I believe that it is a sad commentary on our preaching when sermons are graded as good or very good based solely upon the amount of application alone. My fear is that the church in the United States is becoming one that is a mile long on application and foot deep on spiritual depth and understanding. Such famine will eventually leave the church malnourished of its power.

Dr. Byron Morgan