Expositional Preaching

Once upon a time, I helped to organize Simeon Trust preaching workshops in Toronto. I don’t know any other workshop like them. Somebody’s compared them to spring training for preachers. You’re reminded of good preaching principles. You hear model sermons. You also get to practice your exegetical skills in small groups.

The problem with the workshops is that they’re not available everywhere. You can, however, benefit from the teaching of Simeon Trust’s founder by reading his helpful book Expositional Preaching: How We Speak God’s Word Today.

Expositional Preaching does a few simple things really well.

First, it helps the preacher understand the key steps to take, in order, from text to sermon. You can read many how-to sermon textbooks, and many of them are helpful. I can’t think of any that do a better job than this one on how to let the text shape your sermon.

Second, it puts the emphasis on all the right places. Helm reminds us of truths that we are prone to forget in the regular routine of sermon preparation. He helps us remember and recover the importance of listening closely and carefully to the text, of understanding the text before we move to making application to our people, and more. I experienced the same feeling reading this book that I did when attending a Simeon Trust workshop: that I already knew what Helm was teaching, but had forgotten it. I need to be reminded of what Helm teaches.

Finally, Helm communicates the importance of preaching. Helm is passionate about the importance of preaching. In an age that doesn’t always value preaching, Helm underlines the importance of the preaching of the Word. His passion is contagious.

There are many things to learn about preaching, but none of them are valuable until we master the basics. Expositional Preaching is all about the basics. We never move beyond them.

Reading this book isn’t quite as good as attending a Simeon Trust workshop, but it’s the next best thing. I don’t know a preacher who wouldn’t benefit from reading it.

On Thursday I’ll post some takeaways and my favorite quotes from the book.

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