5 of 5

The saving grace in this treacherous new territory for preachers is that Christianity has a message like no other religion—one that emphasizes a personal, loving God who made a very accessible provision for humanity's sin and spiritual bankruptcy. It's a message that people are looking for, whether they realize it or not, says Chapell. "Preachers often feel they need more and more experiential relevance for people to listen to the message. But when you survey people, they more often say that what they want is the truth of the Scriptures."

And September 11 should only reinforce that yearning, Chapell adds. "When our experience and sense of certainty erodes, we begin to look for more solid foundations, and I think that pushes people back to the biblical text."

And back to expository preaching.

Edward Gilbreath is an associate editor of Christianity Today.

Copyright © 2002 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Also appearing on our site today:

The Danger AheadHaddon Robinson on the precarious future of evangelical preaching.

The Time magazine profile of T.D. Jakes and the sidebar, "How much does the preaching matter?," are available online at Time.com.

Christianity Today sister publication Leadership Journal provides practical advice to church leaders. In 1996, the magazine listed six reasons for preachers not to turn away from expository preaching.

Another Christianity Today International resource for church leaders is PreachingToday.com.

The official Web site for E.K. Bailey Ministries has information on the 2002 International Conference on Expository Preaching.

This biography of Haddon Robinson includes links to all schools he has attended and ministries and boards he is associated with. Robinson did an interview with CT's sister magazine, Leadership, on how to keep errors from creeping into Scripture application.

Robinson has authored many books, including Biblical Preaching, Biblical Sermons, What Jesus Said About Successful Living, and Decision-Making by the Book.

Lori Carrell's The Great American Sermon Survey is available at Amazon.com.

Graham Johnston's Preaching to a Postmodern World and Bryan Chapell's Christ-Centered Preaching are available at Christianbook.com.

Previous Christianity Today articles on preaching the Bible include:

The Silenced WordWhy aren't evangelicals reading the Bible in worship anymore? (March 20, 2001)

The Greatest Story Never ReadRecovering biblical literacy in the church. (August 9, 1999)

I Love to Tell the Story to Those Who Know It LeastBiblical preaching in a post-Christian culture. (August 9, 1999)

first page |  5 of 5

share this page

April 1 2002, Vol. 46, No. 4