"Preaching for God's Glory" by Alistair Begg

ISBN #978-158134-123-2

Preaching is something I've always wondered about...wondered in the sense that I ask myself whether this is something I feel called to do. I know that I love teaching the Word, and every day when I read the Bible I ask myself how I could present what I've read to somebody else. I've never yet been able to provide myself with an answer to this important question though. Until now.

After reading reading this little booklet by Alistair Begg, (there are only 47 pages) I have discovered that while I love the Word of God, it is the teaching aspect I love most of all. I do not, however, have the temperament to be a true under-shepherd for the people of God. More on this later.

In this very helpful book, aimed at those in the ministry, Begg makes a strong case for expository preaching being the most biblical manner for pastors to teach their flocks. And by expository he does not necessarily mean that week after week one should teach verse by verse through books of the Bible. In fact, he says that “[t]eaching the Bible in this way should not mean a lack of variety. In fact, the variety inherent in the Bible itself should be present in our preaching. Expository preaching need not be limited to exhaustive and exhausting studies through books of the Bible. Ninety percent of what I do is careful study of particular Bible books, but we can also do character studies or a series on the parables in Luke or on key Christian doctrines and tackle each of them in an expository form. For example, in preaching on the matter of temptation we can expound the first half of James 1 rather than pulling together material from all over the Bible. We serve our people best when we make clear that we are committed to teaching the Bible by teaching the Bible!”

This practice he refers to of pulling verses from all over Scripture in order to fit the message of the preacher is something that particularly annoys me personally. It is the message of our God that I want to hear, and I will hear it best when the Word is put in its context! When preachers use the method of “cherry picking” it is too often because they themselves have a message they want to impart rather than because of wanting to present what it was they learned through their careful study of the Word.

There are benefits too, in preaching the Word in an expository manner. In chapter four, Begg mentions the following:

1. It Gives Glory to God Alone: Expository preaching gives glory to God, which ought to be the ultimate end of all we do.

2. It Makes the Preacher Study God's Word: Expository preaching demands that the preacher himself become a student of the Word of God.

3. It Helps the Congregation: Expository preaching enables the congregation to learn the Bible in the most obvious and natural way.

4. It Demands Treatment of the Entire Bible: Expository preaching prevents the preacher from avoiding difficult passages or from dwelling on his favorite texts.

5. It Provides a Balanced Diet: Expository preaching assures the congregation of enjoying a balanced diet of God's Word.

6. It Eliminates Saturday Night Fever: Expository preaching liberates the preacher from the pressure of last-minute preparation on Saturday night.

One of the things I appreciated about that very last point was that Begg pointed out how liberating it can be for a preacher to always know what he will be preaching..and preaching in an expository manner insures that the preacher never lacks material! I remember how at a church I used to attend, the preacher and his staff would go on a yearly retreat where they would plan out the series for the coming year. Why they needed a whole week of camping to determine this is beyond me, but I suspect a weekend (if that!) would have been sufficient if expository preaching had been the norm rather than the exception!

Begg's booklet also points out the types of preachers that too often arise when a preacher does not practice expository preaching, including the cheerleader, the psychologist, and the entertainer. He discuses these and others briefly...and unless you are so privileged as to attend a church where the pastor is commited to expository preaching, you will too readily recognize your own preacher on this list!

Although written for those in the ministry, I highly recommend this book to everyone! After all, us laypeople are called to be students of the Word also, and to study it carefully we should approach it with all of the reverence it deserves.

So how do I know I am not called to the ministry? Simply because in teaching the Word of God I already have my ministry. I may not be currently teaching in a Sunday school class, but I am privileged to teach to my kids and their friends once a month during our sword-tag events. I also have started teaching my younger son through the Psalms as often as possible in the evenings, and by the grace of God I am able to teach through my interaction with co-workers and through my blog. Pastors, however, have a more distinct calling than teaching...though that is it's most important function in my mind. In addition to their teaching, pastors must also minister to a myriad of other spiritual needs among the flock. They must be gentle as needed and stern when required to be. Above all, and I may be wrong here, they have to walk gently and be somewhat political. I know myself too well to think that I could do all of these things! Whether right or wrong, I see things pretty much in black and white. So I conclude that I am not called to the ministry in this sense, but I still must fulfill my own calling as best as I can...as should we all!

Please, my brethren, read this book. It will only take you a couple of days if not one day...and you'll be blessed by it and come to appreciate your pastors if they practice expository preaching. If they don't, then you will be able to exhort them to do so! Good luck with that. :)

God Bless!