Basic Commitments in Preaching

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Last night, I discussed with my wife the first lesson in homiletics. It took us more or less an hour to complete the lesson. The topic is The Power of the Word and Character in Preaching. I asked her the reason why the Evangelical Covenant Church of Manila (ECCM) initiated the study of Titus. She said that primarily, the goal is discipleship and personal growth, and later could be an opportunity to speak in an event organized by ladies in the church.

Tonight, I will be discussing with her the second lesson, and hence, the reason why I am publishing this article.

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Chapter 2 of Bryan Chapell's Christ-Centered Preaching speaks about basic commitments in preaching. Chapell introduces these basic commitments by giving three statements, which are obviously biblical and true but will not necessarily qualify as an appropriate message in preaching. The statements are:

The walls of Babylon were as much as 350 feet high and 80 feet wide.

The Gnostic heresy at Colosse contained elements of extreme hedonism and asceticism.

The Greek word for the “emptying” concept of Philippians 2:7 is kenosis.

Chapell identifies the missing components from the above statements to qualify them as a sermon. The statements lack three things, which form the main content of chapter 2. The missing components are the unifying theme, purpose, and application.

Commitment to Preach a Sermon with a Unifying Theme

The commitment to obtain a unifying theme shows that a sermon centers not on many ideas but on a single idea. Chapell elaborates on both the reason and the process in determining the single idea. The reason behind such emphasis on a single idea is to avoid the usual inclination of the mind to wander. This case is true on the part of both the preacher and the listeners.

In the mind of the present writer, Chapell’s example on the connection between the main idea and the subordinate ideas is more appropriate to fall under this section. Chapell states that a sermon with three main points, such as “(1) God is loving, (2) God is just, and (3) God is sovereign” (p. 40), is not actually dealing with three ideas but with a single idea, such as “The Attributes of God.” Only by ascertaining this single idea can a preacher perform his basic commitment in forming a sermon.

Concerning the process of determining the single idea of a sermon, an exegete-preacher needs to derive this idea from the text itself. The exegete-preacher does this by reading the text carefully, digesting its parts, and asking the question:

What does the author say in the text?

What does the author say about what he does say about?

After doing this, the exegete—preacher—has to develop the main idea into a brief sentence. Again, Chapell provides us with both negative and positive examples in forming a single idea.

This example should not be followed:

When the sinful nation of Israel went into exile, its messianic hope and vision were mistakenly and faithlessly diminished because pre-Ezran and pre-Nehemiahic proofs of God’s sovereign plan, purpose, and intentions for his people were obscured in Babylonian circumstances of incarceration and oppression that would not be relieved until the Persian emancipation and further covenantal revelations in advancing redemptive history (p. 39).

This is a good example:

God remains faithful to faithless people” (ibid.).

Commitment to Preach a Sermon with a Clear Purpose in Mind

Identifying the main idea is just the beginning of forming a sermon. The second basic commitment an exegete-preacher must have is to understand the purpose behind the main idea. In explaining this commitment, Chapell elaborates on three things: introducing the idea of FCF, three considerations in formulating an FCF, and the three questions to ask in order to come up with an FCF of the text.

Chapell introduces the idea of FCF by first asking the question:

What was the intention of the inspired author?

What was the purpose of the Holy Spirit in writing the text?

In general, the Holy Spirit Himself provides us the purpose in writing the Holy Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 states that the purpose of the entire Scripture is for the man of God to be “thoroughly equipped” for every good work. Chapell, depending on the works of other exegetes, indicates that the sense in Greek includes the ideas of completing us, perfecting us, making us whole, and making us more like God (p. 41). Another text that teaches the purpose of the Holy Spirit is Romans 15:4. This verse clearly declares that giving us “hope” is the intention of the Holy Spirit in writing the Scriptures.

Chapell labels the intention of the Holy Spirit or the telos of the text as Fallen Condition Focus (FCF). He defines FCF as “the mutual human condition that contemporary believers share with those to or for whom the text was written that requires the grace of the passage” (p. 42). Chapell stresses that this is the one thing the sermon is about. FCF in this sense serves as the organizing idea in a sermon.

An exegete-preacher must consider three things in formulating an FCF.

One, an FCF is not confined primarily to specific sins such as rebellion, lust, greed, etc. Though most FCF describe specific sins, they are not exclusively limited to them.

Two, an FCF could include specific needs of the people, such as the longing to be a better parent and knowing the will of God (p. 43).

Three, an FCF can be formulated differently on the basis of the character of the preacher, the circumstances of the local church, and the emphases of a specific sermon (ibid.). Examples of these variations in FCF are as follows: the need to trust God in difficult times, the responsibility to instruct others about God’s care, and the sin of doubting God’s provision. All of these FCF statements center on trusting the providence of God but are formulated differently. This proves the point that there is not one proper way in formulating an FCF. Furthermore, this consideration sheds light on why preachers vary in their sermons using the same text.

The three questions to ask in determining the FCF of any text are

What does the text say?

What concern did the text address in its context?

What do listeners today share in common with those to whom the text was written?

Commitment to Preach a Sermon with a Clear Application in Mind

The third basic commitment is to preach a sermon with a clear application in mind. This is the “So what?” aspect of preaching. Chapell warns that preachers who ignore the “So what?” aspect will produce a “Who cares?” congregation (p. 48). Under this section, Chapell clarifies the biblical warrant for the need of application in a sermon and the negative results of preaching a sermon without application.

Chapell cites Titus 2:1-6 as his biblical basis for the need for application in a sermon. The passage speaks about the need to instruct people with sound doctrine. However, such doctrine is not abandoned “in the stratosphere of theological abstraction” (p. 45). Sound doctrine as understood by both the apostle Paul and Titus was to serve as specific guidance in living the Christian life. Chapell points out that this nature of sound doctrine can be observed in all the writings of the apostle Paul.

The absence of application results to frustration, says Chapell. He relates the story of a young preacher who was worried about why his congregation seemed to be bored in listening to his preaching. Chapel asked the preacher to describe the latter’s sermon and asked him why he shared such a sermon. The preacher shared his main points, which were irrelevant to his congregation and could not answer the purpose behind his sermon. No wonder his congregation was losing interest in listening to his sermons.