The ineffectiveness of expositional preaching

To give some background to what follows:  from 2010-2022 I had been pretty much in love with the preaching style of expositional preaching; indeed it was the main way that I had come to understand scriptures, even to the point, that I had begun to formulate sermons in this fashion from 2013; but no longer do as I do not view this manner as the most practical manner to teach the faith. Below I will give several reasons for this change.

(1) It theologises the scriptures when they never were given to be understood in this fashion. They were given for us to understand God purpose in the history of man through the unveiling of Christ.  In fact, if you do not see Christ as the central character of the scriptures then you do not know how to read it correctly. 

(2) It distorts contexts of passages in order to give a bite-size systematic position such as you see in both Calvinism and Arminianism. Both of these systems can only be hoisted upon scripture when you undermine the text by ripping apart scriptures and inserting unbiblical presuppositions. case in point: Romans 8:5-8.

(3) It functions as a indoctrination programme for warring and fractioning churches; and this can be seen even in internal strife in the same church. There is no real purpose in the church for expositional preaching when it does the very thing that  Paul warns us against divisions over ideologies and personalities (1 Cor. 1-3)

(4) It assumes that the scriptures really are about us.  Now this may sound strange but it is characteristic of this kind of preaching. In the past there has been much said in this regards to the kind of preaching the seeker sensitive and prosperity preachers do without realising that kind of bent is found in this preaching as well. Christi s the main theme of scriptures but expositional preaching leads us to read ourself into scripture: Romans 7 is good example.

(5) It does not lead us way from the conclusion that this kind of preaching can only be described as "lecturing";  or theoretical and abstract teachings of the colleges and seminaries. Even though you will read in the texts books of such preachers that they are careful to distinguish between preaching and teaching, in that sense. 

(6) It holds a very powerful desire of us and them mentality. In other words, such preaching segregates the pastor who has learned so much from those in the congregation.  it is a breeding ground for arrogance and superiority in the Pastor based on his knowledge. The scriptures warns against this kind of thinking.

(7) It communicates a dry sense of application.  Let me make this clear: in the typical sermon, whether incorporated into the theological sections or as a final point; they have this dry and abstract section consisting of two or three subpoints where the preacher implores those under him to adopt said points. This does far more harm than good; for it lack a living example in the pastor that the congregation can see the practice in. 

(8) It restricts the church to a formulaic approach rather than interconnective living whereby all Christians are involved in the on going practice of the church. The church has become a shadow of its former self because it has adopted the approach of the Old Covenant system where one man does it all and everyone else is passive.


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