Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell Q&A

4.1. What three elements of exposition consistently appear in examples of Old and New Testament preaching? What does the consistency of these elements say about the nature of exposition?

"'Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it , the people all stood up. Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen !" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. The Levites— Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah— instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.' - Nehemiah 8: 5- 8 The exposition of the Word involved three elements: presentation of the Word (it was read), explanation of the Word (making it clear and giving its meaning), and exhortation based on the Word (the priests caused the people to understand in such a way that they could use the information that was imparted). Presentation of the Word itself, explanation of its content, and exhortation to apply its truths composed the pattern of proclamation. These three elements in this Old Testament proclamation consistently reappear in New Testament practice."

5.2. Why is an exegetical outline by itself usually insufficient as a homiletical outline?

"(1) An exegetical outline describes the immediate text; however, an exegetical outline does not contain context and background information. Aspects of a biblical person's biography outside the immediate text, the usage of a word in parallel texts, the previous argument of an apostle, and many other aspects of a passage may need additional attention in an order not supplied by the text for a pastor to explain the text fully and accurately. (2) An exegetical outline also does not indicate the pastoral emphasis that the minister knows should be given to the various components of the passage in light of the issues or concerns facing a particular congregation. A preacher must incorporate these features and concerns, which are not supplied by an exegetical outline, into the sermon. Thus, insights from the exegetical outline, the passage's background, and the present level of a congregation's knowledge about these matters must all funnel into a homiletical outline in order for a competent sermon to take shape. Although the two may echo one another closely, an exegetical outline ordinarily is not a homiletical outline. *An exegetical outline establishes what a text says. A homiletical outline establishes how a text's meaning is best communicated to a congregation.*"

6.1. Distinguish among topical, textual, and expository sermons.

"*a topical sermon* takes its topic (i.e., the theme or the main subject) from a passage; the sermon is organized according to the subject's nature rather than according to the text's distinctions... For *a textual message*, preachers glean the topic of a sermon and its main points from ideas in a text. A textual message reflects some of the text's particulars in the statement of its main ideas, but the development of those main ideas comes from sources outside the immediate text... *An expository sermon* is designed for the study of the specific details, context, and development of a biblical passage in order to encourage and enable listeners to love God and to help them understand how to apply the truths of his Word to their lives. An expository sermon takes its topic, main points, and subpoints from a text."

1.3. What are logos, pathos, and ethos? Which most affects the persuasiveness of a message?

"- logos: the verbal content of the message, including its craft and logic - pathos: the emotive features of a message, including the passion, fervor , and feeling that a speaker conveys and the listeners experience - ethos: the perceived character of the speaker, determined most significantly by the concern expressed for the listeners' welfare. Aristotle's belief (confirmed in countless modern studies) was that ethos is the most powerful component of persuasion."

1.7. Locate and comment on biblical passages that link the character of the messenger to the effects of the message.

"1 THESSALONIANS 2: 3- 8 AND 11- 12 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God , who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed— God is our witness . We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children . We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. 2 TIMOTHY 2: 15- 16 AND 22- 24 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels . And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. TITUS 2: 7- 8 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned. 2 CORINTHIANS 6: 3- 4 We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way. JAMES 1: 26- 27 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. JAMES 3: 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life , by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom."

2.5. What are indications that a message is a "pre-sermon"?

"A grammar lesson is not a sermon. A sermon is not a textual commentary, a systematics discourse, or a history lecture. Mere lectures are pre-sermons because they dispense information about a text without relevant application from the text that helps listeners understand their obligations to Christ and his ministry to them. A message remains a pre-sermon until a preacher organizes its ideas and the text's features to apply to a single, major FCF. We might represent the concept this way: textual information (pre-sermon) >>>>>> addressing a textually rooted FCF + relevant textual application = sermon.

5.7. Why is profound truth in simple language a mark of pastoral genius?

"All preachers simply need to make sure that what they preach communicates rather than complicates the truths of God. Doing so will require you to apply all the resources of your mind and heart. *Although it is relatively easy to express what you know in the jargon of theological textbooks and commentaries, the real challenge of preaching is to say the same things in the language of ordinary people* who are intelligent but are not as familiar with the Bible or the lexical tools used in the preparation of the sermon. For this reason, keeping matters simple is smart. Saying profound things obscurely or saying simple things cleverly requires relatively little thought, but saying profound things simply is the true mark of pastoral genius."

6.7. How does the structure of an expository outline require craft, and how does it reflect art?

"All professors, experienced preachers , and students recognize that attempts to enforce one style of sermonizing is something akin to saying that all artists must paint like da Vinci or that all musicians must compose like Beethoven. The beauty, richness, and craft of noble expression cannot be confined to one form. Still, there are conventions— techniques, if you will allow such a term— that all must learn in order to master their craft. In the hands of experts, these techniques will ultimately become means to meld traditional practice and informed innovation into original masterpieces and even new techniques. My hope is that students will learn to use the time-honored techniques of preaching that will allow them to prepare sermons with knowledge and confidence. I do not intend that these specific techniques will always rule sermons. In fact, I would be disappointed if this were the case. Rather, it is my prayer that students will become so well informed and experienced in the "tools of their trade" that they will be able to offer rich and powerful messages crafted according to their own insights, choices, and informed innovations as led by the Spirit of God."

2.4. What are three steps for determining an FCF of a sermon?

"An FCF will remain faithful to a text and identify powerful purposes in a sermon if a preacher uses these three successive questions to develop the FCF: 1. What does the text say? 2. What spiritual concern( s) did the text address (in its context)? 3. What spiritual concerns do listeners share in common with those to (or about) whom the text was written?"

3.6. In what ways can context (cultural, historical, literary, and redemptive) affect the interpretation of a text?

"Attention to historical and cultural contexts helps explain the "offense" of the cross (Gal. 5: 11) and reveals that certain healed lepers were not necessarily more thankful because they went to the temple before they went home (Luke 17: 14). We determine literary contexts both by analyzing the concepts that surround a biblical statement and by identifying the type of literature in which the statement occurs... Regard for context requires preachers to consider a text in the light of its purpose in the redemptive message that unfolds throughout all of Scripture."

5.4. What advantages does an expositor have in following the state, place, and prove steps? Do these advantages require these steps in this order?

"By stating what truth a text establishes (with a main point or subpoint statement), showing in the text where that truth originates (i.e., "placing" or locating in the text where the truth originates ), and proving how the text backs the truth, *preachers present the discoveries of their textual study in a highly comprehensible form.* These steps presume that the thought divisions of the explanation components form the principal outline of the message; that is, main point and subpoint statements summarize what a preacher believes a text means. Illustrations and applications support and develop these statements but are not the main divisions of the formal outline. The state-place-prove order of these steps can vary. Sometimes we want to prove a truth before we formally state it. Other times it will be advantageous to delay pointing out where the text supports the truth statement until it has been fully explained. For the expositor, the order of the steps is not as crucial as the need to take each one. There are, of course, other valid ways of structuring sermons, but this state-place-prove pattern is the most natural way of constructing an expository message and typifies the approach of most who are learning to preach."

3.3. What cautions does a preacher need to observe when approaching spurious texts?

"Do not use spurious texts. Concern for what a congregation needs to hear should never lead a pastor to proclaim as authoritative any words or texts that the Holy Spirit did not inspire. Scribal comments and errors that have mistakenly been included in some translations 16 should not be presented as the Word of God. Where there is the rare question about whether a particular passage is spurious, it is wise to see if the same truth can be preached from a more certain passage or to provide the congregation with your reasons for using the text (since the marginal notes in the most trustworthy translations in the laps of listeners will question the passage's authenticity)."

4.2. What three components of exposition usually occur in each main point? Why are all three important?

"However, these traditional categories can damage expository preaching if preachers do not see that explanation, illustration , and application are all essential components of opening and unfolding the meaning of a text. Explanation answers the question, What does this text say? Illustration responds to, Show me what the text says. Application answers, What does the text mean to me? Ordinarily, each component has a vital role in establishing listeners' full understanding of a text."

5.5. How many proofs should a preacher present in regard to a particular concept in a sermon? Which proofs of a particular concept should a preacher present?

"If preachers keep challenging themselves to prove their argument as they make declarative statements of truth principles supported by the text, then natural arguments tend to take shape in fairly good order. Yet some cautions must be considered. First, not all things need to be proven— many are obvious. Second, few things need all the proofs you can muster. Choose what is most powerful and most concise. Third, some things cannot be proven." Either Restatement, Narration, Description and Definition, Exegesis, or Argument.

6.4. What are anchor clauses and magnet clauses?

"In the most formal wording of main points, one clause (principle or application) of a proposition is picked up by the main points and is repeated throughout the outline (see examples below). *The main-point clause that is repeated is called the 'anchor clause'* (see italicized phrases in the examples). If the anchor clause is the truth-principle clause, then the outline is 'principle consistent.' Each main point then answers, What should be done about this truth? If the anchor clause is the application clause, then the outline is 'application consistent,' and the main points answer, 'Why should this be done?'... *The clauses in the main points that do not remain consistent are the 'magnet clauses.'* The magnet clauses naturally draw the explanatory elements of the main points to themselves because they contain the key word changes that focus the attention of listeners."

2.1. How many things is a sermon about? Why?

"Key concept: How many things is a sermon about? One! Sermons of any significant length contain theological concepts, illustrative materials, and corroborative facts. These many components, however, do not imply that a sermon is about many things. Each feature of a well-wrought message reflects, refines, and/ or develops one major idea. This major idea, or theme, glues the message together and makes its features stick in a listener's mind. All the features of a sermon should support the concept that unifies the whole."

2.2. What is the Fallen Condition Focus (FCF) of a sermon?

"Preaching that is true to these purposes (1) focuses on the fallen condition that necessitated the writing of the passage and (2) uses the text's features to explain how the Holy Spirit addresses that concern then and now. The Fallen Condition Focus (FCF) is the mutual human condition that contemporary believers share with those to or about whom the text was written that requires the grace of the passage for God's people to glorify and enjoy him."

6.3. What two major components compose formal propositions and main points?

"Propositions meet formal homiletical requirements when they answer both Why? and So what? The "why" question elicits *the truth-principle component* of a proposition. The "so what" compels a preacher to determine *the application component* (i.e., the response of thought or behavior that is a consequence of the truth principle as it is developed in this sermon)... Formal main points are also universal truths in hortatory modes."

3.2. What are benefits and cautions associated with preaching a series?

"Series greatly aid a pastor's preparation and subject scope. Still, series generally work best when their duration is reasonable, their sermons are not too dependent on one another, and their subjects and/ or approaches differ from those of recent series."

2.7 List five specific sins that might be the FCF of a sermon. List five specific "non-sins" that might be the FCF of a sermon.

"Specific sins such as unforgiveness , lying, and racism are frequently the FCF of a passage, but a sin does not always have to be the FCF of a sermon. Grief, illness, longing for the Lord's return, the need to know how to share the gospel, and the desire to be a better parent are not sins, but they are needs that our fallen condition imposes and that Scripture addresses. Just as greed, rebellion, lust, irresponsibility, poor stewardship, and pride are proper subjects of a sermon, so also are the difficulties of raising godly children, determining God's will, and understanding one's gifts. An FCF need not be something for which we are guilty or culpable. It simply needs to be an aspect or problem of the human condition that requires the instruction, admonition, and/ or comfort of Scripture. Thus, an FCF is always phrased in negative terms. It is something wrong (though not necessarily a moral evil) that needs correction or encouragement from Scripture."

5.6. What cautions should a preacher exercise in presenting exegetical insights in a sermon?

"Still, preachers must take care not to flaunt their education. Exegesis should help explain what a text means. It should not merely cloud meaning in a fog of Hebrew words, parsing notes, and grammatical terms unfamiliar to anyone without a seminary degree. 30 If no one will remember two seconds later that metadidomi means "share," why should we bother to mention the Greek term? If no one knows what the aorist is, we should not pretend that the mention of it clarifies the meaning of the text. Preaching should never be an excuse to display our erudition at the expense of convincing listeners that they can never really understand what Scripture says because they read only English. *We are obligated to explain exegetical insights in such a way that they make the meaning of a text more obvious, not more remote.*"

4.4. What does the diversity of biblical terms related to preaching indicate about the tone and the manner of expository preaching? What, ultimately, should govern the tone of our sermons?

"The great variety of terms in the original languages that relate to preachers and their tasks confirm how manifold our expressions may need to be Chapell, Bryan (2005-03-01). Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon (Kindle Locations 1729-1730). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

3.4. Why should a preacher be cautious about turning to a commentary as a first step in sermon preparation?

"The mixed blessing is evident in the two types of pastors who will never make great preachers: The first will not listen to what others say; the other will say only what others say. A preacher who refuses to pay attention to what gifted scholars have discovered mistakes personal arrogance for erudition. God does not give all his insights to any one person. At the same time, a preacher who says only what a commentator concludes is trying to preach by proxy. You must think through what Scripture says in order to be able to expound adequately and apply meaningfully what commentators say. No commentator has room to write down all the implications, insights, and truths given in a text. No distant educator or long-dead scholar knows your situation or your congregation's concerns. It is not wise habitually to run to commentaries as the first step of sermon preparation , lest your thoughts start running in a groove carved by one not in touch with what you need to address."

6.5. What are advantages of using glow words in an outline?

"These wording techniques may seem frivolous, but even the most sincere preachers strive to use 'glow words"' that *sparkle for attention and gleam in memory*."

2.3. Ultimately, what is a sermon about?

"Ultimately, a sermon is about how a text says we are to respond biblically to the FCF as it is experienced in our lives—identifying the gracious means that God provides for us to deal with the human brokenness that deprives us of the full experience and expression of his glory."

1.1. Why are expository preachers committed to making the meaning of the passage the message of the sermon?

"When we speak, therefore, we design our messages to express the truths of the eternal Word so that the church may be the "mouth house" of God that Martin Luther described. When preachers approach the Bible as God's very Word, questions about what we have a right to say vanish. God can tell his people what they should believe and do, and he has. Scripture obligates preachers to make sure others understand what God says... Only preachers committed to proclaiming what God says have the Bible's imprimatur on their preaching. Thus, expository preaching endeavors to discover and convey the precise meaning of the Word. Scripture determines what expositors preach because they unfold what it says. The meaning of the passage is the message of the sermon. The text governs the preacher. Expository preachers do not expect others to honor their opinions. Such ministers adhere to Scripture's truths and expect their listeners to heed the same."

1.4. Why should every sermon have a redemptive focus?

"Without a redemptive focus, we may believe we have exegeted Scripture when in fact we have simply translated its parts and parsed its pieces without reference to the role they have in God's eternal plan. John Calvin said, "God has ordained his Word as the instrument by which Jesus Christ, with all His graces, is dispensed to us.""

1.5. On what does great preaching most depend?

"You may never hear the applause of the world or pastor a church of thousands, but a life of godliness combined with clear explanations of Scripture's saving and sanctifying grace will engage the power of the Spirit for the glory of God. If your goal is Christ's honor, you can be a great preacher."

4.3. How may the proportion of the components of exposition vary according to the nature of a congregation? Why are all the components still important for all congregations?

"Youth pastors typically swell the illustrative component of their sermons and drive application home behind a few well-chosen explanatory points (see fig. 4.4 , example A). Blue-collar congregations often desire solid explanation whose relevance is spelled out more fully in down-to-earth application (see fig. 4.4 , example B). When professionals and management types dominate a congregation, the pastor may want to hit application lightly since these persons are often most motivated by what they determine to do and are not accustomed to having others make decisions for them . In such a congregation, it may be important to package explanation in such a way that application becomes largely self-evident (see fig. 4.4 , example C). Each of these congregational characterizations is almost sinfully stereotypical and should not rule common sense. My own experience has been that sermons that provide a healthy combination of all the expositional components can be preached with impact almost anywhere with only minor adjustments. This is not simply because congregations typically have a mix of people in them but because we are each a mix. Our minds need explanations of what the Bible says so that we know we have grasped the thoughts and standards of our God. Our hearts need the illustrations that so often touch our emotions or fire our imaginations to convince us that God is not a cold collection of abstract ideas. We need application so that we have either the confidence that we are acting in accord with the will of God or the conviction that we must adjust our ways."

1.2. Who or what alone has the power to change hearts eternally?

"the Word preached, rather than the preaching of the Word, accomplishes heaven's purposes. Preaching that is true to Scripture converts , convicts, and eternally changes the souls of men and women because God's Word is the instrument of divine compulsion, not because preachers have any power in themselves to stimulate such godly transformations (although human powers can certainly bring about all kinds of worldly changes, including those that masquerade as the products of heaven)."

6.6. Identify three main types of subpoints.

*Analytical-question responses* support or develop a main point by answering an overarching question such as, How do we know this is true? or When should this apply in our lives? *Interrogatives* are subpoints initially worded as parallel questions that introduce answers containing a progression of thought. *Bullet statements* encapsulate divisions in the explanation of main points in short, crisp statements."

6.8. What are the strengths and weaknesses of narrative and mass communication forms?

*Narrative* "It is possible to mine the riches of narrative without falling into the mineshafts of preaching that have abandoned trust in propositional truth. Much of what modern theorists have written about the techniques and the effects of storytelling may be fruitfully used by expository preachers in innovative sermons or in the illustrative features of traditional expositions (as explained in the next chapter). In addition, as shown in the latter portions of this book, sermons that are Christ -centered inevitably have an implicit narrative structure that is attractive to this culture because our God always comes to the rescue. Sermons that begin with a human interest account that exposes an FCF also have an implicit inductive structure in that they use an introductory experience to identify a human complication that the sermon must then resolve with gospel truth. Preachers must not avoid all methods that are narrative, but they must avoid the assumption that listeners indwelt by God's Spirit are incapable of hearing the transcendent truths of his Word. Accepting such nonbiblical assumptions will cause preachers to substitute simple, moral allegories for the regular and careful explanation of the biblical truths that are the bread of life for those who believe... *Mass* "the real strength of the mass communication model is its devotion to interest and relevance through application. Listeners simply do not walk away from a sermon without knowing what the preacher says God expects. In an age in which profession of faith seems to have so little impact on the conduct of one's life, this advantage is no small contribution... The mass communication model also has vulnerabilities. The most obvious is that it may not adequately expound a text, and therefore, its application focus can degenerate into messages dominated by personal opinion, legalism, or error. The communication model may also create a listener appetite for milk rather than for meat, with a preacher's distaste for handling difficult subjects (with appropriate complexity) creating and maintaining a congregation of baby Christians."

6.2. What are five general principles to observe in constructing homiletical outlines?

*Unity* - "Each feature relates to the one thing the sermon is about." *Brevity* - "State points as concisely as possible." *Harmony* - "Main points should echo one another, and the subpoenas supporting a single main point should harmonize with one another." *Symmetry* - "Each main point and its supporting features should occupy a roughly identical proportion of a message." *Progression* - "Listeners need to know that their thoughts and understanding are advancing throughout a message." *Distinction* - "When a point sounds too much like a preceding point, the two are 'coexistent.'" *Culmination* - "Points lead toward a climax when there is an apparent sequence to them."

5.3. Why are preachers not necessarily obligated to present the pattern of a text as the structure of a sermon? Why is it most often advisable to follow the pattern of a text?

- Sometimes the sequence of thought in a text does not allow a preacher to introduce background information efficiently. - The pattern of a text in its written form may also not communicate well in the oral medium of the sermon. - Maintaining a rigid and wooden mirroring of the sequence of a text may actually misrepresent the truth of the text. - Adequate explanation of some major portions of the Bible may also require a preacher to keep more than sequential order before listeners. - A text may also reflect a written pattern that for readers is understandable but for listeners is too complex. "These cautions should not blind us to the usual advantages of explaining a text's features in the order they occur. The pattern of a text tends to reflect the pattern of the biblical writer's thought , and listeners can more easily follow the structure of a sermon that moves in a straightforward way through the text. Such straightforwardness can support the credibility and the authority of a preacher's explanations and can give listeners confidence that they can read the text easily. Because of these advantages , it is usually best and the most common expository practice to follow the sequence of a passage in its explanation. Still, the advantages of following the pattern of a text are overturned when doing so would overcomplicate the organization of the sermon, miss key thoughts in the text, or misrepresent the text's purpose."

1.6. Locate and comment on biblical passages that confirm the inherent power of the Word.

-creates: "God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light" (Gen. 1: 3). "For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm" (Ps. 33: 9). -controls: "He sends his command to the earth ; his word runs swiftly. He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes . He hurls down his hail like pebbles. . . . He sends his word and melts them" (Ps. 147: 15- 18). -convicts: "Let the one who has my word speak it faithfully . . ." declares the LORD. "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" (Jer. 23: 28- 29). -performs his purposes: "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth . . . so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it" (Isa. 55: 10-11). -overrides human weakness: While in prison the apostle Paul rejoiced that when others preach the Word with "false motives or true," the work of God still moves forward (Phil. 1: 18).

2.6 What are possible unifying themes for each of the following groups of main points? 1) God is good. God is faithful. God is sovereign. 2) Sin always contradicts God's will. Sin sometimes veils God's will. Sin never thwarts God's will. 3) Parents should discipline. Parents should sacrifice. Parents should love.

1) The Nature of God 2) The Nature of Sin 3) Parenting

5.1. What are the critical questions that preachers must answer in order to convert mere lectures to sermons?

1. What does the text mean? 2. How do I know what the text means? 3. What concerns caused the text to be written? 4. What do we share in common with those to (or about) whom the text was written and/or the one by whom the text was written? 5. How should people now respond to the truths of the text? 6. What is the most effective way I can communicate the meaning of the text.

3.5. How does an allegorical method of interpretation differ from an expository method?

Early church and medieval escapades into allegorical interpretation led ancient preachers to the conviction that the "literal interpretation" of a text was the least rewarding to preach. Modern resurrections of the allegorical method regularly occur when preachers assume that the Holy Spirit will enable them to discern in a text something more than or different from what was meant by the biblical writer or what they can demonstrate that the divine Author makes evident within the canon of Scripture. Preachers' interpretations remain consistent with Scripture when they follow long-honored and proven interpretive procedures that expose the Bible's original intent. Preachers must consider the context as part of any text. Context limits and imparts an author's intended meaning. We cannot maintain the integrity of any biblical statement without considering its surroundings. Our first task as expositors is to use the best tools available to determine what a biblical author's statements mean in their context.

3.1. What are the benefits and the liabilities of selecting texts for preaching that address personal and/ or congregational concerns?

First, make sure you do not impose your concern on the text. Solid exposition should demonstrate that the passage really speaks to the issue you want to address and that your passion to address a particular subject has not abused the original author's intent. Second, be aware that a ministry that addresses only the preacher's personal concerns can become too limited in perspective for the needs of a congregation. The pastor may end up riding hobby horses or unconsciously concentrating on personal struggles, thereby neglecting other important truths needed for a fully informed and mature congregation. Congregational concerns should also influence what pastors choose to preach. Preachers will be regarded as out of touch and/ or insensitive if they press forward with their sermon programs while ignoring a community's employment dilemma, the death of a pillar in the church, a local disaster, a building program , a young person's decision to enter the mission field, moral issues that the young encounter, health concerns that the elderly face, or a host of similar matters of significance in the life of the church. A ministry can be as warped by lending too much of an ear to what people want to hear as it can by giving too much weight to what the preacher wants to preach (2 Tim. 4: 3)."

3.8 Use your understanding of a proverb to explain Proverbs 15: 1 and Proverbs 26: 4- 5. 3. Use context to determine who the "weak" are in Romans 15.

For example, proverbs are truisms, statements so tending to be true that the wise take them to heart. A modern proverb on child rearing says, "As the twig is bent so grows the branch." The ancient equivalent is, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" (Prov. 22: 6). Both statements tend to be true, but neither is always true. This is the nature of proverbs. Proverbs are prescriptive, not predictive. God requires his people to heed his proverbs, not to interpret them as promises of what will always happen. Though the Bible says that a gentle word turns away wrath (Prov. 15: 1), God does not promise that people will never get angry at us if we speak softly. He indicates that it is usually not wise for peacefully inclined people to answer fire with fire, but he does not promise that soft answers will always extinguish the rage of others (Matt. 26: 62- 68). Great damage is done to the intent of Scripture as well as to the consciences of Christians when preachers confuse these distinctions between promises and proverbs."