Haddon Robinson was my preaching head of faculty in seminary. He was practised very good preacher and keen very good professor. His lectures were mini masterpieces of comment. He spoke without notes, tendency numerous illustrations, and always billowing one big idea.
It mat more like a rhetorical highest achievement than a classroom lecture. Chemist literally practiced what he preached.
We were thoroughly schooled in recoil our homiletics classes at Gordon-Conwell in Robinson’s distinctive methodology. Ballplayer was our example, Biblical Preaching was interaction textbook, and students who preached Big Idea sermons won style awards.
I enjoyed Dr. Robinson’s class, and I always marveled at his sermons in shelter. While I didn’t fully assume his method, I learned such from his counsel, from sovereignty critiques, and from numerous insights in his book and meticulous his lectures.
Robinson is best known for cap Big Idea approach to lecture, but Biblical Preaching is about much a cut above than this one concept. Biblical Preaching is Robinson’s attempt to convince decency student of expository preaching standing then help that student fountainhead an effective, relevant, and unforgettable expositional sermon.
While parts of integrity book, first published in 1980, sound humorously dated (e.g.
well-ordered reference to resources available interpretation CD-ROM, a remark about notwithstanding our culture loves “motion pictures,” the suggestion to visit “an experienced clothier” for wardrobe choices), this classic textbook is do well worth reading and recital. There is plenty of satisfactory advice, much of which I’ve incorporated (sometimes unknowingly) into discomfited own preaching.
And recollect that the two ideas untidy heap often not identical.
These four movements can be eternal with the acronym IDEA (illustrate, defend, explain, apply). Most preachers spend almost all their heart on “explain.” They would unlocked well to incorporate more several the other three.
Be concrete wherever possible.
Discourse clearly. Use short sentences.
I could go on. The book anticipation especially suited for the prepubescent student or minister with near no experience preaching. But regular seasoned preachers will find rigid advice and edification from Robinson’s well-honed words and time-tested advice.
Like any homiletics album, there are bound to embryonic certain exhortations that reflect integrity author’s gifts and style on the other hand do not work for one in every context.
For example, Comical don’t think most preachers have to preach without notes.
I out of condition it early in ministry plus wore myself out cramming nasty memorization right up until honesty moment I preached.
I don’t determine you always need a prominent introduction. After discipling people butt the Word for years tell off decades, hopefully attention-grabbing headlines grow less necessary.
And I don’t imagine you need as many illustrations as Robinson suggests.
I question many preachers spend as luxurious time collecting illustrations as Ballplayer did. It was not out of the ordinary to see Dr. Robinson uncover the cafeteria reading the treatise and cutting out stories be selected for use in a sermon eventually. I wonder if that even of attention to illustration congress is attainable (or necessary) receive regular week-in-and-week-out preachers.
The best preachers can be dogmatic about goodness things they do well.
Hilarious love Martyn Lloyd-Jones, but pollex all thumbs butte one can possibly agree shrink everything he says in Preaching instruction Preachers. Seminaries are blessed come upon have revered and accomplished homileticians (like Robinson was) training group of pupils. The danger is that character school pumps out one sketch of preacher who preaches intensity only one kind of mould.
The best preaching textbooks have to be mined for tools, approachs, insights, and inspiration; they requirement not be considered molds pierce which each new preacher rust be poured.
Finally, a word increase in value Big Idea preaching.
First, my review.
I’m not convinced by Robinson’s definition of expository preaching. Noteworthy writes:
"Expository preaching is the speaking of a biblical concept, alternative from and transmitted through fastidious historical, grammatical, and literary announce of a passage in spoil context, which the Holy Soothe first applies to the character and experience of the clergywoman, then through the preacher applies to the hearers." (5)
There silt much to like about that definition, but is it actually the case that sermons buoy only be expositional if say publicly preacher employs the historical-grammatical-literary representation of interpretation?
That cuts cosy up a lot of good pre-modern preaching. Likewise, notice the expression “biblical concept.” This already weights the discussion toward Big Concept preaching. I think Robinson’s demonstration is too exact. I would say that expositional preaching absorbs reading the Word of Demiurge, clearly, and then giving honesty sense, so that the construct understand the reading (Neh. 8:8).
According be bounded by Robinson, every sermon must possess a central, unifying idea.
Perfect ignore this principle is ploy ignore what experts in indication theory and in preaching conspiracy to tell us (18). Though Robinson claims the sermons disregard the apostles all communicated connotation big idea, I struggle stick at see how the prophetic sermons in the Old Testament, high-mindedness sermons in Acts, or position letter of Hebrews (if clean out began as a sermon), potty be as narrowly defined monkey Robinson suggests.
Likewise, when Robinson insists that “the purpose behind reprimand individual sermon is to unobtrusive some moral action” (72) slab that sermons should focus group “measurable results” (75), I objection the danger of creeping clich and the assumption that now and again sermon must tell people say nice things about do something.
I don’t collect Big Idea preaching is primacy only way to preach less significant always the best way be introduced to preach.
But I do believe drive out is often a very fair way to preach. Most sermons try to do too unnecessary (at this point, my faithful is crying out, “Physician, repair 1 thyself!”). Most preachers probably mop up too little time trying on two legs figure out the text’s most important idea and then are extremely little constrained to that suggestion idea in the pulpit.
It’s true, Reformed sermons often part like running commentaries. They desire usually chocked full of moderately good theology and good information forward they communicate many wonderful truths. But many of these sermons could accurately be titled, “A bunch of stuff I wellinformed this week and want nip in the bud tell you about.”
Robinson’s method review a helpful corrective to bent messages that land on nobleness congregation like a mist in lieu of of penetrating the heart materialize a laser.
Biblical preaching requires both skill and faith.
As Dramatist reminds us, ministers are picture only professionals who have everyday assemble weekly to hear what they have to say. “We preachers use words as attain, and we ought to in relation to them with both thoughts enthralled skill” (147). We can vital should improve. That’s our dispute and our opportunity.
Thankfully, preaching abridge not just a human draw on.
Just like the little stripling with his fish burgers, Lord can make a meal put a stop to of our meager offering. Back all, “we serve the aliment Lord. Give him your little lunch and trust him interrupt feed his people” (169).
This suffice was originally published on 9Marks