12 Steps of

EXPOSITORY PREACHING

0. Pray for GOD to SPEAK to you first! BEFORE YOU BEGIN1. God has to speak to you before you can speak to others2. Pray for His Spirit to help you

1. understand the passage in its context2. apply its lessons to today’s situation3. deliver its message to God’s people

1. Note the Kind of Writing (The GENRE) & its Rules for Interpretation1. Over-all

1. Narrative (historical & story) OT2. Law3. Prophecy4. Wisdom 5. Poetry6. Narrative (Gospel & Acts) NT7. Letter8. Apocalyptic

2. Specific to the passage1. Poetry or Prose?2. Riddle3. Typology4. Parable5. Allegory 6. Sermon

2. List the Units of Thought (the separate IDEAS) contained in the Text1. Always using the actual wording of the text you are using2. Normally a short phrase or clause3. Sometimes a complete sentence

3. Observe the STRUCTURE of the Passage1. Re-shape by indenting each line to show

1. the grammatical relationships between the various parts of the passage

2. Be concerned with the Grammar rather than the Theology at this stage of your study. (Theology comes later!)

1. God chose to speak authoritatively in His Word through the grammar used by the human writer - not through ideas imported into the text by the reader!)

4. Analyse the CONTENT of the Passage1. Highlight all the topics mentioned2. Any recurring theme?3. Who is doing what?

1. Where? When?2. How? Why?

5. Decide the over-all SUBJECT of the Passage1. This must cover all the topics, not just some!2. Use your own words to describe the subject

6. Identify the TEACHING about the over-all Subject1. Begin from the beginning to identify the teaching2. Include only what relates to the over-all subject3. Word studies of any significant words relating to this subject

7. Check the immediate CONTEXT of the Passage1. Verses before and after2. The whole book3. The author’s writings

8. Research the BACKGROUND1. Historical2. Cultural3. Geographical

9. Check for CONSISTENCY with the rest of Scripture1. Refer to Commentaries, Bible Dictionaries, etc

10. Expose the original HEART-BEAT of the Passage 1. What is the core message that sums up this teaching?2. Express it in contemporary wording

11. Apply the Heart-Beat (The LESSON for us)1. Compile some applications to daily personal life & society

12. Exhort your LISTENERS to RESPOND to this message from GodIN THE PULPIT