The Greatest Need for the Church

I hope no-one disagrees with this. But Martyn Lloyd-Jones said that he was thoroughly convinced that the single greatest need for the Church was a return to expository preaching. What is expository preaching? It is when a pastor or teacher chooses a book of the Bible, and each week he works his way through it, preaching through every single section of that book. He reads the passage, explains it to the people with all his heart, and preaches Christ from it, soaking the message in application for the people. That's expository preaching. It's the exposition of the word of God to God's people, so that God himself speaks to them.

I want to take Lloyd-Jones statement a massive step further. I agree totally with J. Vernon McGee that the world-wide Church needs to engage in expository preaching on the ENTIRE Bible. Every book. Churches need to be hearing EVERYTHING that God has to say to them.

Consider this by Paul: 'Everything that was written in the past was written to teach US' (Rom 15:4). The OT was not written primarily to teach OT Jews, but to teach Christians, whether Jew or Gentile! The OT is OURS! But sadly, it's seldom opened up in all it's glory! Jesus on the road to Emmaus showed that the whole Bible proclaimed him in advance!

So here's the challenge: I don't know what pastors are doing, but I know for sure that hardly any of them are doing this. Why not? What else is there for pastors to do? They are told to 'feed the sheep' and 'shepherd the flock of God' and to 'preach the word!' That's pretty much the sum and substance of it! Of course pastors have other side-line things to do: but the preaching of the whole word should be paramount.

I am more convinced about this than ever, especially when so many Christians don't understand the OT, find it difficult to read it and don't know how to interpret it. The poor souls may as well not carry a whole Bible to church most of the time. How can pastor's just watch their flocks continue in ignorance of massive sections of Scripture and still come every week with yet another sermon from the NT? And I will also say this: It is not the average Christian's job to work out how to read and interpret the OT for themselves. It is the pastor's job! So why aren't pastors helping their people to understand the WHOLE Bible? This is devastating, really. Is the OT not relevant to us? Is 78% of the Bible not as important as the final 22%? If anything is vital to leading us to a national and world-wide revival, this is surely one of the key things.

Back to the OT! Pastors: lead the way!

I would see this as more of a man vs. method question. If a man be led by the H.S. then does it matter the method? Without the Spirits leading, using either method, he will be guilty of a fleshly endeavor.

I have seen men preach and teach expositionaly and never leave the chapter they were in. With all of scripture available to compliment, clarify, and consider they would not even turn the page. So expositional preaching can be abused just as topical preaching is.

The cure for the word is the Word Himself. May men ask God that they may receive in Spirit and not in flesh.

What about reading it at home and sharing when your come together with brothers and sisters those things God has laid on your heart?

nothing wrong with reading scripture, it should be done more in at church, but God has ordained teachers or the Word.. Preaching the word is biblical
andy

Take the New Testament and read it aloud every Sunday for 7 months. Start in Mat. and read through Rev.

I love this idea. In fact, I mentioned it to one of our preachers one day that they do this instead of preaching. For some reason he was not all that impressed.

Many years ago one of our preachers used to read an obscure OT chapter for a devotional at worship service. I was so captivated by it that it forced me to study it on my own. For some reason the way he read it piqued my interest like nothing else did. So, I started reading the prophets and was enthralled with it and still am to this day. Actually, in our SS we are studying the prophets - last Sunday it was Obadiah, next Sun. it will be Jonah - and nobody wanted to teach it so guess who got that job? Or, who volunteered for it? The one who does it gets blessed the most, I think.

I appreciate what you're saying lylewise. I totally disagree with boring the people senseless and perhaps it's best for a man who cannot preach the whole Bible to focus on another form of preaching. I generally don't agree with staying in one chapter for years, at the expense of preaching the rest of the Word. That's really my point. I just do not believe the Holy Spirit has led so many men to practically ignore the OT in their preaching. I think the Holy Spirit wants us to get back to reading and preaching the OT.

I know that people do preach on the OT, but the NT is preached far more today. The average ratio is about 3:1 (NT:OT). However the amount of OT compared to NT in our Bibles is about 3-4 times as much! The apostles found Christ all over the OT and they had no full NT to preach. When Paul said 'All Scripture is profitable' he was speaking about primarily the OT Scriptures, because the NT writings were not completed then. When he told Timothy to preach the word, he primarily meant the OT, preached in light of Christ's coming.

I am concerned and zealous that the OT be brought back into the life of the Church. There is so much we must learn from it, which is not adequately dealt with in the NT. I am not suggesting pastors ignore preaching the NT at all. We absolutely need it. But I want believers to be hearing the whole Bible read well and preached well, just as happened in Nehemiah's day (chapter 8) and Josiah's day (2 Chron 34). Remember that there was revival on both these occasions. All they did was read and explain and apply the OT Scriptures. But we've got Christ now to open the OT up! And how often has it all been opened up to churches since around 70AD? I believe pastors should seek to read, explain and applying the OT in the light of Jesus. Of course, I think pastors should be doing the same thing with the NT too: read it, preach it in the light of Christ! I think this would revolutionize the Church.

I do want to clarify that this is not my own idea at all. Matthew Henry preached the whole Bible to his people twice! He would preach OT Sunday mornings and NT Sunday evenings. That's great! I bet his people knew their Bibles well! Vernon McGee also strongly believed this was the best way and you can find his teachings of the whole Bible in 5 years on 'Thru the Bible' website. It has been used to save and build up loads of people. Tom Holland, an author on Pauline theology, is also very keen about this. Stuart Olyott says its vital and he believes pastors should teach their people the whole Bible in about 10 years at a time. So its others who've said this first. And of course, it is the Scriptural method.

Martyr:

I am well aware great riches are found in Ephesians, John, etc. But the OT is also packed full to the brim with great truths which foreshadow our Lord. God gave us the OT for this time now: so that, in the light of Christ and the NT, we would understand it and love it and learn from it. So the reality of Christ can be preached from the OT. Christ can be preached from the OT, where he is foreshadowed.

For example, I was reading 1 Chronicles 22-25 yesterday (well, I was listening to being read actually on Biblegateway.com). It is about David being central to the preparations of the temple that Solomon would build. So David prepared wood and gold and silver for the temple, etc. But most interestingly, David also was involved in dividing up the Levites to serve in the temple. Some were appointed to sing, others to be gatekeepers, etc. etc. (see chap 23). Then David was involved in the ordering of the priests and the singers, chap 24-25. The point is that David was central to the roles people had, even individual people. That's why individual names are given. And this made me think immediately of Jesus Christ, how he has given gifts to us all individually, for the building up of his Church (Eph 4:7-11)! And his Church is the Temple of God (Eph 2:19-22)! Jesus is therefore prophesied in advance in 1 Chronicles 22-25 as the one who would come and be central to giving each of his people specific roles in the service of God's people! Don't you find that awesome? I loved it. I may just preach it this weekend lol. In other words, the application is that we all have gifts, given by Jesus, for the service of God. Our gifts may be singing, preaching, listening to others, caring, hospitality, etc. But here's the question: Are we using them properly? Jesus has given YOU a gift, martyr, my brother: are you using it well? I hope so :)

I would recommend that to really see what I am saying, you had best listen to an example of the kind of preaching I'm talking about. I began to listen to Vernon McGee last month. I loved his expositions on Genesis. Now he's in Matthew. After that, he'll go to Exodus. Then Mark, Leviticus, etc. You can find some of his stuff on sermonindex, or you can get the 'Thru the Bible' podcast for your Ipod. Seriously well worth it. He's convinced me that the Church needs to bring 'the whole word to the whole world'. Not bits of the Bible. Also, you may be aware of David Pawson. He also is another strong advocate of preaching and teaching the whole Bible to God's people.

I really like the idea of doing away with what generally passes for preaching these days, at least for a season!
Many 'churches' won't be able to handle a pastoral hiatus of 7 months....you may end up with either a riot or a mass exodus.

Getting down to the brass tacks, on the off chance some minister agress to this radical idea. How shall it be executed?
Remember, in the OT, the circumstances were ripe for a revival to follow the reading of the Torah.
1] The people had just returned from exile. The realized their sin had led to judgment and that God's mercy had returned them to the Land. They were in a repentant state of heart.
2] There were consecrated priests and leaders who set themselves to proclaiming of the Word.

It was almost inevitable that a visitation of God should result. Our real hurdle would be for factors 1 and 2 above to be present. That, my brethren, is the real issue.

Without 1 and 2 above, spiritual exercises involving the unready would only lead to further hardening of hearts.....not to talk of great unholy indignation rising against the shepherds of such congregations!

I think it. is a sad commentary that we would consider the reading off the word, in a get together off the saints, as radical. Just as we breath and do not consider each breath we take, so to scripture should be as natural. I could not agree more with the post concerning the understanding and need off Christ revealed in the OT. Those who are not teaching this should not be teaching, but just as the public school system breeds those who should in no way be called teachers, so to are the many who jeopardize themselves not having the gift. We are an army, and each soldier must not only learn warfare but be drilled in it so that they are not only equipped but ready also.

I am concerned that the gathering off the saints is not what it. should be. So much wasted time spent preparing to waste even more time. No magic bullet or tweeking. Just a humble and repentant heart by a thirsty saint who waits on no one to bring him the living water, as he feels he will die off thirst without it. Parched always. Drinking always for the water has never been more plentiful than it is right now. That is, if we are willing to find it.

As always I speak to myself.

Matt as one looks in Chronicles and ties a type represented to Christ, which creates a sense of awe in the detail of our God, so scripture, as you wish to draw men's attention to, is saturated with like comparisons. I appreciate your appreciation for this pursuit of the greater revelation of Christ by way of the OT.

In like vein one should not make the effort to attempt various teachings that first need the foundation before the structure commences. I would be remiss to teach my children the Lamb and leave it up to them to form a picture of Christ, not having taught them first of the preincarnate Son. Will they be able to appreciate the lamb if they do not see Him as the Son of Man? As the Rock of life who not only sustains life but creates it. As the only entry to God as well as their door of protection and safety. As the complete God having all glory and needing nothing yet suffering humiliation on a scale that we will never fully appreaciate, even given all eternity to try to grasp it? One would not think it anything of significance to gain common employment in the very humble occupation of a Janitor or Carpenter, but let a Mayor or Senator resign to take up such occupation and men will marvel at what was given up. Let that same person be a billionaire and men will be left wanting for words. Let that one be the President of the USA or Queen of England and be found cleaning toilets and men will be floored, but let that One, who will clean up vomit and take care of others garbage be the Creator of the Universe who spoke forth all Creation and now we can first begin to appreciate the the humiliation of the one we will teach our children is the Spotless Lamb.

One could spend a lifetime combing through the OT to compliment the New. As well we should.

Re: Martyr
If we did find such a willing pastor [and a willing body of elders/deacons], I would advocate a season of prayer by them for their congregation, so that the hearts of the people may be prepared.

The 'relevant, inspirational sermon',amongst other things, is the bane of the American church! Oi! Oi!! Oi!!!

Oh my brother,
You'd be amazed how difficult it is to get God's people to pray.
Perhaps it's a function of where i live [New England] but I've come to believe getting folk to pray has got to be one of the most difficult things a person can undertake.
Planning, strategizing, brainstorming....all come naturally to us....but praying? Whole 'nother matter altogether.

So now we go from one radical idea ( a Christians tolerance for the word) to another (a Christians desire for prayer). Krispy you are drawing a conclusion that does not seems much different from the one the Apostle John drew. I still cannot get my mind around the thought that we are calling these things radical. It would be paramount to giving a book on true Christianity the title "Radical Christianity" ...........uh oh!

Brothers, I will put in my two cents here, after having been part of the Calvary Chapel denomination which focuses on teaching through the whole Bible, both Old and New Testaments.

There are some good things I saw in teaching this way, one being that God's people will be taken through the whole counsel of God's Word.

However, there are also some down sides I noticed. For example, when a pastor pre-plans to teach through a certain book of the Bible for a number of weeks, he may limit himself from hearing what God may want to actually speak to the flock about at any given time or season. The pastor will not be flexible to bring a message from another book though God may want him to do so in a given situation. He will be bound to his pre-planned exposition.

As far as this method of teaching/preaching through the Bible being the greatest need for the church, I will have to respectfully disagree. And that is because I know firsthand that there are multitudes of Calvary Chapels that follow this method and are just as dead as most any other church here in America.

There is no real revival going on in most of these churches. I would be so bold as to say that, especially in the bigger mega Calvaries, the vast majority of those who attend are not born again. And they are not being awakened to their lost condition. And the believers are not being revived from lukewarmness.

As to the need to teach from the OT, I am all for that but there is a danger. And that is that Christians can fall into the trap of applying much of the null and void commands of the OT and pressuring God's flock into keeping them today. One clear example of that is with the issue of tithing.

I would also point out that Spurgeon preached topically and from what I have heard and read many of those that attended the church where he pastored experienced true awakening and revival through his preaching.

For example, when a pastor pre-plans to teach through a certain book of the Bible for a number of weeks, he may limit himself from hearing what God may want to actually speak to the flock about at any given time or season.

Why does everyone depend on the "pastor" to bring a word from God? Because they have been "conditioned" to depend on man for life, direction, leading, etc.

A good test to see where "life" is being derived from is to give all the "leaders" a 6 month vacation and see what happens to the congregation of saints.

Paul made sure no one depended on him, but rather on the Lord Jesus. He would leave and not come back sometimes for 18 months then see who pursued the Lord and matured, thus raising up elders (not to lord over the flock) by the unction of the Holy Spirit.

Martyr brings up good points about the persecuted church often and one point is that Jesus is their life otherwise they would not be able to endure.

Instead of the unction of the Holy Spirit these days we have the function of man. (in most cases).

Mike

If you teach from OT with a NT unction and annointing you won't have to worry about the law.

Good points mikey2. I'm with you for the most part. However, the OP and this whole thread seemed to be about what is best for the mainstream system of church as we see it today. The points you make do not really fit within that context, for the whole system of the way things run would have to be completely done away with in order to really follow your points.

Even though I like much of the principles taught in the HS movement, which I think you are getting at, I do not see it having much impact here in the US any time soon at least. Therefore, I have decided to try to work with the current situation we are in as the Church as best as I can by God's grace.

One more thing mikey2. I do not really see much harm in the idea of attending Sunday services where Christians are taught God's Word from one man. Why can you not have meetings like the one you point out at other times or days?
Just a thought you may want to consider.

Oracio,

Sorry that my post was off topic. I think if a person's heart attitude is right and he is hungry for God's Word that he will get something out of the preaching of the Word in most churches. But, there is more than just expository teaching that "we need". The only thing that may be onerous and vexing to him is the behaviour of those around him.

Likeminded, pure-hearted, God-centered fellowship is important. You can always stay home and study the Word on your own, but forsaking fellowship will hurt a Believer.

Anyway, back to the topic.

Thanks,
Mike

QUOTE BY ORACIO: “this whole thread seemed to be about what is best for the mainstream system of church as we see it today.”

We cannot dispute the power of the pulpit, but we also cannot dispute the power of God – even when the word is absent in a culture, never mind one's church.

Consider Brother’s Yun’s book “Heavenly Man” about how God birthed the church in China in recent years. Yun gives an account of a new believer who was dismayed that God had not left humanity with a book – and then discovered to his delight that a book was available. That young man then pleaded with God for the “Book”, and God answered.

Diane

Martyr: those are really good points. It's the whole Bible that must be read publically and taught/preached.

Oracio: I appreciate you're points too. There is that risk of a man trusting in his method rather than in God to do work through his word.

Praise God for his wonderful word! The more I read it, the more I love it.