On Sunday (⅗) I got my tongue tangled while I was trying to tease Pastors Jim and Jad whilst also thanking them. I’m not talking about my Eutychus* joke, I think that was fairly straight-forward. 🙂 I’m talking about the point I was trying to make about the difference between topical and exegetical preaching.
Topical preaching (or stand alone messages) can be like medicine or wound care. The preacher, especially in cases like these where he’s part of the body, observes an issue but isn’t tied to the next paragraph in the book he’s preaching on, so he can tackle the issue. It’s a good and necessary use of God’s word!
Book studies (verse-by-verse; expositional, & exegetical) is what I normally do. Think of those as food or dietary supplements. The better your diet, the better you can fight off diseases (the corruption of this world). But we all are troubled sometimes; so I’m thankful for Pastoral EMTs who can apply necessary medicine in good season!
Glad to be back and glad Jim amd jad had my back,
Pastor Scott
*“Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.”
Acts 20:7-12
Grace Notes 