What Kind of Sermon Did I Just Preach? The 5-Axis Audit

Preachers are herd animals. When Billy Graham was popular, his approach shaped pulpits. The same could be said for John MacArthur, Tim Keller, Martin Luther, or John Chrysostom. I like how one limerick made this point:

There once was a preacher named Spurgy,
Who didn’t care much for liturgy.
His sermons were fine,
I use them as mine,
And so do the rest of the clergy.¹

While we chuckle, this raises a serious question: Why do we preach the kind of sermons we preach? Are we mere products of our environment, adopting whatever is trending?

Most of us probably like to think that we preach the way we do because of certain homiletical convictions we hold. Consider, for instance, the following popular categories:

• Expositional preaching: Used to describe preaching that attends to faithful exegesis and ordinarily moves sequentially through sections of Scripture.
• Topical preaching: Used to describe preaching that is concerned with relevance and thus focuses on pertinent, real-life themes within Scripture.
• Textual preaching: Used to describe preaching that is doctrinal or devotional, often arising from one brief text.

Yet these common categorizations often obscure the true dimensions of a given sermon, making these categories deficient and frequently misleading. For example, I have heard many “expositional sermons” that served as a pretext for the preacher to discuss some theological or practical point. Similarly, I have heard “topical preaching” that begins in a certain passage, exposits that passage faithfully, and shows how the Scriptures speak powerfully to the topic at hand. These have been some of the best “expository” sermons I have ever heard.

Simply identifying our preaching with a popular category isn’t enough. It can blind us to weaknesses or lead us to assume we’re preaching according to a certain methodology when, in fact, we’re not.

Instead, I believe we can improve our preaching by analyzing what all goes into different types of sermons. This forces us to think more carefully about what exactly we’re doing with our own sermons. And the more self-aware we become in our sermon writing, the more intentional and corrective we can be.

To that end, let’s explore five axes that make up a sermon’s “type,” along with specific tips for approaching each axis.

Table of contents

1. Authority: From whence does the meaning come?
2. Content: From whence does my material come?
3. Aim: To what end is the sermon directed?
4. Locus axis: What is my starting point?
5. Occasion axis: What is the situation that gives rise to the sermon?
Conclusion

1. Authority: From whence does the meaning come?

This axis considers whether a sermon’s message comes from the Bible or from the preacher. Is the preacher drawing their sermon’s meaning from the Bible, or is the author imposing his ideas onto the Bible?

There are two points on this axis.

i. Exegetical preaching

The meaning of the sermon is drawn from the biblical text. The sermon is shaped by the text. The preacher does not impose his ideas upon the text. He stands under the Bible as its messenger, not over the Bible as its arbiter.

ii. Eisegetical preaching

Meaning is imposed upon the text. “The preacher uses text like a drunk uses a lamppost, more for support than illumination.”² The preacher stands over the Bible, utilizing it to communicate his ideas and thoughts.

Assessment & advice

The Christian preacher must be committed to exegesis instead of eisegesis. God has strong words for those who preach their own thoughts as if they were God’s Word (see Jer 23:16–32; Mark 7:6–13). We must not be eisegetes.

Some methods of preaching better safeguard against eisegesis, but we must not assume that such methods will save us. We have a strong tendency toward confirmation bias, making it easy to assume a passage affirms what we already think. In other words, it’s easy to assume we’re exegeting when in fact we’re eisegeting.

2. Content: From whence does my material come?

This axis considers how the material for the sermon is selected. Who or what sets the agenda for what I preach? When I finish this week’s sermon, how do I decide what I will preach next week?

There are four points on this axis.

i. Sequential

Material is selected by moving sequentially through a book of the Bible (or portion of a biblical book). The preacher typically decides what book he’ll work through, then works through it. This approach is sometimes called lectio continua.

Variations within sequential preaching include:

• Exhaustive or selective: Does the preacher preach every single passage within his selected book, or does he choose certain key passages and move through those (e.g., select passaged from a lengthier book like Isaiah or Job)?
• Verse-by-verse or unit-by-unit: Verse-by-verse is a thorough approach that focuses on commenting on each verse in order. The unit-by-unit approach typically favors thought units (sometimes called “pericopes”). The units can be large or small. The content for a given week is a natural pericope, and thus he may not explain every verse.

Assessment & advice

Since all Christian preaching should draw its message from the text (see axis 1), the most straightforward way of doing this is unit-by-unit, sequential preaching—an approach I commend. However, a common pitfall of such preaching is failing to capture each passage’s hortatory purpose. Our people don’t need running commentary. They need to be exhorted and moved in the same ways the text is exhorting them and moving them. Strive for this end.³

Our people don’t need running commentary. They need to be exhorted and moved in the same ways the text is exhorting them and moving them.

Verse-by-verse approaches to preaching sometimes focus so much on extracting every bit of data from a verse that they lose the author’s broader argument. Though they appear to be exegetical, they can drift toward doctrinal sermons that show the broad teaching of Scripture on a given topic. If you preach verse-by-verse, work hard to keep the broader argument of the author in mind.

Non-exhaustive sequential preaching raises the question of what to select and what to pass over. Often, non-exhaustive sequential preaching presents as expositional preaching but is really topical preaching. We must be careful that we don’t skip over parts that are uncomfortable, challenging, or which appear less relevant to our congregation. Instead, we should select passages that will best capture the whole counsel and argument of the book.

ii. Liturgical

The material is pre-selected for us based on rhythms of the liturgical calendar. The most common source is a lectionary.

Assessment & advice

It’s best not to confuse sermons from the lectionary text with occasional sermons. Take the passage assigned and preach it faithfully, in its context, highlighting the author’s message. It takes a bit more experience and work, but the church can be well-fed.

Consider supplementing liturgical preaching with church-wide opportunities for studying through whole books so that your congregation learns how to understand the material of a book in its entirety.

iii. Thematic

The material is selected based on a theme of the preacher’s choosing. Often thematic sermons are part of a wider series, but sometimes they are standalone sermons.

There are numerous types of thematic sermons, but the following are common:

• Theological: The sermon is built around a particular area of systematic theology (e.g., the atonement) or biblical theology (e.g., the temple).
• Ethical: Sometimes it behooves the preacher to directly address an area of contemporary Christian living. These sermons tend to be heavy on application.
• Devotional: These sermons focus on the heart or inner life of the believer, seeking to stir affections and increase devotion to our Lord.
• Character: Some sermons are formed around a key biblical figure (e.g., David or Paul), highlighting their story, their example, and the lessons they learned.
• Biographical: Biographical sermons are built around the life of a believer from outside the Bible (e.g., William Carey).

Assessment & advice

The key to a good thematic sermon is selecting the appropriate passage or passages (oftentimes a thematic sermon will utilize multiple passages) then showing your church the beauty of that passage. Never shoehorn a passage into saying what you need it to say.

Some thematic preaching starts in one passage so that it appears to be a sermon on that text, but then it develops a thought that is different from the author’s aim. This can easily veer into eisegesis. However, when done well, it teaches broader biblical truths, bringing them all together in a way that moves the hearer. But so as not to confuse the congregation, I would encourage preachers who use this method to clarify that they are bringing together various biblical streams.

Character sermons are highly susceptible to eisegesis. Too often we psychologize Bible figures, fill in the gaps, or draw out lessons from their lives that are not the point of the text. In contrast, one way to do character studies well is to find a key biblical truth the character illustrates and focus on that truth (this is what Hebrews 11 does). Another approach is to choose a passage about that individual and then faithfully exposit that passage.

Likewise, when preaching a biographical sermon, we should use the person as an extended illustration of one or more biblical truths. It is best to ground the sermon in that biblical truth by attaching it to a passage. The star of the show should be the passage the person illustrates, not the person himself.

Finally, while thematic preaching is important, care should be taken not to depend on it too much, lest certain Scriptural themes remain unexplored. Preach the whole counsel of God’s Word (Acts 20:27), not simply what we personally perceive as the needed or helpful portions.

iv. Extemporaneous

Material is decided in the moment or week by week, typically with prayer and sensitivity for the needs of that moment.

Assessment & advice

It is no less sensitive to the Spirit to plan ahead. A regular diet of extemporaneous preaching might, ironically, result in the preacher’s ideas and passions featuring more than the broad counsel the Spirit has inspired in the Word.

To safeguard against this, extemporaneous preachers should take regular inventory of their preaching to make sure they are covering the whole counsel of God’s Word. Further, the preacher must be sure to preach the author’s emphasis in whatever passage he selects, lest he fall into eisegesis.

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3. Aim: To what end is the sermon directed?

This axis analyzes the driving aim of the sermon. Admittedly, most sermons contain all three points on this axis. However, the question is which of the three is the primary aim.

While our aim often shapes our selection of content (axis 2), it is dangerous to assume content and aim are inseparably wed. For instance, we should not assume a sequential sermon automatically has an expositional aim or that a thematic sermon must have a hortatory aim. Hence the need for this third axis.

There are three points on this axis.

i. Hortatory

The sermon aims toward spurring people to action. This includes evangelistic preaching, which calls people to repentance and faith in Jesus.

ii. Expositional

The sermon aims to explain the text. This includes narrative preaching, which uses a text’s natural story arc to convey the message of the text.⁴

iii. Doctrinal

The sermon aims toward instilling right theology. This includes apologetic preaching, which defends the faith against attacks.

Assessment & advice

All true preaching is hortatory. First Timothy 4:13 makes this plain, as do the many sermons recorded in the Gospels and Acts. We aim to persuade and compel toward action.

Thus, expository sermons that do not aim to persuade are not actually expository. Scripture doesn’t just convey truth. It compels us in a direction (2 Tim 3:16–17).⁵

Likewise, doctrinal preaching that fails to compel and persuade is misguided. Orthodoxy drives orthopraxy, and if the former doesn’t link to the latter, we are failing. Consider, for example, the argument of Titus that godliness accords with sound doctrine.

More than once, I’ve had my exegesis destroy what was going to be a “great” sermon—and I’m glad it did!

Likewise, the best doctrinal and hortatory sermons have an expository core. When we begin our exegesis for such sermons, we must do our best to set aside our frameworks and allow God’s Word to shape us afresh. Take care not to force a passage to say something that the original author did not intend it to say. More than once, I’ve had my exegesis destroy what was going to be a “great” sermon—and I’m glad it did!

4. Locus axis: What is my starting point?

This axis regards the textual starting point of the sermon. Regardless of where you fall on the authority or content axes, what is the textual anchor of the sermon?

There are three points on this axis.

i. Singular text

A singular passage serves as the foundation for the sermon. This passage would typically be read near the outset of the sermon.

ii. Multiple texts

Multiple passages form the foundation of the sermon. One or more of the passages may be read at the outset of the sermon and all will be read and explained throughout the sermon.

iii. No text

There is no particular textual anchor for the sermon. The sermon makes only cursory references or allusions to specific passages.

Assessment & advice

Singular-text preaching is often simplest for our people. We want them to leave feeling like they can read the Bible and be fed by it.

Yet, multiple-text preaching helps our people think canonically. It shows them how the Bible connects and builds sophisticated and nuanced frameworks for them. While it may not be best for a steady diet, it is a nutritious component of a complete pulpit ministry.

No-text preaching should be extremely rare and only reserved for unique evangelistic situations (see Acts 17:23–31). In general, it is imperative that those who hear us preach know that the Bible is the authority, not us.

5. Occasion axis: What is the situation that gives rise to the sermon?

This axis analyzes the occasion that gives rise to the sermon. There are two points on this axis.

i. Regular

The vast majority of sermons are delivered to the saints in their weekly gathering.

ii. Occasional

Some sermons are crafted for a unique occasion. Common occasions include a funeral, a wedding, or an evangelistic event. Sometimes the occasion is related to the weekly gathering—for example: Easter, Christmas, or Thanksgiving.

Assessment & advice

When preaching for a special occasion, it is still best to land on one text and let it drive the sermon. It may be lighter on exposition and heavier on illustration or application, but people should still be able to see that the message comes from the Bible.⁶

If one is accustomed to preaching longer sermons, it may be best to shorten one’s sermon significantly for a funeral or wedding.

Conclusion

I designed these five axes to help us think more carefully about our sermons, with the goal that we improve as preachers by better understanding what we’re doing as preachers.

We don’t want to preach ourselves or our own ideas. We want to preach what God has said. So wherever we land as preachers, let’s commit ourselves to getting better and better at that.

Related content

• How to Prepare a Sermon: 32 Hacks for Preachers
• What Is Homiletics? An Intro to the Art & Science of Preaching
• On Expository Preaching | David Helm
• The 10 Best Books on Preaching, According to Logos Users
• 4 Steps to Faster Sermon Prep (Without Sacrificing Quality)

Resources for different types of sermons