Rejoice when the message is faithfully preached, explained, proven, and applied, guiding people to our Savior. There are various methods for expository preaching, and verse-by-verse preaching is just one option.

Many people claim to believe in expository preaching, but they often have different interpretations of what it means.

Some people think that expository preaching means going verse-by-verse through a passage and explaining the details of the text. Some people call this the continuous exposition or the running commentary method. To be sure, this is a form of expository preaching, but it’s not the only way.

This method of preaching has its strengths. “Verse-by-verse preaching possesses a long, storied tradition,” writes Steve Mathewson. Preachers like Nehemiah, Origen, John Chrysostom, Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Harry A. Ironside, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones have used it throughout the centuries.

Mathewson lists the strengths of this approach:

• It digs deeply into the text.
• It leads the preacher to follow the contours of the text rather than an artificial outline.
• It tends to reveal the author’s intent rather than to impose an idea upon the text.

But this method faces some challenges too, according to Mathewson. Verse-by-verse preaching can miss the bigger picture by concentrating too much on individual verses, which can confuse listeners about the overall message. It can sometimes overload their sermons with technical details and linguistic information while neglecting practical application for modern life. It’s slow, causing preachers to focus on one Bible book for years, which may limit the congregation’s exposure to other Scriptures.

Read More