An Examination of the Preaching and Teaching Style of Jesus in Relation to Current Evangelical ...

199 Pages·2008·0.58 MB·English

by  Daniel Light

LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

AN EXAMINATION OF THE PREACHING AND TEACHING STYLE OF
JESUS IN RELATION TO CURRENT EVANGELICAL HOMILETICS

A Thesis Project Submitted to
Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
In partial fulfillment of the requirements
For the degree

DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

By

Daniel Sheridan Light

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

April 2004
Copyright 2004 Daniel S. Light
All Rights Reserved
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LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

THESIS PROJECT APPROVAL SHEET

_
GRADE

_
MENTOR, Dr. Paul R. Fink
Chmn., Department of Biblical Studies
Professor of Biblical Studies and Pastoral
Ministries
Liberty University

_
READER, Dr. Elmer L. Towns
Dean, Schol of Religion
Distinguished Profesor of Systematic
Theology
Liberty University

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READER, Dr. Luke E. Kaufman
Profesor of Pastoral Theology and
Homiletics
Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary

_
READER, Dr. Frank Schmitt
Director, Doctor of Ministry Program
Profesor of Educational Studies
Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary

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ABSTRACT

AN EXAMINATION OF THE PREACHING AND TEACHING STYLE OF
JESUS IN RELATION TO CURRENT EVANGELICAL HOMILETICS

Daniel Sheridan Light

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, 2004

Mentor, Dr. Paul R. Fink

Much of current evangelical pulpit ministry has veered away from the style and
content demonstrated by Jesus in His preaching and teaching. The purpose of this project
is to encourage pastoral preachers and teachers to prepare and practice their preaching
and teaching according to the model provided by Jesus as revealed in the Gospels. Based
on an examination of available literature concerning Jesus’ ministry as a communicator,
and interviews with leading evangelical pastors, the project offers personal perspectives
and practical advice concerning greater effectiveness in pastoral preaching and teaching
by using Jesus as a model.

Abstract length: 95 words.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I 1

INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………….1
The Need for This Study ………………………………………………….1
The Purpose of This Study ………………………………………………..2
The Limitations of This Study ……………………………………………3
The Methodology of This Study ………………………………………….4
The Literature Pertinent to This Study ……………………………………6

CHAPTER II 12

JESUS AS A MODEL FOR PREACHING AND TEACHING ………………..12
Jesus’ Manner of Preaching and Teaching ……………………………...12
Jesus’ Manner As It Related to Prayer and Worship ……………12
Jesus’ Manner As It Related to His Mission…………………….14
Jesus’ Manner As It Related to People ………………………….16
Jesus’ Connection with the Needs of the People ………..17
Jesus’ Conection with Physical and Emotional Neds…17
Jesus’ Connections with Physical Needs Through
Healing………………………………………….18
Jesus Use of a Clearly Understandable Style
Of Speaking ……………………………………..22
The Content of Jesus’ Message …………………………………………33
Jesus’ Message in Relation to His Person ………………………34
Jesus’ Message in Relation to His Kingdom ……………………42
Jesus’ Message As Expressed in Commandments ………………46
Summary of Jesus’ Method and Message ……………………………….51

CHAPTER III 53

INTERVIEWS WITH LEADING EVANGELICAL PASTORS ………………53
Criteria for the Pastors Interviewed……………………………………...53
The Interviewees ………………………………………………………...55
The Interview Questions: Objectives and Responses …………………...57
Summary of the Interview Results ……………………………………....82

CHAPTER IV 83

ANALYSIS AND CORRELATION ...…………………………………...……..84
The Correlation of Jesus’ Manner of Preaching and Teaching
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and Pastoral Preaching and Teaching ..………………………… 84
Jesus’ Manner in Relation to His Prayer and Worship .…………84
Jesus’ Manner in Relation to His Sense of Mission ……….……86
Jesus’ Manner in Regard to His Relationship with the People ....87
The Correlation of Jesus’ Message and Pastoral and Preaching and
Teaching .…………………………………………………….….90
Jesus’ Message in Relation to His Person ………………………91
Jesus’ Message in Regard to His Kingdom ……………………..92
Jesus’ Message as Expressed in His Commandments …………. 93
Summary ……………………………………………………………….95

CHAPTER V 96

CONCLUSION 96
Personal Observations and Practice of the Author ……………………...98
Principles Drawn from the Project ……………………………………..100
Current Pastors Should Derive a Basic Model from the
Preaching and Teaching of Jesus as Revealed in the Gospels …100
Current Pastors Should Practice Preaching and Teaching
Based upon the Model of Jesus as Revealed in the Gospels……101
Application of Jesus’ Manner and Message …………………………....103
Questions for the Pastor to Ask in the Process of Preparing to
Preach and Teach ………………………………………………103
Recommendations …………………………………………….1
Concluding Chalenge ………………………………………………….13

APPENDIX I 115

INTERVIEW WITH DR. JACK GRAHAM………………………………….... 115

APPENDIX II

INTERVIEW WITH DR. JAMES HENRY…………………………………….123

APPENDIX III

INTERVIEW WITH DR. JOEL HUNTER ……………………………………132

APPENDIX IV

INTERVIEW WITH DR. TOM MULLINS …………………………………...139

APPENDIX V

INTERVIEW WITH DR. ADRIAN ROGERS ………………………………..147

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APPENDIX VI

INTERVIEW WITH DR. STAN TOLER ……………………………………..157

APPENDIX VII

INTERVIEW WITH DR. KENNETH ULMER ………………………………163

APPENDIX VIII

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON INTERVIEWED PASTORS ………170

APPENDIX IX

QUESTIONS USED IN PASTOR INTERVIEWS ……………………………176

APPENDIX X

TABLE: THE PREACHING AND TEACHING PASSAGES OF JESUS:
THEIR RELEVANCETO THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE…............................178

BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………………...186

VITA……………………………………………………………………………………192

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Jesus is regarded by the majority of Christians as the paramount model for
excellence in teaching and preaching. Few, if any, among evangelical clergy who have
studied and practiced homiletics, the art of preaching, would argue against the fact that
Jesus is without peer among the master communicators of the message of the Scriptures.
This being the case, it should follow that the methods and message of the “Master
Communicator” would command the attention of present-day preaching and teaching and
be applied purposely to current homiletical efforts.

The Need for This Study

To the careful observer of the contemporary church scene who is cognizant of the
need to be motivated by the example of Jesus’ life and ministry, it becomes apparent that
the output from many pulpits has veered away from a method and message similar to
those of Jesus. Instead, much of today’s sermonizing has conformed to types of content
and delivery that are weak in adequate biblical exegesis, creative rhetorical style, relevant
application of the Word of God to the issues of daily personal concerns, and a bold and
dynamic engagement with the audience in a manner of delivery that is Holy Spirit
anointed and expressed with the needed blend of love and authority.
This assessment does not necessarily mean that there is an absence of skillful
public speaking performance. In the religious vein, the motivational pep-talk along with
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the “steps to success” and “how-to” approaches have increasingly appeared in the pulpits
of America. These popularized styles that have found their place in the sales industry and
executive leadership training venues are of proven merit in their aim to stimulate their
listeners to more effective sales and leadership. In and of themselves, the high-energy
speeches that are designed to inform, instruct and inspire are appropriate for their proper
use, even in certain aspects of religious education and motivation. However, when it
comes to the primary objective of communicating the substance and essence of the
Christian faith, it is the content and application of the Bible that must receive prime
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attention and this can be most effectively accomplished through preaching and teaching.
This being the case, the author further suggests that for current preaching and teaching to
be at its best, primary attention and practice should be given to the ways in which Jesus
preached and taught.

The Purpose of This Study

The purpose of this project is to examine the preaching and teaching style of
Jesus, determine its evaluation by leading evangelical pastors of today, and encourage
current pastors to give it primary attention in their preaching and teaching. To accomplish
this purpose the author will present key components in the preaching and teaching style

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The writer of the proposal will use the phrase “preaching and teaching” to convey the joint
emphasis of preaching and teaching in the ministry of Jesus and current pastoral ministry. This approach is
suggested and used by some scholars; see David L. Larsen in The Evangelism Mandate: Recovering the
Centrality of Gospel Preaching (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1992), 49. Cf. Klaas Runia, “What Is Preaching
According to the New Testament?” Tyndale Bulletin, 29 (1978), 15; Henry Grady Davis, Design for
Preaching (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1958), 123-125.
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of Jesus. He will then draw upon related responses from personal interviews with leading
evangelical pastors, and correlate these two elements, concluding with the contention that
preaching and teaching of today, in practice as well as theory, should prioritize the
example of the manner and message of Jesus.

The Limitations of This Study

The project will be presented with the following limitations. First, the author does
not attempt to present an exhaustive treatment of all available references from the
Scriptures or related literature to corroborate or illustrate point, but uses representative
references for that purpose. For example, when dealing with the parables of Jesus as one
of the sources of evidence for His manner and message, only selected parables are cited.
Second, the model of Jesus’ style of preaching and teaching given by the author is
not meant to serve as an exclusive representation. It is intended to present an analysis that
the author has structured on clearly identifiable components of Jesus’ ministry as
recorded in the Gospels.
Third, the use of the comments of the interviewed pastors is determined according
to the discretion of the author. All that each of the interviewees said does not appear in
the main text of the dissertation, even though the full transcripts of the interviews appear
in Appendices I through VII. In the judgment of the author, the statements that best relate
to the subject being discussed will be used.
Fourth, the interviewees respond to the questions that refer to Jesus as a model for
preaching and teaching from their own personal perspective of that model. They were not
exposed to the author’s profile of the manner and message of Jesus prior to the
interviews.