Biblio-Centric Preaching

(Text-Driven Preaching)

The most distinguishing characteristic of the biblio-centric church is that the preaching is exegetical or text-driven. The reason I use that term text-driven is because the term expository preaching has been stretched to such a point that I am not sure what it means to many today. Perhaps we could say it is like the word evangelicalism. Evangelicalism is now an umbrella that covers a much broader spectrum than it did 50 years ago.

Text-driven (exegetical) preaching is a term that says the actual structure of the sermon, to some extent, as well as the content or substance of the sermon and the spirit of the sermon, all should come from what we find in the text itself. The process of digging into the text for its meaning and message is called exegesis.

We believe that God’s word has power and greater authority when we allow the Holy Spirit to take its textual meaning and speak first to the messenger, and secondly to the people of God through the messenger. We recognize the need at times for topical series. We certainly do those here. However, they are the exception, not the norm. The majority of the preaching series will be based on verse-by-verse studies of God’s word with a passion to capture the meaning and message of the original writer. We believe that the goal of the biblio-centric church is to equip believers to study the word of God. (II Timothy 3:16-17)

Dr. J. Byron Morgan