For Truth and Beauty: Thoughts on Argumentation in Sermons

June 02, 2011 by Steven Smith

Continued from Page 1

4. Don't turn to multiple texts...most of the time.
In order to stay on point, we will generally have to avoid showing the congregation multiple texts during a single sermon. Multiple texts make a sermon unwieldy, and often divert the sermon into a discussion of a topic instead of a discussion of a text. This is just a general rule of thumb. To never refer to other texts, as some might advocate, is self-defeating.

My pastoral goal for the hearers of my sermons is that they should fall in love with the words of the Word. In the Word is protection from sin (Ps. 119:11), in the Word is sanctification (Eph. 5:26; Jn. 15:3) and in the Word is the revelation of Christ Himself (Rev. 1:1; John 5:39)! I want them to understand how the Bible relates to itself. It is a beautiful tapestry and each thread is more stunning when seen in its whole. So show them other texts, but do so sparingly and with caution.

Arguments in Service of Beauty
The text we preach is absolutely ravishing. It is special and beautiful, and filled with nuance, verve and life itself! Yet when that beautiful text is shown as a part of a beautiful whole, it becomes even more beautiful.

I will not be a preacher who preaches a topic but not a text. Neither will I be a preacher who preaches an individual text while veiling how this text fits into the whole of Scripture. In these ways, argumentation serves me. It provides, on balance, the best way to show how this particular truth fits into God's redemptive history and thus becomes more beautiful indeed.

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About Steven Smith

Steven W. Smith is a preacher and author who is attempting to die in the pulpit and call a generation to do the same. He is the Dean of the College, and Professor of Communication, at the College at Southwestern. Follow him on Twitter.

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