The Parent As Expositor
As previously explained, the parallels between pastor and parent are undeniable. Their goals coincide, their leadership roles are reciprocal, the souls under their care correspond, and their accountability to God is equally certain. To be a pastor or a parent is to be a shepherd. Know how to lead a church, and you’ll know how to lead a home. Once you affirm this foundational truth, you’ve found the key to biblical parenting—the rest is just fine print from here on out. Examine what pastors in the church are called to do for their people; go and do likewise at home.
But therein lies the million-dollar question: What does a pastor do?
Entertainers, Influencers, Pundits… Clowns
Perhaps the question would be better stated as, “What should a pastor do?” In an age of unchecked superficiality brought on largely by the seeker-sensitive movement, it’d be irresponsible to tell parents simply to follow what any given evangelical pastor is doing without giving any caution or clarification. That’s because by all accounts, the average pastor doesn’t seem to be doing what he should. As John MacArthur notes, “Some contemporary church leaders fancy themselves businessmen, media figures, entertainers, psychologists, philosophers, or lawyers. Yet, these notions contrast sharply with the metaphors Scripture employs to depict spiritual leaders.”[1]
Survey evangelicalism’s live-stream sermons, event details, and social media posts and you’ll get a good idea of how many pastors are viewed:
Event coordinators
Fund raisers
Life coaches
Influencers
Podcasters
Motivational speakers
Political pundits
Drama team leaders
And on and on it goes. Scour employment opportunities on the internet for a church that’s serious about preaching and your eyes are liable to glaze over before you stumble upon one. One church looks to hire a “Video Pastor.” Another church wants a “Worship Arts Director.” Several churches have openings for a “Communications Administrator.” Few churches mention duties related to preaching. In fact, if you’re holding your breath looking for a church that does, make sure you’re surrounded by pillows and other soft objects—because you just might pass out before you find one.
In some instances, churches are churning out superficial, moralistic, topical sermon series about “breaking barriers that hold you back” or “how Jesus makes your life better.” In others, churches are showing Hollywood movie clips and concocting ridiculous object lessons from the pulpit. It’s as if evangelicalism has developed an allergy to the thoughtful, accurate, confident proclamation of Scripture.
Though they’d never admit it, what many people want on a Sunday morning is a clown to entertain them instead of a preacher to edify them.
Steve Lawson makes the diagnosis:
“A new way of ‘doing’ church is emerging. In this radical paradigm shift, exposition is being replaced with entertainment, preaching with performances, doctrine with drama, and theology with theatrics. The pulpit, once the focal point of the church, is now being overshadowed by a variety of church-growth techniques, everything from trendy worship styles to glitzy presentations and vaudeville-like pageantries. In seeking to capture the upper hand in church growth, a new wave of pastors is reinventing church and repackaging the gospel into a product to be sold to ‘consumers.’”[2]
“Preach the Word”
So what’s a pastor really supposed to do? The fundamental duty of every pastor is to preach the Word.
This was precisely the charge Paul issued to his protégé Timothy in his second letter, just prior to his departure from this world.
Knowing that his death was imminent, the final message Paul had for Timothy was intensely personal, urgent, and sobering. So it was as if Paul summoned Timothy to his bedside to whisper parting words into his disciple’s ear. And as we all know, parting words are often the most profound of a person’s life. But Paul’s message to Timothy was more than a final request of a dying man; it was a divine mandate from the living God. In three short words, Timothy’s number one priority was given to him: “preach the Word” (2 Tim. 4:2).
And to emphasize just how critical this was, Paul preceded this command with a solemn oath: “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom” (2 TIm. 4:1). It was as if prior to telling Timothy to preach the Word, Paul rhetorically asked,
You know your ministry will be under the scrutiny of God, right?
You know you will be held accountable to Christ Himself, right?
You know that neither death nor life can avert judgment, right?
You know that Christ’s return is imminent, right?
You know that the kingdom is coming, right?
For Paul, this was no mere “suggestion.” This wasn’t a ministry “tip.” This wasn’t just one way among many for “doing church.” On the contrary, this was a divine mandate, and with those five aspects of the charge, Paul issued the most explicitly authoritative command given in the entire Bible: preach the Word. To miss the mark here would be to miss it all.
It’s no surprise, then, to find that in the early years of the church, the apostles enlisted the help of others to offset the workload of service, saying, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:2-4, emphasis mine). Beyond prayer (both corporately and individually), the number one job of a shepherd in the church is to preach the Word. If a pastor ends up becoming only a one-trick pony, this is the one trick it needs to be.
Steve Lawson likewise says,
“Christian concerts, drama, pageants, festivals, musicals, talk shows, and religious movies are establishing a greater foothold in the life of the contemporary church. Some of these activities may have a place in the church, but they must never compete with nor overshadow the Spirit-energized proclamation of God’s Word within a church.”[3]
Expository Preaching
More specifically, it should be emphasized that when Paul told Timothy to preach, this wasn’t a free-for-all instruction to be defined in whatever way Timothy wanted. Paul employed the Greek word kérussó: a verb that means “to make a public announcement,” used in first-century times to describe a messenger bringing the news of a king or emperor. Such a messenger was always under the authority of a sovereign ruler, given the task of announcing the decree with which he was entrusted. Serving as a herald meant that he had absolutely no liberty of his own to deviate from the content of his message or negotiate with his hearers, but instead held the sacred duty of announcing official orders from start to finish.
Thus, whereas Jesus and the apostles were first-generation revelatory preachers (delivering new revelation), Timothy and subsequent generations were commanded to be explanatory preachers (explaining existing revelation). Timothy was to announce and expound upon a message that was already completed; it was not his job to provide anything new. And that still holds true in the modern church. Shepherds today are called to herald God’s Word verse by verse (cf. Luke 1:3-4), book by book (cf. Col. 4:16), each in totality (cf. Rev. 1:1-3, 22:6), over the full counsel of God (cf. Acts 20:27, 2 Tim. 3:16-17), for the duration of their ministry (cf. 2 Tim. 4:7).
Simply put, pastors are required to be expositors.
An expository sermon is one that exposits (explains and clarifies in detail) God’s Word. It describes the historical and grammatical aspects of the text, in context, such that the original author’s intent and purpose for writing becomes clear to the hearers. When listening to a sermon, it’s wise to ask yourself, “Was the point of the passage ultimately the point of the sermon?” If not—if the preacher reads a passage and then uses it as a launching pad into his own agenda—you didn’t hear an expositional sermon.
Since the Apostle John said, in his first epistle, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13), expository sermons that are preached from that book should do just that: walking through marks of true conversion so that the hearers may have a stronger assurance of their salvation.
When Luke recorded Jesus saying, in the book of Acts, “…but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth,” the expository preacher recognizes that his job is to elucidate the work of the Spirit such that believers today can determine and relate to the establishment, pattern, method, and effect of the early church.
When Paul said to the Romans, “I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome” (Rom. 1:15), and then leads into, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel” (Rom. 1:16), it compels all who preach his letter to trace out the glorious work of the Gospel from guilt (Romans 1:1-3:20), to grace (Romans 3:21-11:36), to gratitude (Romans 12:1-16:27). While any given portion of the Bible can (and should) contain secondary doctrines and applications in the course of a sermon, the main thing must always remain the main thing.
Expositors use their words to support and explain God’s Word—rather than vice versa. And an expositional ministry during the Lord’s Day assembly of the saints is one in which the people of God progress through books of the Bible, one after another, such that they can be “fully equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Though other days of the week certainly lend themselves to studying Scripture in a variety of ways (cf. Titus 2:4-5, Acts 17:11), the purpose of the weekly gathering is that King’s proclamation may be heard by His people. Furthermore, since “all Scripture” is “profitable” to make believers “equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17), it stands to reason that if a pastor intentionally neglects any area of the Bible, he willfully handicaps his congregation.
Ultimately, expository preaching explains and applies the Word of God, by the Spirit of God, pointing to the Son of God, for the people of God, unto the glory of the God. It stands in stark contrast to a topical sermon in which a preacher strings together various verses from all across the Bible in order to bolster his unilaterally chosen topic du jour.
Expository Parenting
With this in mind, those who want to know the principal task for carrying out biblical discipleship in the home need not look any further than Paul’s instructions to Timothy. As parents, we must come to the unwavering conviction that sequential expository preaching is the non-negotiable charge given to pastors. Only then will we be convinced to follow suit with our families. If we are to lead our flocks at home the way pastors are to lead their flocks in church, we must recognize that there is only one way to teach our children the Bible: teach them the Bible. Just as every preacher should be committed to expository preaching, so too should every parent be committed to expository parenting.
Knowing that pastors are tempted (and unfortunately succumb) to feed their people the spiritual equivalent of cotton candy, rather than the pure milk (cf. 1 Pet. 2:2) and solid food (cf. Heb. 5:14) of the Word, so too can we as parents face the temptation to give our children something less than what they truly need. It’s unfortunate, but the reality is that of all the available resources claiming to help us disciple our kids, many of them are entertainment-based, sentimentally charged, and doctrinally anemic—just like the average seeker-sensitive church. No, there’s nothing wrong with the Noah’s ark coloring book you gave your five-year-old. Yes, properly-vetted contemporary Christian music might have some edifying things to offer your family. Sure, those old Kirk Cameron movies are fine to watch with your teens. But do not be deceived: none of those represent the heart of biblical discipleship.
So what is it you really need to do?
You need to open up God’s Word and explain it line after line after line. And while reading the Bible to your kids is undeniably a virtuous use of your time, it must go beyond that, to teaching the Bible to your kids. After all, reading without explanation will produce nothing but a generation of Ethiopian eunuchs (cf. Acts 8:30-31, 2 Pet. 3:16).
When your kids are young, develop their palate for exposition by working page by page through a Children’s Storybook Bible (the Egermeier’s Bible Story Book is a great time-tested option). They’ll slowly grow not only in their understanding, but also in their ability to sit and listen for a gradually prolonged Bible time. Keep it simple as you explain the Bible stories and tell them about how kind God is to send a Savior.
Then, when they’re older, break out the full-text Bibles (one for each person, all in the same version) and get to work—verse by verse. Teach them Genesis chapter 1, and tell them about the origin of the world. Teach them Genesis chapter 2, and tell them about the origin of man and the family. Teach them Genesis chapter 3, and tell them about the origin of sin and the promise of the Savior. Don’t be overwhelmed; begin by consulting an easy-to-read commentary to help you get accustomed.
As you labor through the Bible, break down each chapter into understandable sections, accurately explain the details of the text, describe the unraveling of God’s redemptive purposes, point them to the Lord Jesus Christ who alone can save them, and leave them with grace-based, Spirit-empowered application so they can serve God from a thankful heart. Show your enthusiasm for God and His Word to your children. Incorporate your personal testimony for how various passages have influenced you. End each time with a prayer based on the passage, confessing relevant sins, asking for God’s help, and thanking Him for the Bible.
This is a day by day, month by month, year by year, walk-through of the Bible, and there is no doubt that the opportunity costs are high in order to teaching your kids the Bible with a level of depth and accuracy. But what other options do you have if you want to raise your children to have a deep and abiding knowledge and love of the Lord? Teach the Bible incorrectly? Teach it superficially? Not teach it at all? These aren’t options for the faithful shepherd.
When it comes to pastors in church, John MacArthur issues the following sober comment:
“Teaching the Bible expositionally protects God’s people from the theological errors and the carnality so deadly to true worship, as well as guards the purity of their Christian walk. In some churches, pastors get up each week and do little ‘sermonettes for Christianettes,’ which are essentially short God-talks about self-help and positive feeling. But they do nothing for their people to protect them from error, sin, or temptation.
The Bible speaks very pointedly about so-called shepherds who fail to protect their sheep from spiritual harm (cf. John 10:12–13). Those who leave their sheep vulnerable to wolves are unfaithful shepherds.”[4]
Of all the spiritual hopes you have for your kids (such as coming to faith in Christ, serving in the local church, finding a godly spouse, overcoming sin, and working diligently in home or career), know this: the Bible can accomplish in their lives all that you could ever want to be accomplished. It can fully equip them. It can do the heavy lifting in their hearts and minds for you. Your job is to unleash it to do its work (cf. 1 Cor. 2:1-5).
A number of years ago, Steve Lawson issued a similar challenge to pastors, urging them to double down on their commitment to preaching:
“I call you this day to wield the sword, to hold forth the mirror, to scatter the seed, to serve the milk, to hold up the lamp, to spread the flame, to swing the hammer. And stop with the secular wisdom in the pulpit! Cancel the entertainment in the church! Fire the drama team! (If you can’t preach, get a drama team.) Get rid of the shtick! Unplug the colored lights! Put the pulpit back in the center of the building! Stand up like a man, open the Bible, lift it up, let it out, and let it fly! It is the invincible power of the inerrant Word.”[5]
Pastors today so often look to give their people everything other than straightforward Bible exposition. It’s no wonder the average churchman is languishing spiritually. What about your family? What are you going to give your sheep? Will you be a faithful shepherd? Your kids need a parent who will teach them the Bible. They need an expositor at home.
References:
[1] John MacArthur, The Master's Plan for the Church (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2008), 9.
[2] Steve Lawson, Famine in the Land: A Passionate Call for Expository Preaching (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2003), 25.
[3] Ibid., 33.
[4] https://www.gty.org/library/Print/Blog/B140127
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5gv8R0qFMM