Adams Lectures Address Preaching in the Twenty-First Century

Reflecting on 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Akin offered a list of instructive reminders and principles for faithful preaching, challenging attendees to understand the biblical motivation, spirit, method, doctrinal framework, and goal of Christian preaching. Acknowledging that his list was not exhaustive or beyond criticism, Akin noted that these principles of preaching are biblically driven and missionally oriented:

“Out of a conviction that God has spoken and that he has spoken in his word, the Bible, the following affirmations are set forth as convictions and commitments for the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and for those who herald his truth (1) for the glory of God, (2) for the building up of the Church, and (3) for the evangelization of the nations.”

Drawing from Scripture and his more than 45 years of ministry experience, Akin walked students through his 75 theses, illustrating, explaining, and applying each to the task of preaching. Akin’s theses included:

1. The one true and living God is a Triune talking God.
2. We affirm that this God has spoken in his word, the Bible.
3. The Triune God speaks both by natural (creation and conscience) and special (Scripture and Christ) revelation.
4. Special revelation is the divinely intended content of those who preach.
5. Without the preaching of the Bible, our people will perish with no genuine hope in this life or the next.
6. Jesus Christ is the Savior and hero of the Bible.
7. There is no contradiction in being Theocentric and Christocentric in preaching.
8. Jesus himself teaches us that all of Scripture testifies about him.
9. The Bible as the word of God written is faithful, true, infallible, and inerrant as originally given.
10. The Bible, as the word of God written in the words of men, is uniquely a divine/human book.
11. The Bible is divinely inspired both in terms of the writers of Scripture and the words of Scripture.
12. Faithful, evangelical, orthodox preaching stands on the bedrock foundation of the 5 solas of the Reformation: 1) Scripture alone, 2) Christ alone, 3) grace alone, 4) faith alone, and 5) the glory of God alone.
13. The Bible as the very word of God is authoritative, inerrant, infallible and sufficient for any and all matters of faith and practice.
14. The authorially intended meaning of the divine/human authors of Scripture is to be honored and pursued with a laser beam intensity.
15. Evangelical interpreters approach the Bible with a hermeneutic of humility not a hermeneutic of suspicion.
16. Readers of the biblical text should approach the text as those who discover the meaning in the text not those who deposit meaning into the text.
17. Interpreters of the biblical text exegete the text, they do not eisegete the text.
18. Biblical exposition should be the preferred and regular method of preaching.
19. Preaching that does not honor the author’s intended meaning in the text is not faithful preaching.
20. Faithful preaching is text-driven preaching that allows divine revelation to provide the substance and structure of our preaching.
21. It is a form of ministerial malpractice to not preach the Bible faithfully week in and week out.
22. Faithful preaching, by which I mean biblical preaching or expository preaching, is not simply preaching through books of the Bible.
23. Biblical preaching recognizes and affirms the doctrine of progressive revelation.
24. Biblical preaching follows a historical-grammatical-theological-Christological hermeneutic.
25. Faithful exposition allows the grand redemptive storyline of Scripture to provide a hermeneutical canopy over your investigation and study of any biblical text.
26. Because we are blessed with the whole canon of the Bible, we interpret texts in the context of the whole canon.
27. A text cannot mean today what it did not mean to the original audience.
28. When you preach simply be “a mouthpiece for the text” (Westminster Dict., 1645).
29. The basic elements of preaching should include exposition, illustration, application and exhortation.
30. The meaning of Scripture is one, but the applications are many.
31. As we interpret the Bible, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the Bible also interprets us.
32. Preach the gospel with such simplicity and clarity that if the message is rejected, it is because of an unbelieving heart not an unclear mind.
33. Preach out of the conviction that apart from the Bible, we have nothing of eternal value to say.
34. The man who faithfully preaches the Bible will face opposition from liberalism on the left and pharisaism on the right.
35. Remember God has promised to bless his word, not your clever ideas or cute utterances.
36. The Bible does not need to be defended; it only needs to be proclaimed.
37. It is a sin to read the Bible poorly in public worship.
38. Faithful preaching models for the sheep that you shepherd how you hope they will handle the Bible when they teach others.
39. Our grasp and understanding of the Bible will never be exhaustive, but it is sufficient for faith and obedience.
40. Good preaching will develop and explain the theology that naturally emerges from faithful exposition.
41. Effective preaching brings together in the preaching event the three canons of good rhetoric: 1) logos (what), 2) pathos (how) and 3) ethos (who).
42. Strive to make your time in the study one of personal worship and edification.
43. The gospel of Jesus Christ should be preached in every sermon with a call to repentance and faith.
44. Faithful preaching seeks to persuade persons to be reconciled to God.
45. Faithful preaching will be evangelistic and missional, theological and pastoral, encouraging and practical.
46. The Great Commission is the final marching orders of King Jesus; therefore, it must continually be evident in our preaching.
47. Fill your sermons with grace and the Bible’s indicatives, but do not neglect the Law and the Bible’s imperatives.
48. All Christians are called to proclaim the gospel and teach the Bible while men who serve as pastors/elders/overseers uniquely have this ministry in the life and corporate worship of the Church.
49. Preach so that people will say “what a wonderful Savior,” not “what a wonderful preacher.”
50. The Holy Spirit is absolutely essential both in the work of the study and proclamation in the pulpit.
51. Preaching for changed lives (conversion/regeneration) depends on the regenerating ministry of the Holy Spirit.
52. Find the main idea of your text and let it guide you in articulating the main idea of your message.
53. Let both the substance and structure of the text determine the substance and structure of your sermon.
54. Outline your message simply and clearly so that you have a road map or GPS indicating where you have been, where you are, and where you are going.
55. In a visual world take advantage of and use wisely visual aids.
56. Preaching the word is for the hardworking, not the lazy.
57. When writing out your sermon, always aim for the ear and not the eye.
58. Remember that though you have examined your sermon material for hours, the people you preach to are hearing it for the very first time.
59. Powerful preaching will inform the mind, move the emotion and activate the will.
60. Always dress in a manner that is appropriate to the occasion, recognizing it is better to overdress than underdress.
61. The importance of beginning well (introduction) and concluding well (conclusion/invitation) cannot be overstated.
62. Aim to be understood by children and you will more likely gain the ear of adults as well.
63. Better to say something clearly than to say nothing with eloquence.
64. Few things are more effective in public speaking than the wise use of the pause.
65. Recognize that bad preaching will sap the life out of a church.
66. We affirm the truth that what you say is more important than how you say it, but how you say it has never been more important.
67. Those who fill the office of pastor should be God-called and scripturally qualified for the awesome task of pulpit ministry.
68. Men who are God’s chosen instruments for the preaching ministry should be themselves under the guiding and empowering hand of the Holy Spirit.
69. Conduct your preaching ministry for the praise of God and never the praise of men.
70. Recall regularly the words attributed to Robert Murray M’Cheyne: “My peoples’ greatest need is my personal holiness.”
71. Remember that as you preach the word of God all that truly matters is that you please God.
72. Engage and honor all three persons of the Triune God in you preparation and preaching.
73. Never forget you have a divine mandate and charge to preach the word of God.
74. Preach the word of God when you feel like it and when you don’t feel like it because it is what people need.
75. Pray that when your work on earth is done and you stand before King Jesus, the words you hear from the Master are these: “Well done My good and faithful servant.”

Akin dedicated this week’s lecture series to Jim Shaddix, senior professor of preaching and W. A. Criswell Chair of expository preaching at Southeastern, who is currently battling stage four brain cancer. Akin then led students, staff, and faculty in prayer for Shaddix and for Addrianne Miles, associate professor of English and linguistics at Southeastern, who also has been experiencing an ongoing battle with cancer.

Each year, the Adams Lectures honor the ministry of Theodore F. Adams, who taught at Southeastern for more than 10 years. The Adams Lectures host distinguished theologians on Southeastern’s campus during the spring to deliver two lectures on a subject of interest and value to the Christian community.

In case you missed them, check out Dr. Akin’s lectures on Tuesday and Thursday:

Tuesday’s Lecture (Pt. 1)

Thursday’s Lecture (Pt. 2)