Why I Love Expository Preaching — And Still Preach Topically

I love expository preaching.

There’s a beauty in sitting under a sermon that patiently walks through a passage, week by week. It helps us submit to the text — to be shaped by God’s agenda, not just our own. It guards us from hobby horses, forces us to grapple with hard parts of Scripture, and keeps the preacher honest. It’s no wonder so many faithful churches and ministries have made it their backbone.

So let me be clear: I’m for it. I’ve been fed and formed by it. And yet — sometimes I preach topically. Here’s why.

Topical preaching, at its best, still takes the Bible seriously. It simply organises the content of Scripture around a theme, need, or question. Done well, it’s not a “proof-text then springboard” approach. It’s careful, theological, and rooted in context. In fact, I’d argue that most of the preaching we see in the New Testament is topical.

Jesus doesn’t give a verse-by-verse commentary on Isaiah. He announces a kingdom. He draws from the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms — but always with a view to the moment, the hearers, and the heart.

Peter and Paul are the same. Their sermons in Acts aren’t expositional in the modern sense. They’re contextual, theological, Christ-centred, and tailored to the setting. And their letters — while often expounded expositionally by us — were written to address topical moments and issues in the life of the early church.

Both styles honour the word of God. Both require discipline, skill, and reverence. And both can powerfully form disciples.

So let’s not fall into false dichotomies. I’m thankful for our expository tribe. But I also believe that topical preaching — when done biblically and prayerfully — can speak directly, pastorally, and prophetically to our time.

Sometimes people need a steady diet. Sometimes they need surgical precision. In my opinion, the good preacher and healthy church has a diet of both.

Going forwards, we will progress through Luke by considering his Kingdom themes. I trust you are blessed as we continue to sit under God’s word.