PUTTING AN END TO WORSHIP WARS - Elmer Towns

Jeremiah are among the best known of a host of expositional preachers expanding the influence
of their ministry in this way.
THE STRENGTHS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE BIBLE EXPOSITIONAL
CHURCH
Without question, the major strength of the Bible Expositional Church is its strong
commitment to systematic Bible teaching. It would be difficult to attend one of these churches
for long without increasing one's understanding of basic biblical content. Typically, these pastors
follow a plan of explaining each passage in detail within the context suggested in the biblical
book being studied. In following this plan, each week's message builds on the lessons learned in
previous weeks. If the meaning of a passage is missed one week by the listener, it will be
reviewed several times in the weeks following as other passages are explained.
Usually, the pastor's commitment to teaching the Bible extends throughout the total
church ministry. The Sunday School curriculum in many Bible Expositional Churches tends to
focus on lessons which lead the class through a book of the Bible, often as part of a multi-year
plan through the entire Scriptures. While exceptions in the curriculum plan might be made at
Christmas and Easter, that is not always the case. The systematic teaching of the Scriptures is
viewed as more important than various seasonal themes which might occur in the course of a
year. Gary Inrig reflects this view when he writes,
The complete and consecutive teaching of Scripture must receive a very high priority in
assembly life. Nothing is more beneficial than a ministry of expository preaching which covers
the sweep of all the books of the Bible. Bible teachers can all too easily develop pet doctrines or
ride hobby horses or carefully avoid very important, but touchy, matters. Expository preaching
will keep solid food before believers and bring a balanced and nutritious diet.
It is my conviction that nothing is more worthy of my best time and effort than the study
and teaching of God's Word. Only God's Word quickened by His Spirit can establish believers
and make them strong in Christ, and so all our church services focus upon the teaching of
Scripture. 1
THE WEAKNESSES OF THE BIBLE EXPOSITIONAL CHURCH
As is common with other worship styles considered in this book, the great weakness of
the Bible Expositional Cchurch is also closely related to its strength. These churches are so
committed to the systematic teaching of the Scriptures that they tend to minimize Christian
experience and evangelistic outreach. Experience is sometimes viewed as a threat to biblical
authority. When mentioned in their sermons, it is most often in the context of not depending
upon one's experience but interpreting experiences by the Scriptures. Most pastors of these
churches would reject any notion that an experience could result in new insights into the meaning
of a biblical text.