In the first panel discussion at T4G, a question was raised about preaching and the priority of sermon application. C.J. asked Mark Dever how he includes application as a part of his weekly sermon research. Here’s a segment from the discussion.
C.J. Mahaney: Mark, how would you help a pastor who devotes the majority of his time in his preparation to the exegesis of the text, to the neglect of the application of the text?
Mark Dever: I would tell him, as your question implies, that he shouldn’t neglect the application of the text.
CJM: How would you help him alter the patterns of his preparation so that his preaching is different in its accent on application?
MD: Once he is confident of the meaning of the text, then he should spend time in prayer and reflection. And that may just be my personality, but I find talking to other people very helpful. If I know the four points I am bringing out [in the sermon], what are the implications of each point:
• for the non-Christian?
• for the mom at home?
• for somebody at work or in school?
• for us as a whole congregation?
• for the individual Christian?
And then do that with each point in the sermon. I find that very useful. It is sort of a structured meditation on each text.
I won’t necessarily put all that in my sermon, but I will make note of all that and a lot of it will get in my sermon.
CJM: But that is an intentional part of your preparatory process.
MD: A very important part.
Ligon Duncan: Is your application grid available at the 9Marks site?
MD: Yes, it is a couple of places. It is on the 9Marks website. It’s also in Michael Lawrence’s new book Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church: A Guide for Ministry. He has a grid that you can fill in with the points of your sermons in these various categories [see page 184].
Later in the discussion Dever said that of the 25–30 hours he invests weekly in sermon prep, around 5–10 of those hours are spent on application. The full audio recording of this panel discussion can be downloaded here.
The sermon application grid is available from 9Marks in two downloadable PDF versions: a blank grid and a sample completed grid.
In his new book Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church, Lawrence highlights four benefits of the sermon application grid:
Having thought through each of the categories, I’m much more likely to avoid repetition and personal hobby-horses. I’m more likely to apply the text beyond the very narrow range most Bible teachers normally operate in: ethical application to the individual Christian life and gospel appeal to the non-Christian. And I’m more likely to apply the text to the corporate life of our church as a whole and to consider worldview implications for the non-Christian. Most importantly, I’m reminded by this grid that one of the most important “applications” isn’t about me or us at all, but simply what the text teaches us about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and how the Trinity has worked together to purpose, accomplish, and apply our salvation to their eternal glory. (page 185)
For more on the grid and its value to the preacher, see chapter 11 in Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church.
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Photo source: Southern Seminary Communications