KANSAS CITY, Mo—President of Southeastern Seminary Daniel Akin delivered the Spurgeon Lectures on October 31- November 1. During the two days, Akin shared two lectures and joined Midwestern Seminary President Jason Allen for a luncheon and Q&A.
Allen commented on the joy of hosting Akin for the Spurgeon Lectures, saying, “To know Dr. Akin is to know someone who loves the Church, loves the Great Commission, loves Southern Baptists, and has so faithfully led Southeastern Seminary as president for approximately two decades. For these reasons and more, it was a delight and privilege to have Dr. Akin join us this year for the Spurgeon Lectures.”
Biblical Inspiration and Expositional Preaching
Akin delivered the first lecture during Tuesday’s chapel from 2 Timothy 3:14- 4:5. His sermon was titled, “Biblical Inspiration and Expositional Proclamation: A Divine Marriage Made in Heaven,” and featured seven reasons why pastors should preach the Bible expositionally.
- We preach the Bible expositionally because it is what God used to bring all Christians to Jesus.
- We preach the Bible expositionally because it is divinely inspired by God.
- We preach the Bible expositionally because it matures Christians.
- We preach the Bible expositionally because it prepares Christians for judgement.
- We preach the Bible expositionally because it convicts and encourages us.
- We preach the Bible expositionally because it provides the sound doctrine by which Christians are to live by.
- We preach the Bible expositionally because it enables ministers to fulfill the ministry that God has given.
Akin further emphasized expositional preaching by agreeing with Charles Spurgeon, the inspiration for the lecture series, who said, “We feel no imperative call to expound and enforce what has been spoken by men, but since the mouth of the Lord has spoken it, it is woe unto us if we preach not the gospel.”
Special Presentation
Following Akin’s lecture, Allen announced that Midwestern Seminary’s Spurgeon Library has recently acquired the Heritage Collection from Spurgeon’s College UK. The collection consists of thousands of books, manuscripts, letters, artifacts, newspaper cuttings, and more from Charles Spurgeon.
Allen said of the acquisition, “The Heritage Collection is truly a one-of-a-kind collection and an invaluable stewardship. All who love Spurgeon’s ministry owe a debt of gratitude to Bill and Connie Jenkins for leading the effort to make this new acquisition possible.”
A Call for Faithful Expositors in Our Day
Akin continued the lecture series during Wednesday’s chapel with a message titled, “A Call for Faithful Exposition in Our Day.” In the sermon, he addressed the importance of recovering and continuing the task of expository preaching for ministry today.
Through his study, he defined expository preaching as “text-driven preaching that honors the truth of Scripture in substance and structure as it was given by the Holy Spirit. Discovering the God-inspired meaning through historical, grammatical, theological, Christological investigation and interpretation, the preacher, by means of engaging and compelling proclamation, explains, illustrates, and applies the meaning of the biblical text in submission to and in the power of the Holy Spirit preaching Christ for a verdict of changed lives.”
From this description, Akin put forth seven essentials for what true preaching entails, including:
- Preaching must be text-driven so that it honors the Bible as divine revelation.
- Preaching must honor the principle of authorial intent, recognizing that the ultimate author of Scripture is the Holy Spirit of God.
- Scripture must be interpreted and understood as it was given to the original audience. The text cannot mean today what it did not mean then. However, it may reveal a fuller meaning in the context of the whole canon and the rest of the story.
- Pulpit proclamation must affirm that the historical, grammatical, theological, and Christological interpretation will best discover the truth and theology of the text.
- Effective biblical instruction will take seriously and develop the implications of what Jesus said in Luke 24 and John 5:39 about the Christological nature of Scripture.
- From beginning to end, from the study to the pulpit, the entire process of biblical exposition must take place in absolute and complete submission to the Holy Spirit.
- Changed lives for the glory of God is always the goal for which we strive, therefore it is probably a sin to preach the Word of God in a boring and unattractive fashion.
He concluded his sermon and the Spurgeon Lectures by praying that God would help pastors and preachers to preach the Word and be faithful to the task of expository preaching until Christ returns.
To listen to the Spurgeon Lectures, visit mbts.edu/chapel.
