Styles Of Preaching

Throughout the history of the church, preachers have developed different styles of proclaiming the Word. These styles of preaching are often related to the hermeneutics of the preacher. Broadly speaking, the preacher approaches the task of speaking with one of three starting points. The first of these starting points is the Bible. The preacher approaches the text with the question, What does it say? Sermons that fall into this general category are evangelistic preaching, expository preaching, liturgical preaching, narrative preaching, proclamatory preaching, prophetic preaching, and textual preaching. A second starting point may be that of a more systematized sort. It draws from creeds, catechesis, and Christian doctrines with the explicit intent of teaching the system of Christian faith. Such approaches to preaching include catechetical preaching and doctrinal preaching. A third approach to preaching which does not neglect the Scriptures or Christian doctrines is a view of preaching that begins with human need as the starting point. Such types of preaching include African-American preaching, confessional preaching, contextual preaching, lay preaching, life situational preaching, progressive-emotive preaching, and seeker-sensitive preaching. These styles are reviewed and discussed in the following section.

1. Evangelistic Preaching
2. Expository Preaching
3. Narrative Preaching
4. Prophetic Preaching
5. Textual Preaching
6. Catechetical Preaching
7. Doctrinal Preaching
8. African-American Preaching
9. Confessional Preaching
10. Contextual Preaching
11. Lay Preaching
12. Life-Situational Preaching
13. Progressive-Emotive Preaching
14. Seeker-Centered Preaching