Neglected New Testament Books

[bookslover]

I just read an interesting exchange on my Twitter feed. A Christian poster says he feels that 1 Peter is probably the most neglected and underappropriated (his word) book in the New Testament by preachers, and what's needed is a commentary that deals with the theological background of the book as well as with Peter's experiences. Another poster answered that he agrees with him.

I chimed in that I'm thinking of giving a slow, careful reading of 2 Corinthians - another unfairly neglected book, in my opinion - using Calvin as my guide, next year.

That exchange got me to thinking. It seems that the Gospel of John, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians, and Ephesians are the "stars" of the New Testament for preachers, the "A-list" books, so to speak, that preachers love to preach from. Second in popularity, the "B-list", so to speak, are books like Acts, the Thessalonian epistles, James, and 1 John. (All this is based on my listening to good, solid, conservative Christian preaching for more than 30 years.)

On the other hand, if you're waiting for a sermon series from, say, 2 John, you've probably got a long wait ahead of you.

Since all Scripture is profitable, shouldn't pastors be more wide-ranging in their preaching through the New Testament (my apologies to anyone who already is the wide-ranging type!)?

Does anyone else have the impression that there are parts of the New Testament that get neglected by preachers?

 

[Stephen L Smith]

It seems that the Gospel of John, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians, and Ephesians are the "stars" of the New Testament

I would add Hebrews in here

Since all Scripture is profitable, shouldn't pastors be more wide-ranging in their preaching through the New Testament

I agree. i have also argued that since all Scripture is profitable we should love and feed off ALL the books of the Bible.

 

[reaganmarsh]

Philemon and 2-3 John are also neglected books. Can't remember ever hearing sermons from them.

I've been preaching through 1 Peter on Sunday mornings this year and it's been a great blessing. A pastor friend at an RB church in our city also just preached through 1 Peter (though he started about 4-5 months before I did, so he finished before me!)

 

[bookslover]

Since all Scripture is profitable, shouldn't pastors be more wide-ranging in their preaching through the New Testament

I agree. I have also argued that since all Scripture is profitable we should love and feed off ALL the books of the Bible.[/QUOTE]

I agree with you. You'd probably get a sermon series on Genesis, and you might get one on Deuteronomy, but you'll never, ever get one on Song of Solomon (not without all the church's windows being covered with butcher paper and the tape recorders turned off!)! LOL

 

[Stephen L Smith]

I agree with you. You'd probably get a sermon series on Genesis, and you might get one on Deuteronomy, but you'll never, ever get one on Song of Solomon (not without all the church's windows being covered with butcher paper and the tape recorders turned off!)! LOL

The Song of Solomon could be a stumbling block for us single guys

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Since all Scripture is profitable, shouldn't pastors be more wide-ranging in their preaching through the New Testament
I agree. I have also argued that since all Scripture is profitable we should love and feed off ALL the books of the Bible.

I agree with you. You'd probably get a sermon series on Genesis, and you might get one on Deuteronomy, but you'll never, ever get one on Song of Solomon (not without all the church's windows being covered with butcher paper and the tape recorders turned off!)! LOL

A certain whig moderator is preaching through Song of Songs right now.

And I'll be preaching through 1,2,3 John in the evening when I finish with 1 Samuel.

 

[fredtgreco]

The single most important thing for a minister (especially a young minister) to keep in mind in this respect is a plan. Plan for what you are going to preachy through. Plan years in advance. Plan with a mind toward mixing in different books, OT and NT, different genres, etc. That is the best way to avoid simply choosing a path of least resistance.

 

[MW]

Or one could be delivered from the bondage of having to preach through books, and preach some topical sermons from "all Scripture."

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

The single most important thing for a minister (especially a young minister) to keep in mind in this respect is a plan. Plan for what you are going to preachy through. Plan years in advance. Plan with a mind toward mixing in different books, OT and NT, different genres, etc. That is the best way to avoid simply choosing a path of least resistance.

I heeded Fred's advice (with Fred's help ) and this has been a great help to me. I put together a "5-year plan" 4 years ago using a color-coded pdf as a template that Fred e-mailed to me.

 

[reaganmarsh]

You have my attention. Could that template be posted or emailed?

 

[Andres]

I fully realize that the reading of scripture is not the same as preaching, but one way to avoid completely neglecting "less popular" books of the bible is to read through them in order. Our church reads a chapter from the OT and NT each service so two OT and two NT each Lord's Day. We started in Gen and Matt and just go in order, chapter after chapter. Our Pastor will sometime make brief comments on the passages but even without comments, the congregation is reading through the entire bible together. We also will sometimes discuss the chapters we read that day after service during our fellowship time. Just a suggestion to ensure whole books aren't being completely neglected.

 

[MarieP]

Oddly enough, one of the most neglected portions of Scripture in my mind is in one of the most "popular" books:

Romans 10-16

 

[whirlingmerc]

I went to lots of churches that used the international Sunday school lessons which go through the Bible every 5 years so I never felt there was a neglected chunk.. That's an advantage of a lectionary

There may be a more needful intense focus on some things, carefully picking the areas. That's a disadvantage of a lectionary approach
Maybe both can go on , go through the whole bible in some service and focus deeply on a section of the bible in another.

 

[Bill The Baptist]

Or one could be delivered from the bondage of having to preach through books, and preach some topical sermons from "all Scripture."

Rev. Winzer,

Are you arguing against the practice of preaching through books, or are you simply suggesting taking a break now and then to preach topical sermons, or were you just being tongue in cheek with your comment?

 

[Romans922]

The single most important thing for a minister (especially a young minister) to keep in mind in this respect is a plan. Plan for what you are going to preachy through. Plan years in advance. Plan with a mind toward mixing in different books, OT and NT, different genres, etc. That is the best way to avoid simply choosing a path of least resistance.

I know Fred is very organized (I love you Fred), but I can't help but disagree in a sense. I do agree that preachers and I would say elders together should make the decision of what to preach, but one must not be too attached to the plan if you are doing it years in advance. Things come up in the congregation and those things ought to be taken into consideration of course as elders determine what the congregation needs are to best address through the Scriptures. That way there is planning ahead but not driven by the plan. So while I agree with Fred, I might say don't be too attached to the plan.

For example, I go to my elders and ask (months in advance usually when I start a new book) what do you guys think I should preach from next (OT and NT - easy since we have morning/evening worship). And I usually first give them my ideas of what would be good for the congregation based on needs. We also discuss what the congregation has heard before (including from the Pastor before me). So this last time I gave them the 10 commandments since we hadn't covered them directly from the OT in recent years (though we did in Ephesians 4-5 when I first got here in 2011). And they suggested Jonah and Malachi be preached before that due to some other more pressing matters in the congregation.

Genre is also a good thing to change up, that is easy for my elders because we have consecutive serial readings as well as calls to worship expounded in both services (so we try to have different genres there too). So basically always with call to worships/serial readings/sermons we are in almost every genre in Scripture at all times. So since I have been here in 2011 we have covered the following - Genesis, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, 1/2 of Isaiah, Jonah, Haggai, Zechariah, and various parts of the Penteteuch and Psalms in Calls to Worship (of which I expound as it has to do with our worship). Also John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, 1/2 Thessalonians, 1/2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1/2 Peter, 1/2/3 John, Jude, Revelation (of which we have gone through Hebrews and Revelation once also for Calls to Worship).



Books often neglected depends on denominational theology really: in OPC/PCA books often preached through are Romans, Galatians and the Gospels; Genesis, Ecclesiastes.

Generally speaking, neglected books I'd have to say would be Hebrews, Jude, Revelation, and the whole of the OT.

 

[Justified]

The single most important thing for a minister (especially a young minister) to keep in mind in this respect is a plan. Plan for what you are going to preachy through. Plan years in advance. Plan with a mind toward mixing in different books, OT and NT, different genres, etc. That is the best way to avoid simply choosing a path of least resistance.

I know Fred is very organized (I love you Fred), but I can't help but disagree in a sense. I do agree that preachers and I would say elders together should make the decision of what to preach, but one must not be too attached to the plan if you are doing it years in advance. Things come up in the congregation and those things ought to be taken into consideration of course as elders determine what the congregation needs are to best address through the Scriptures. That way there is planning ahead but not driven by the plan. So while I agree with Fred, I might say don't be too attached to the plan.

For example, I go to my elders and ask (months in advance usually when I start a new book) what do you guys think I should preach from next (OT and NT - easy since we have morning/evening worship). And I usually first give them my ideas of what would be good for the congregation based on needs. We also discuss what the congregation has heard before (including from the Pastor before me). So this last time I gave them the 10 commandments since we hadn't covered them directly from the OT in recent years (though we did in Ephesians 4-5 when I first got here in 2011). And they suggested Jonah and Malachi be preached before that due to some other more pressing matters in the congregation.

Genre is also a good thing to change up, that is easy for my elders because we have consecutive serial readings as well as calls to worship expounded in both services (so we try to have different genres there too). So basically always with call to worships/serial readings/sermons we are in almost every genre in Scripture at all times. So since I have been here in 2011 we have covered the following - Genesis, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, 1/2 of Isaiah, Jonah, Haggai, Zechariah, and various parts of the Penteteuch and Psalms in Calls to Worship (of which I expound as it has to do with our worship). Also John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, 1/2 Thessalonians, 1/2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1/2 Peter, 1/2/3 John, Jude, Revelation (of which we have gone through Hebrews and Revelation once also for Calls to Worship).



Books often neglected depends on denominational theology really: in OPC/PCA books often preached through are Romans, Galatians and the Gospels; Genesis, Ecclesiastes.

Generally speaking, neglected books I'd have to say would be Hebrews, Jude, Revelation, and the whole of the OT.

You've gotten through quite a bit of material in 3/4 years. May I ask: about how many verses do you preach through per sermon typically?

 

[Romans922]

You can check out my sermonaudio link in my signature. It just depends on book and sections. Genesis, Samuel etc where it is narrative was normally a chapter at a time, except in Gen. 1-3 and other important ones. Paul's letters often times one or few verses.

 

[fredtgreco]

I don't think you can or should consider Scripture readings (even with comments) to be the equivalent of going through material in a sermon.

 

[Romans922]

Comments (i.e. explaining the text and applying it as one does when preaching) that are 10-20 minutes long? There are some people who preach their normal sermons for that long on the PB.

Our Calls to Worship are expounded by very short comments though, and I have not counted those except by qualifying it as such above.

 

[jambo]

The very first sermon I ever preached was found in 1 Peter. I think I have preached from almost all books in the NT apart from Philemon and Jude. Just because a pastor may not have preached from a book, does not mean he has not read or studied it.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

Or one could be delivered from the bondage of having to preach through books, and preach some topical sermons from "all Scripture."

Yes, when Paul told the Ephesian elders that he did not shrink from declaring the whole counsel of God, I do not think he meant that he had preached exegetical sermons on the entire Bible. It would do many Presbyterian churches much good to have a topical series once every few years. As things currently stand over here, our ministers are preaching the words of God by doing some nice exegesis, but are they really preaching the word in the sense of setting forth the whole counsel of God?

 

[reaganmarsh]

Or one could be delivered from the bondage of having to preach through books, and preach some topical sermons from "all Scripture."

Yes, when Paul told the Ephesian elders that he did not shrink from declaring the whole counsel of God, I do not think he meant that he had preached exegetical sermons on the entire Bible. It would do many Presbyterian churches much good to have a topical series once every few years. As things currently stand over here, our ministers are preaching the words of God by doing some nice exegesis, but are they really preaching the word in the sense of setting forth the whole counsel of God?

One way I've tried to balance this concern out here is by taking a break every 6-8 weeks from whatever book I'm working through and doing a topical/practical or doctrinal sermon. I try to make sure that the undergirding text is from the opposite testament or at least a different genre if possible. I find that it helps me to stay fresh (I can only look at the same stack of books for so long before I get a little stir-crazy) and the people have seemed to appreciate those short breaks as well. It lets Scripture speak to current concerns (parenting, conflict, et al) in a timely manner as well. Just my $0.02.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

Just my $0.02.

Since you are so fond of sharing things (both thoughts and free e-books), do you plan to mail me your If so, could you please change the place of the decimal point to something like $2,000,000.00. Thanks.

 

[fredtgreco]

Comments that are 10-20 minutes long? There are some people who preach their normal sermons for that long on the PB.

Our Calls to Worship are expounded by very short comments though, and I have not counted those except by qualifying it as such above.

Yes. I do not consider that preaching. I actually do not consider that practice helpful, as it overloads the congregation with several running commentaries on Scripture, rather than focusing on the sermon itself.

 

[Romans922]

I do not consider that preaching

What would you call exegeting and applying a passage of Scripture to all hearers in God's public worship then? Is it just the time issue where it has to be longer in time to be preaching? Or is it content issue where there needs to be more of the Word of God read, expounded, or it has to be applied more to the hearers? Is this practice not a heralding of God's Word as His Word? Not a communication of the good news and the need to believe, repent, and live new lives of obedience? Is the Holy Spirit not at work?

I actually do not consider that practice helpful, as it overloads the congregation with several running commentaries on Scripture, rather than focusing on the sermon itself.

You are welcome to your opinion. My congregation state their opinion differently, as do more importantly the elders who have urged the continuing in it because it has brought great help to them (and the congregation) in not losing the forest for the trees. Often/most or one might say it always goes well with the sermon too.

 

[nick]

I fully realize that the reading of scripture is not the same as preaching, but one way to avoid completely neglecting "less popular" books of the bible is to read through them in order.

Agreed. You've visited my church before, so I know you know it is a similar setup to yours. The pastor (he's on PB as well) gives about a 15 minute overview of what the chapter is about. Some chapters he has to paint with a very broad brush, due to the complexity and depth of the chapter. Others he can explain in a detailed way rather quickly.

It took them about 8 years to complete the OT once, the NT and Psalms 2.5 times. Not bad.

I do not consider that preaching. I actually do not consider that practice helpful, as it overloads the congregation with several running commentaries on Scripture, rather than focusing on the sermon itself.

There might be "multiple commentaries" going, but you should of seen how many groups/bible studies/ministries I had to be a part of at previous churches. Almost all of which were taught by people who had not been trained much less ordained. There were so many conflicting opinions being presented. I'm not saying I think this would work at your church (you know your flock), but I'm fine with it.

 

[bookslover]

Or one could be delivered from the bondage of having to preach through books, and preach some topical sermons from "all Scripture."

I agree (if your tongue wasn't firmly planted in your cheek when you wrote this!). There has been such a heavy emphasis on the paragraph-by-paragraph exposition through books of the Bible approach to preaching (especially since the Second World War) that other types of preaching have been downgraded. The doctrinal sermon and the topical sermon are both equally legitimate ways to preach the Bible. Both can be, and have been, abused, but so can every type of preaching.

 

[MW]

Are you arguing against the practice of preaching through books, or are you simply suggesting taking a break now and then to preach topical sermons, or were you just being tongue in cheek with your comment?

The minister should preach through a book if he thinks the message of that book is what is best for the congregation to hear. The mere ideal of going through book after book of Scripture is hard service, a somewhat unnatural mode of communication, and can cause minister and people to miss out on some very green pastures while they wander through rough places for no particularly good reason.

 

[bookslover]

Comments that are 10-20 minutes long? There are some people who preach their normal sermons for that long on the PB.

Our Calls to Worship are expounded by very short comments though, and I have not counted those except by qualifying it as such above.

Yes. I do not consider that preaching. I actually do not consider that practice helpful, as it overloads the congregation with several running commentaries on Scripture, rather than focusing on the sermon itself.

Of course, if Matthew Henry hadn't read short portions of Scripture, along with his short comments thereupon (all before the sermon), we wouldn't have his wonderful commentary. Just sayin'.

 

[Jake]

Comments that are 10-20 minutes long? There are some people who preach their normal sermons for that long on the PB.

Our Calls to Worship are expounded by very short comments though, and I have not counted those except by qualifying it as such above.

Yes. I do not consider that preaching. I actually do not consider that practice helpful, as it overloads the congregation with several running commentaries on Scripture, rather than focusing on the sermon itself.

What do you think about commenting on psalms before they are sung in an explanatory way? And does this mean you don't do Scripture readings aside from what is applied in the sermon? I understand where you are coming from, but when other texts are read/sung in worship, I appreciate at least some exposition.