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In today’s blog we'll be going over the four types of sermons: Expository, Topical, Textual, and Narrative.
As a pastor, communicating a message is important — but far from simple.
Communication isn’t just telling someone all the information that’s in your head, plainly expressing your thoughts on a topic. You don’t want to be dry, monotonous, and tedious to the point of boredom –– à la Ben Stein teaching economics in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (“Bueller?... Bueller?”). It’s important to narrow down the style, format, information, and (of course) the focus of the message you’re trying to convey to the congregation.
While different pastors have different teaching styles, it’s important to be aware of the different types of sermons that can be used depending on the kind of message that’s being conveyed. The Bible is rich with lessons in varied forms of literature –– from the poetic Psalms of the Old Testament to the epistles of the New Testament. Similarly, there are different styles of sermon writing that pastors can take on for a more focused and ultimately harder-hitting message, depending on their topic and audience.
In today’s blog, I will be going over the four types of sermons: 1.) Expository, 2.) Topical, 3.) Textual, and 4.) Narrative.
Because there are so many angles to teach the Bible from, you might find a range of answers on what types of sermons there are. A quick Google search will show you there can be anywhere from three, four, five, or even seven types of sermons, depending on what source you read.
Today I will be focusing only on Expository, Topical, Textual, and Narrative Sermons, as they’re typically the four most common.
These four common types are simply broad categories of different Biblical sermons and are not meant to capture the nuance of a given pastor or even denomination's teaching style.
Expository (or sometimes referred to as “verse-by-verse”) sermons form the cornerstone of many preaching ministries, characterized by a thorough analysis and explanation of a biblical passage or text. In this approach, the topic of the sermon mainly comes from a deep dive into the context, meaning, and implications of the chosen passage, guiding listeners through its historical, theological, and practical elements –– in order to reveal what God is saying to us through the written Word.
This might be done in one of two ways:
1. A one-off sermon where the pastor breaks down a passage of scripture, line-by-line, showing the intent of the author’s message.
2. Or in an ongoing series where the pastor goes through an entire book of the Bible, breaking down passages of the book on a weekly basis, showing the book’s overall message and theme.
In contribution to The Gospel Coalition, pastor Erik Raymond has compiled a list of excerpts from well-known authors who’ve provided their own definitions on expository sermons. Raymond cites John MacArthur, who defines expository preaching as:
“The message finds its sole source in Scripture. The message is extracted from Scripture through careful exegesis. The message preparation correctly interprets Scripture in its normal sense and its context. The message clearly explains the original God-intended meaning of Scripture. The message applies the Scriptural meaning for today.”
Topical sermons revolve around a specific theme, topic, or issue rather than a particular passage of scripture. Rather than preaching directly from the text and lifting meaning from it, pastors will choose a topic (such as forgiveness, loving your neighbor, or the power of prayer) and use relevant verses from various parts of the Bible to support the message from a Biblical framework.
Topical teaching can be great for addressing specific topics, such as Holiday sermons –– I.E. why we celebrate the birth of Jesus, or Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection. According to Grace Theological Seminary:
“Pastors who use this type of preaching want to aid their congregation in pausing and thinking about a topic that affects their lives and relationships with God. Topics can cover a wide breadth of information, or be more specific, depending on how long the sermon series is. This is a great option for conferences, seminars, or small groups that have a focused goal.”
Some are skeptical that topical sermons may not seem to allow the scripture to fully shine, though Grace explains that:
“While it might not seem likely, this type of preaching can be exegetical. To ensure this, pastors should look at the surrounding context of the verses that align with their topic. They should be diligent to present the whole picture of what was happening in the lives of the original readers and the author’s intentions in writing.”
There seems to be a debate between scholars on what distinguishes textual sermons from expository sermons, as they both base the sermon’s topic on a particular text. To keep the definition simple, textual sermons are almost like a combination of expository and topical sermons. Similar to expository sermons, the topic is taught directly from a verse or passage of scripture. Although similar to topical sermons, pastors will use other verses or passages outside of that particular text to support the message.
As Steve Matthewson puts it in his book The Art and Craft of Biblical Teaching (via Preaching Today), “A textual sermon derives its topic and main ideas from a biblical text—usually a verse or two—and then develops these ideas theologically from other biblical texts.”
For example, a pastor might choose to explore Romans 12:2. While the topic of the sermon might revolve around what the verse means by “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” they can use other verses from the Bible (such as Jesus teachings) that relate to this concept.
Narrative sermons unfold like a captivating story, weaving together biblical narratives, parables, or testimonies to convey spiritual truths and lessons. In this narrative approach, the preacher invites listeners into the world of scripture, vividly portraying characters, events, and emotions to engage the heart and imagination of the audience.
This is typically done by choosing a story from the Bible, such as the Last Supper, and reading through the text in a way that allows the congregation to visualize the story. Unfolding the scripture’s narrative, point by point, setting the scene with details (what the characters might’ve been feeling, seeing, and experiencing at that moment), and even stopping to interject with comparisons, personal anecdotes, or contexts, allows the congregation to fully imagine the gravity of these Biblical stories.
As Brandon Kelley of Rookie Preacher puts it:
“Tell the story in a way that places people in the story to where they see, feel, and consider the same things the people in the story saw, felt, and considered. And then add the nuance of knowing the end of the story and what this ultimately means in light of the gospel.”
While it’s important to decide which type of sermon works best –– depending on the message, audience, or event –– pastors also need the time for proper sermon preparation. Coming up with the appropriate outlines, research, verses, and examples for every sermon can be difficult, but there are online sermon preparation tools that make this process easier and less time-consuming.
These programs use AI to generate sermon outlines, ease the search for relevant scripture, conduct research, assist in exegesis, and develop character studies, and effective examples to make the most of sermon writing.
When it comes to communicating a God-inspired message, it’s important to find the right type of sermon outline to effectively drive home the point of that message. Even if pastors are more inclined to preach one type of sermon over the other, it’s worth trying new ways of effectively communicating God’s Word to the congregation.
Expository, topical, textual, and narrative sermons each offer distinct strengths and applications in the preacher's toolbox. Whether unveiling the riches of Scripture, addressing pressing issues, mining insights from specific passages, or weaving captivating stories of faith, each sermon type serves the ultimate purpose of proclaiming the timeless truths of the gospel in ways that engage, challenge, and inspire listeners.
