The Lasting Power of Reformed Experiential Preaching

While I was on active duty in the U.S. Army Reserves, a big, black sergeant laid his hand on my shoulder one day and said, “Son, if you ever have to go to war, there are three things you must remember in battle: what tactics you need to use, how the fight is going (which is usually very different from how it ought to go), and what the goal of the battle is.”

That sergeant gave me an experiential approach to fighting. His three points also provide insight into how experiential religion and preaching ought to go. There are five questions I would like to consider as we address the important subject of Reformed experiential preaching:

1. What is experiential religion and preaching?

2. Why is the experiential aspect of preaching necessary?

3. What are the essential characteristics of experiential preaching?

4. Why must a minister be experientially prepared for the ministry?

5. What practical lessons on Christian living can we learn from the experiential preaching of our predecessors?

The article is by Joel R. Beeke, president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He is also a pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Click here to read his entire article.