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BAD TOPICAL PREACHING Topical preaching is only bad when it's not done right. If we know God's word and we stay within its boundaries, then topical preaching can yield great truths and offer much edification. The problem is not topical preaching. The problem is that too many preachers don’t know the word of God well enough to be GOOD at topical preaching. So, they take a text and throw a fit for thirty minutes, and no one is really fed and edified. Such preachers probably SHOULD stick with expository messages, because at least they would be forced to deal with scripture instead of the many emotional hobby horses that they tend to ride with very little scripture being offered.But the seasoned preacher who knows the Book well seldom takes a text and throws a fit. He takes a text, preaches or teaches on it, then another related text, then another, then another, and so forth. An hour later everyone has been fed the word of God and has a meal to chew on and be nourished by instead of merely a little cheer to chant. Unfortunately, most people in Laodicea don't know the difference between a preacher and a cheerleader.As a God-called preacher, my job is to know the word of God extremely well so that I can load my preaching with many rounds of Bible ammo. I should frequently see people writing down scripture references that I quote or mention, and I should be quoting and referencing many of them. I must know the word of God better than I know anything, and I must know more of it today than yesterday. The weight of my preaching is not to be my voice, my charm, or any entertaining theatrics. The truth of God's word must carry the message and be its true identity. Everything else is secondary. If it isn't, then I have failed at preaching, be it expository, topical, or both, and no matter how much human praise I receive for it. If people are not learning and growing in the word of God due to my preaching and teaching, then I need to get more serious about the Book and learn what it really means to FEED the sheep. Then I can be good at ALL preaching, topical included.