Developing Biographical Narratives: Insights for Preaching from Charles Swindoll
The
opening text in Swindoll’s sermons is often related to the theme of the
sermon and serves as an entry point into the subject to be presented. For instance,
in Genesis 37:1-3 Jacob’s favoritism shown towards Joseph established the
theme of the sermon and title “Favored Son, Hated Brother.” In some
sermons Swindoll begins the sermon with texts other than the primary Bible character
narratives to establish a particular theme that will be illustrated in the Bible
character’s life. Often these thematic incursions will highlight a vital
doctrinal subject illustrated in the life of the Bible character.8
Swindoll’s
use of the text may be best viewed as “verse-with-verse” exposition
with contemporary application throughout the sermon. He often incorporates a
complete verse-by-verse narrative in his sermons. However, he does not always
provide a balanced exposition of every verse; that is, Swindoll treats the text
in a “verse-with-verse” style in keeping with his overall purpose
and theme. Even though he does not treat every verse in a passage of Scripture,
he usually follows the chronological flow of the narrative plot.
The
primary means of explanation that Swindoll employs is narration. His method
is to state the text and then recreate the scene with vivid and contemporary
details. Sometimes with a touch of humor, Swindoll will use what Richard Eslinger
calls “contemporary cues” to bridge the relevance gap.9
Describing Goliath as a guy the NBA would love and comparing Joseph’s robed
appearance to his brothers as the equivalent to “sending a welder to a
construction site wearing a full-length mink coat,” are two examples of
this kind of narrative imagination.
Theological
statements are a common feature in Swindoll’s sermons and often are phrased
as indirect applications. For example, in a sermon entitled “God’s
Invisible Providence” (to explain the overall message of the book) he states
“though God may at times seem distant, and though He is invisible to us,
He is always invincible.” Furthermore, “God never knows frustration.”
Al Fasol observed that the technique of using theological statements “achieves
‘explanation’ by revealing doctrinal truth in a statement of a summary
and conclusive nature.”10
Swindoll
bolsters his explanation of the text with the occasional use of word studies,
comparisons with other Bible translations, stories from history, and the use
of commentaries, especially commentary from other writers of biographical sermons
such as Alexander Whyte, Clarence Macartney, and F. B. Myer.