W. A. Criswell is one of the best-known biblical expositors in the evangelical world. He recently celebrated fifty years as pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, the largest congregation in the Southern Baptist Convention. (Billy Graham is his most famous church member.) He continues to serve that church as senior pastor, although his primary ministry focus has now shifted to his work as chancellor of Criswell College. He was recently interviewed by Michael Duduit, editor of Preaching.

Preaching: You have been preaching for sixty-eight years. What have you learned about preaching over the years, and has your preaching changed during those years?

Criswell: As I grew up, every preacher I ever heard preach was a topical preacher. Every one of them, even the great ones that are famous. They were topical preachers. When I had been out of the seminary about five years or so, I started expounding the Scriptures -- preaching expositionally, exegetically. And for all the years that remained I have followed that pattern.

For example, in Dallas I preached eighteen years through the Bible. I started at Genesis and where I left off Sunday morning, I picked up Sunday night. Where I left off Sunday night, I picked up the following Sunday morning. For eighteen years I preached through the Bible. And as I went on, I got slower and slower and slower. If I had preached as slowly at the beginning as I was doing at the end, I would have been there a thousand years preaching the Bible!

Preaching: Describe the expository preaching that you do.

Criswell: I study the text and try to learn all the things that enter into the passage. Then above all, I find in my studying a message that is pertinent to that congregation and I always preach toward a verdict. I think that is the purpose of preaching: to change that life, to win that soul, to turn those people in the path of a Christian ministry and dedication. And the sermons all take that form. I never preach a sermon without a drive toward that ultimate appeal. I have been in Dallas fifty-one years and I have never had a service there but that God has given us a harvest. That is one of the miracles of this modern time.

Preaching: During your years in the pastorate, did your week have a pattern in terms of sermon preparation?

Criswell: I studied! I tell preachers to make the announcement to your people that in the morning you want to be left alone with God. Don't you call me, don't come by to see me, don't expect me to be a part of any kind of committee or program. In the afternoon, I'll do any work of the church. In the evening, I'll attend meetings. It was important for me to have my mornings devoted to study.

I would always try to have the sermon prepared by Friday. Beginning Friday and Saturday I would be with God as I get it in my heart. I was just seventeen years old when I started my pastoral work. I got down on my knees before the Lord and said, "Lord, I am going to preach without notes and I am going to depend upon you to bless my memory, so that when I stand up there to preach I won't forget or stumble." I was terrified when I started doing that. What if I were right in the middle of the sermon and came to the third point and couldn't remember it, couldn't recall it? What would I do? It would be embarrassing beyond description. But I trusted God for it. And to this day I have never forgotten; I have never stumbled. Once in a great while, I might have a moment of difficulty in recalling that third or fourth point, but I just keep talking and in a moment or so it will come back to me.