Here is an interesting thing: Look at the Bible and take the books of the New Testament; find out how much of the Bible is application. It really will change the way you preach. For instance, I once preached through the book of Romans for two-and-a-half years, verse by verse. I do both verse with verse exposition — which I call topical exposition — and I do verse by verse exposition, which is book by book. Two kinds of teaching for two different targets and two different purposes, and they both are needed for a healthy church. To say you only need one, I think is ridiculous. One is far more effective for evangelism, and one is far more effective for edification.
Romans is the most doctrinal book in the New Testament. Yet, how much of Romans is really application?
Chapter one, doctrine.
Chapter two, doctrine.
Three doctrine.
Four, doctrine.
Five, doctrine.
Six, application.
Seven, application.
Eight, application.
Nine, doctrine.
Ten, doctrine.
Eleven, doctrine.
Twelve, application.
Thirteen, application.
Fourteen,
fifteen,
sixteen — application. So you have a book of 16 chapters and fifty percent is application. Even the most doctrinal book of the Bible is half life application. Then you go to
Ephesians. Half of the book is doctrine, half is application.
Colossians, first half of the book is doctrine, the second half is application, fifty percent. You get to a book like
James — 100 percent application.
Proverbs, 100 percent application.
Sermon on the Mount, 100 percent application.
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