Practical Application in Preaching

Summarised excerpts from Beeke, Joel R., and David P. Murray. “Practical Application in Preaching.” Puritan Reformed Journal (January 2012) 4, no. 1 (2012):


J. I. Packer once said that preaching consists of two elements: teaching plus application. Where those two elements are missing, “something less than preaching occurs.”

Application is the process by which the unchanging principles of God’s Word are brought into life-changing contact with people who live in an ever-changing world. Applicatory preaching takes place when the unchanging truths, principles, and doctrines of God’s Word are brought to bear upon people’s consciences and every part of their lives to increasingly transform them into Christ’s likeness.

Other preachers want to connect Scripture with practical living but believe that application is the Holy Spirit’s job, not theirs. They say, “We explain the text, the Spirit applies it.” This tends to leave listeners at the mercy of their own subjective inclinations. Douglas Stuart talks about the unfairness of this approach, saying, “The exegete leaves the key function—response—completely to the subjective sensibilities of the reader or hearer, who knows the passage least. What is more likely is that listeners will do nothing at all. John Calvin writes: “If we leave it to men’s choice to follow what is taught them, they will never move one foot. Therefore, the doctrine of itself can profit nothing at all.”

Scripture justifies and warrants application. Here are just a few of the many examples of application that we find in the Bible:

• In Matthew 19:16–22, Christ applies the law to a rich young ruler. 
• Peter, in Acts 2:22–27, applies the prophecies of the Old Testament to his generation (vv. 25–28; 34–35). His intent is to change his hearers. Notice how often he uses the second person (vv. 22, 23, 29, 33, 36) to call people to action (vv. 38, 39). By the Spirit’s grace, such preaching prompts this question in listeners: “What shall we do?” (v. 37). 
• In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul says the history of Israel was written as an example and admonition to later generations (10:11).

Prerequisites to Applicatory Preaching

First, to be sound applicatory preachers, we must first have personal, experiential knowledge of the doctrines we preach. Applicatory preaching cannot be learned in seminaries or through textbooks unless preachers have studied in Christ’s school and fed on the manna of the Word. If we endeavor to preach on the intercession of Christ, we will fail to apply it adequately if we are not personally acquainted with its reality and riches. As under-shepherds of Christ, we feed the flock with the nourishment our Shepherd gives us. If we would have our congregants know how to live, we ourselves must walk in the footsteps of our Master.

Second, to be sound in application as preachers, we must cultivate personal closeness with God. Fellowship with God makes Christianity real and personal; a man cannot, consequently, be a great preacher if he lives distant from the Lord. In 2 Cor. 2:17, the apostle Paul explains the contrast between true and false preachers. A true minister of the gospel is sincere, Paul says; he cannot fake nearness to the Lord. Like children who listen to every word and observe every move of their parents, true children of God are always listening to their preacher, looking at him, and examining the way he lives. If he is not living close to God, his preaching and counsel will eventually expose any falseness and hypocrisy. How is this closeness to be cultivated? God reveals Himself to us in His Word, in prayer, and in other spiritual disciplines. A minister’s solemn duty and joyful privilege, then, is to labor tirelessly in private prayer and to be a diligent student of the Bible. Prayer must be the life-blood behind the sermon, for you need divine assistance, first, as you prepare for the sermon and, second, as you deliver the sermon. We should also consult teachers of the Bible who will help give us clarity and insight into the mysteries of the gospel.

A third prerequisite for applicatory preaching is to understand human nature. If you want to connect your message with people, you must know people’s natures and personalities, especially those in your own flock. The heart is the throne of natural corruptions, fears, weaknesses, and sin. A preacher must strike a balance between how things are and how they ought to be. A medical doctor must know how the body ought to operate before he can diagnose an ailment. You trust his prescriptions, or even his scalpel, because he has proven himself to be an expert of the human body. Likewise, the pastor must discern from the Scriptures how things are and ought to be as well as how biblical remedies should be applied. You must be a master of the human soul so that your people can trust what you prescribe.