1. Biblical narrative preaching that is based on the narratives of Scripture (See Factual Data Sheet for Narratives)
2. Non-biblical narrative preaching that is based on stories or narratives told by the preacher
Ralph L. Lewis and Gregg Lewis, in their book Inductive Preaching: Helping People Listen give two examples of inductive or what I am calling non-biblical narrative preaching. We will examine only the first example based on the petition in what the preacher identified as the Lord’s Prayer “Deliver us?” (page 168-182). This prayer is better described as the Model Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer in is John 17.
The sermon has roughly 30 stories from contemporary experiences, history, and nature. There are twelve passing references to Biblical examples. At one point, the preacher asked 19 questions back to back and in another section, 22 questions were asked back to back. What is glaringly absent from the sermon is any interpretation. No context is provided for the Model Prayer and no explanation of the Model Prayer nor of the petition “Deliver us.”
The main divisions of the inductive sermon are questions:
I. Anybody need deliverance?
II. Anybody being delivered in our day?
III. Anybody been delivered in the past?
IV. Anybody want to be delivered now?
The last main division is supposed to be the main point to which the sermon has inductively led. The last main division is supposed to be the solution. In the last main division, no solution is offered. Two passages are referred to and read (Psalm 34:4-19 and Romans 7:34) but no explanation is given.
The Biblical Narrative sermon is based on the story or narrative told by God in His Word. The Factual Data Sheet for Narratives emphasizes the context of the narrative and also shows how to interpret the content of the Biblical narrative. Biblical narratives are inductive in nature. At the beginning of the plot there is a crisis and at the end there is a Biblical solution. Biblical narrative are thoroughly biblical in content and in solutions.
An excellent resource for how to interpret and preach Biblical narratives is Steven D. Mathewson’s The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narrative. Mathewson provides five Biblical narrative sermons at the end of his book. One of the five is by Donald Sunukjian, the author of one of our textbooks.