| The preaching and writing ministries of John R. W. Stott have an international scope. These two ministries were combined in 1982 when he published Between Two Worlds: The Art of Preaching in the Twentieth Century. The book promotes Stott's concept of expository preaching which he labels as "bridge-building." The purpose of this dissertation is to determine if Stott's bridge-building constitutes a new form of expository preaching or offers significant contributions to traditional expository preaching.; To fulfill this purpose, the first two chapters analyze various aspects of Stott's bridge-building. His theology, theory, and practice of preaching are studied. These aspects are then compared to actual sermons by Stott. The sermons are analyzed in order to determine the degree to which Stott preaches his convictions about preaching.; Another measurement is necessary, however, in order to determine if Stott's bridge-building is a new concept or is merely a contribution to traditional expository preaching. Thus, chapter three is an identical analysis of David Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Lloyd-Jones was a prominent expositor in London during Stott's early years in pastoral ministry.; The sources used to analyze Stott and Lloyd-Jones are from three fields. First are primary sources which include their printed sermons and writings concerning preaching. Second are the primary sources of actual sermons and interviews. The author experienced the privilege of hearing Stott preaching in February 1994 and was able to interview him at that time. The third field represents secondary sources written about Stott and Lloyd-Jones.; The result of the study is that Stott and Lloyd-Jones possessed enough similarities to preclude "bridge-building" as a new form of expository preaching. However, there are enough differences between the two preachers to identify several aspects of bridge-building as significant contributions to traditional expository preaching. These contributions are in the areas of theology, hermeneutics, sermon application, homiletical flexibility, and expository sermons on social issues. The study further concludes Stott was not a purist in the practice of all his theories. However, his bridge-building does offer additional insights for expository preaching and opens the doors for further insights in the future. |
