Calvin's pulpit ministry: During his remaining years Calvin would preach up to 10 sermons a week. Calvin's sermons lasted between 50-60 minutes (apparently he did not read Saving Eutychus). During Calvin's first sermon back he picked up on the last verse he preached before he was exiled 3 years prior- "as I was saying." No ancient preacher was more committed to verse-by-verse, Text-driven exposition than John Calvin. One does need to agree with every detail of Calvin's theology to learn from him.
Characteristics of Calvin's preaching and teaching ministry.
1) Calvin's preaching ministry was grounded in his bedrock convictions concerning the Bible.
Calvin deep seated conviction that God's Word is inerrant, inspired, infallible, and sufficient impacted every facet of his pastoral ministry, including preaching. The way a pastor handles the Word of truth will tell you everything you need to know about his personal doctrinal convictions.
As such, 2) Calvin was committed to verse-by-verse exposition (Lectio Continiua).
It has been rightly said, "An inerrant Scripture demands expository preaching." Calvin's commitment to exegetical exposition are without parallel in Reformation history. Having said that, one needs to note that Calvin did not "invent" the Lectio Continiua method of expository preaching. Many of the Church Father's were committed to book-by-book preaching; (and Calvin was a faithful student of church history). Zwingli, for example, also preached through the Bible book by book.
For further research about this method of preaching, read Hughes Oliphant Old, The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church, Volume 4: The Age of the Reformation.
When Calvin returned to Geneva he preached the pastoral epistles on Sunday and exposited the book of Job midweek. Calvin believed the key to understanding Job was as follows: "Job has a good case and he argues it extremely badly and his friends have a bad case but they argue it extremely well."
3) Calvin embraced a proper hermeneutic (most of the time).
The grammatical-historical method of bible interpretation is seen in the vast majority of Calvin's sermons. On the other hand, the allegorical method is soundly rejected. Calvin did not write a commentary on the book of Revelation as eschatology was not a major emphasis of the Reformers. During the time period in which they ministered they were too busy defending the 5 Solas and the true gospel (see Galatians 1)!
4) Calvin placed a high value on the biblical languages (Greek and Hebrew/Aramaic).
5) Calvin established a seminary in order to teach faithful pastors and missionaries.
Many of Calvin's graduates died as martyrs in service to Christ and his church (2 Tim. 2:2). One of the most moving letters Calvin ever wrote is to five ministers who were about to be put death in Catholic France for the Christian faith (Matt. 5:11-12).
6) Calvin was as much a Theocentric expositor as he was a "Christ-centered" preacher.
Calvin spoke often about the Fatherhood of God. He also spoke often about our "union with Christ" (see Book III of the Institutes). Calvin was a BIG God preacher! The starting point in biblical preaching is theology proper. As such, Calvin generally begins with God not man. Calvin interpreted the bible through this general framework: what does this text tell us about God? In Preaching Christ From the Old Testament Sidney Greidanus contrasts the ministries of Luther and Calvin in relation to this point. As a pastor Calvin frequently bursted the balloon of pride.
7) Calvin was a theological preacher.
Unlike so much "preaching" today Calvin understood the importance of sound doctrine (note his manuscripts from Job or Ephesians). He was a theological heavyweight who sought to bring the deep truths of Scripture to the ears of his listener in an understandable fashion. Calvin understood that the battlefield often begins in the mind (2 Cor. 10:5).
8) Calvin's homiletic structure (though not pronounced) can be traced upon detailed analysis.
Calvin often employed an introduction and a conclusion. He valued ebb and flow. As a former lawyer Calvin's sermons were quite logical. His argumentation is well reasoned. He included various pastoral implications of the text. Calvin anticipated his congregation's response when heralding the Word of God.
Having said that, Calvin did not state a "plural noun propositional statement" or say heading one, two, three, etc. Calvin would make general applications in his messages but his primary emphasis was the Word expounded (1 Peter 4:10-11).
9) Calvin spoke in plain language even though he was an in-depth expositor of Scripture.
Calvin's sermons in French were easy to understand (yet very deep). In many ways he spoke in the language of the people. This is similar to the preaching ministry of John MacArthur; (you can view MacArthur's sermon manuscripts on www.gty.org). Calvin rarely quotes Greek and Hebrew in his messages even though he was a language wizard. The goal of the sermon is to make the text known and understood using different words.
10) Calvin was a Text-driven preacher.
As you read his printed sermons one goes away with this central conviction; Calvin stood with the text of Scripture. When the Word of God is rightly divided God speaks to the hearts of his people (see 1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Thess. 2:13).
