It was a surprise and liberation. Years ago, while studying the men and women in Scripture, history, and daily life, I realized an amazing truth: Everyone is imbalanced. Look around and you will discover that there are no exceptions. Every effective man I admire is tremendously passionate about certain things but often excludes others.

In sovereign wisdom and delightful creativity, God made us each different. When your mother's single cell met your father's single cell, each carrying 23 chromosomes, they merged into one single cell called "you." With the threads of that chromosomal mix, God knit you together, creating over three billion unique DNA characteristics.

Like the marvelous, unique creation of each snowflake, God obviously delighted in our differences. He wanted to make us distinctive, not only in physical appearance but also in temperament, personality, thinking, style--in over three billion ways!

Throughout the centuries men have tried stifling these differences through legitimate and illegitimate concerns, with pride at the source. Convinced of our own correctness (about any subject), we minimize others by holding up the excellence of our opinion and approach.

The Pharisees were masters of this, and their spirit transcends the ages. Seeking to push everyone into our narrow mold, we are convinced we're doing the world a great favor. "If everyone would just [fill in the blank] like me, we would get this job done ... and done correctly!"

Our thinking is then reinforced by those we've influenced. In their desire to be liked (which is also pride), they often follow lock-step behind us. Soon, surrounded by a small army of like-minded followers, we become so confident that we become unteachable. At one time or another, all of us have led and followed others from this motivation.

On the other hand, our narrowness is often driven by a very biblical and appropriate concern. For those of us who believe in the absolute reliability of God's Word, we know that He is uncompromisingly narrow on certain issues. Our lives and destinies are at stake, and we must be willing to live and die for these truths. When we meet the brick wall of God's truth, we should not climb over but turn, stand, and speak, knowing that His singular way is "good and acceptable and perfect" for all.

A great rule of hermeneutics, given to me by a seasoned seminary professor, is simply: "When the Bible says a lot about something, you say a lot about it. When it says little, you do the same." The same is true in another area. When the Bible is clear about content or method of life and ministry, we should not compromise; when its ambiguity indicates some tolerance for variation, we should follow suit.

The methodology of preaching is an important illustration.

The Narrow Road of Content

Preaching, in my opinion, is the highest task on earth. What could be more important than communicating the mind of God to the needs of men? Those of us who have been divinely pulled into this task should daily humble ourselves and cry out with Paul, "To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach...."

The task's majesty, contrasted with our sinfulness, should make us humble but vigilant. We are stewards of an inexhaustible resource--the grace of God!

What we preach should not be open to debate. Any preacher worthy of the name should "preach the Word." If you know God's Word, you are well aware of its inherent power:

• It is GOD'S Word, not man's.
• It is "alive and powerful."
• It is so sharp that it cuts going and coming.
• It clearly defines what is of the earth's kingdom vs. God's.
• It can pierce through the crust of man's soul to show him the very "thoughts and motivations" of his heart.

Real preaching relies on God's power through His Word. A great preacher once said, "My job, like a good waiter in a fine restaurant, is to get the food from the kitchen to the table without messing anything up." Rightly dividing the text is essential, and believing in its power is non-negotiable.

If a man relies on clever speech and cute rhythms to impact his hearers, he is prostituting the call, not to mention losing the rapturous joy of divine communication. At the end of every message, the sole evaluation should be:

• God, did I faithfully tell them what You said?
• Did I dilute Your truth?
• Did I let You speak?
• Was the sword of Your mouth unleashed to do its miraculous work?

A good way to gauge this is by the comments of mature believers who walk away saying, "Isn't that an incredible truth?" or "Isn't God glorious?" versus "Wow, that was a really impressive sermon!"

Further, as pastors, we should give our flock God's "whole counsel." We must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and let Him lead us to truths that will nourish and strengthen our people in needed areas (whether they see those needs or not). Since our calling is to bring people up to the fullness of Christ's stature, we must realize that a one-dimensional diet will stunt their growth, while a well balanced diet will promote their growth and health.

The Broad Road of Method

While we must not compromise about what we preach, how we preach is another matter. The variation of Spirit-anointed preaching in Scripture and throughout history is startling.

Preachers are convictional (or should be) about truth. But that stubborn resolve can easily drift over into our beliefs about style. When we find comfort and blessing in our style, we assume that our method is the best or absolute.

Some grateful followers say, "I've never been fed like this. That last preacher ..." Our chest puffs out. At the local pastors' meeting, we boldly and proudly state that "real preaching is always _________" and assume that people's unchallenging silence confirms it.

We need to go back to our Bibles and walk through the stylistic smorgasbord of sermons throughout Christian history. We need to look closely at the unique design of each snowflake.

"How can any flock be built up by short, six-week series?" Ask Spurgeon, who, if memory serves me correctly, never preached straight through a book. (Those poor, spiritually malnourished people!)

"How can you possibly relate to the culture by long book series?" Ask Criswell, who preached 18 years straight from Genesis to Revelation, building one of the greatest churches of his day. Talk with Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the master book expositor, whose record crowds left other preachers scratching their heads.

"Why would you ever preach topically?" Ask Jesus, who primarily left for our study a series of short parables with laser application.

"How could it really be effective to cover a lot of ground in a sermon?" Read Matthew 5-7, the manifesto of God's new kingdom, communicated perfectly by the King of preachers.

Need I go on?

There is a case for preaching through a book ... and for preaching (with good exegesis) through a topic. Narrative preaching is powerful and clearly illustrated in Scripture. Parabolic preaching is also predominant. Prophetic preaching is preserved alongside devotional, more pastoral preaching. Short and long, one point and many, verse-by-verse (which actually is the hardest to document by biblical illustration but does not discount its value) and topical, they are all there.

If we REALLY want to stay true to the whole counsel of God, wouldn't Scripture indicate that we preach not only all the major themes and truths but also a variation of all these styles? (But then, I'm showing my peculiar imbalance.)

Here's for truth and grace among preachers. Here's for unwavering commitment to the truth, coupled with a huge dose of humility about style. Here's for being comfortable with what I do but applauding and learning from what God has gifted others to do. 

When will pastors learn to rejoice as a brother feeds his flock with what God has said in the way God has uniquely designed him to say it? Where is the seasoned man who humbly says, "I really love to preach this way, but I'm so grateful for men who proclaim the Word in truth with different styles"? Oh, for men humble enough to recognize God's wildly creative DNA!

You're imbalanced, just admit it. So am I. But if we'd let it, our diversity could create quite a snowstorm!