How do you find the point of a passage? How do you determine the biblical author’s intent in the writing of a book of the Bible? How do you discover the theme of a passage and understand how the author is building an argument to unfold that particular theme? And if you do uncover the point of the passage, the authorial intent, theme and subsequent argumentation, … how do you preach it all???

The above is an example of some of the fundamental issues in expositional preaching that the Italian Theological Academy’s students in the expository preaching program “wrestled with” in their attempt to further progress their studies, during the second week of November ‘09 at the ITA.

This second week in the expository preaching program at the ITA consisted in learning the principles of Bibliology and Hermeneutics. Theory was followed by vital practice in the classroom as students did detailed exegesis of particular biblical passages like 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 regarding the excellence of love above all the gifts God has given to His Church. Exegesis and homiletics were also combined in a rich study of the Biblical book of 3 John.

The class was taught by seasoned pastor and seminary professor Jerry Wragg, from Jupiter, Florida. Those present, men involved in pastoral ministry from churches throughout five regions in Italy, would all conclude that this was indeed another profound step forward for the local church and the preaching of the Word of God in Italy.