Aiming to Transform: Experiential Expository Preaching

Preaching is more than explaining what a biblical text means—it is proclaiming God’s Word in a way that reaches the mind, stirs the affections, and calls the hearer to faithful obedience. In Aiming to Transform, Jeffrey D. Johnson presents a practical approach to experiential expository preaching, helping preachers move from careful interpretation of Scripture to sermons that faithfully explain the text, apply its transformational intent, and speak to the hearts and lives of God’s people. At the center of the book is a practical four-phase approach to sermon preparation: The Mechanical Outline — Discover the structure, flow, main idea, and modifying ideas of the biblical text. The Exegetical Outline — Organize and summarize the meaning of the passage. The Contextual Outline — Bring the timeless truths and transformational intent of the text into the lives of a contemporary audience. The Homiletical Outline — Develop, polish, illustrate, apply, and prepare the sermon for faithful proclamation. Throughout the book, Johnson emphasizes that the preacher must first be affected by the Word he is preparing to preach. True preaching does not merely transfer information—it aims at spiritual transformation in the mind, affections, and actions of both preacher and hearer. With practical examples, exercises, review questions, outlines, and step-by-step instruction, Aiming to Transform is designed to be used—not simply read. A Note on Format Aiming to Transform is a book/workbook hybrid, not a traditional paperback. It is coil bound so it lies flat on your desk while you work through it, and each chapter ends with ruled lines for notes. Jeffrey D. Johnson is the founding pastor of Grace Bible Church and President of Grace Bible Theological Seminary in Conway, Arkansas, where he resides with his wife, Letha, and their four children.