No conflict, no drama

Posted on March 30, 2026 
Filed under Resources

“George Bernard Shaw is quoted as saying: ‘No conflict, no drama.’

Conflict drives our stories. The hero engages in single combat with the villain. Two suitors vie for the attention of an attractive and intelligent woman. The detective’s wits are pitted against the cunning of the criminal. Scripture, likewise, is full of stories, drama, and conflict. Whether it’s God vs idols, Jesus vs the Pharisees, Paul vs the false teachers, or the Spirit vs the flesh, the Bible is replete with military, emotional, ideological, relational, and intellectual conflict, often all at once!

As preachers, we can help our churches by bringing out these conflicts of Scripture in our preaching. Doing so aids the clarity of our preaching – it helps the Christian to know not just what Jesus is for, but also what He’s against. It also drives interest, as hearers wish to see how these conflicts will be resolved. …”

– At The Expository Preaching Trust, Michael Leong shares some helpful thoughts on preaching.