Professor, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary · Author, Biblical Preaching · 1931–2017
Robinson's analyzed sermons show the master practitioner of his own theory: nearly 70% expository, driven by Ethics and Sanctification before Soteriology, with a narrative gift (personal story leads his illustration arsenal) that made doctrine land on Monday morning. He shaped a generation of preachers who learned to ask, "What is the big idea of this text?"
Ethics and Sanctification lead at 114 and 105 units — an unusual ordering for a Reformed-adjacent preacher. Robinson's corpus skews heavily practical: he preaches about how to live, not primarily about what to believe. Soteriology arrives fourth (82), beneath Hamartiology (88). The practical orientation of his corpus reflects his conviction that the Big Idea must always land in the congregation's Monday-morning world.
Personal story leads (32) — Robinson is a natural narrator, with personal anecdotes and cultural references running nearly equal (32 vs 24). Historical example and analogy are both significant, reflecting an academic's comfort with the full illustration toolkit. He draws from literature, history, and real life with equal ease. No single mode dominates: 110 illustrations spread across five types.
Paul leads at 8× across variant references — Robinson is deeply Pauline, with 1 Corinthians 13 dominating his scripture citation list. Will Durant (3×) and Martin Luther (3×) represent the historian and the Reformer. The appearance of Cole Porter, Francis Scott Key, and Ian MacLaren suggests an eclectic, culturally engaged citation sensibility — the preacher reaching across the aisle to make doctrine comprehensible to everyday people.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud."
"A theology of the cross is not a comfortable theology — it is a true one."
Robinson's top doctrinal locus is Ethics/Moral Theology (114), not Soteriology (82). This is a striking reversal of the typical Reformed order. He preached to people who already believed — and his question was whether they were living it. The Big Idea framework is inherently applicational: not just "what does this text say?" but "what should people do differently Monday morning?" The data bears out the method.
Five illustration types with relatively even distribution — personal story, cultural reference, historical example, analogy, hypothetical — reflects the homiletics professor's self-awareness. Robinson taught preachers how to illustrate, and his own corpus shows mastery of every mode. No single type dominates (unlike Sproul's strong narrative lean), suggesting a deliberate, trained versatility.
1 Corinthians 13:4 is his #1 most-cited verse (13×). Romans 4 and Ephesians also appear prominently. Paul's ethical and applicational letters dominate Robinson's scripture palette. He is less drawn to narrative OT books (very few narrative sermons in the corpus) and more to the epistles — the part of scripture most naturally suited to the Big Idea method, where propositions are stated rather than embedded in story.
Robinson wrote the textbook, but the corpus proves he was also a practitioner. The corpus shows consistent application of Big Idea principles: single-thesis structure, clear exposition, concrete illustration, targeted application. He did not just teach a method — he inhabited it. When he died in 2017, former students at hundreds of churches were preaching with tools he gave them.