Descriptive, Instructive, and Convictive

Frank Turk from the Pyromaniacs...Setting the World on Fire blog posted a review about a book called, "What He Must Be...If He Wants To Marry My Daughter". I haven't read the book yet--but I intend to order it tonight. But...all that aside, the point of this post has nothing to do with the book, really--but rather with one quote from the review itself. Mr. Turk writes (ephasis, mine):

There's nothing sort of subtle about this book, and that is a strong compliment. Let me put it this way: non-fiction comes in three categories, more or less -- the descriptive, the instructive, and the "convictive". A descriptive book tells you that something was done, or is being done -- like a history book, or a biography -- and can be entertaining or somewhat instructive. An instructive book tells you how something can be done -- one perspective on the tactics involved, like Joe Carter's book on how to argue persuasively -- and is totally useful and serviceable. The "convictive" book doesn't just tell you about what happens or has happened, and doesn't just talk about how to do it: it seeks to show you why this stuff it is talking about is important, and moves you from being an observer to being a practitioner because your heart is in it.

I have been thinking about these three types of non-fiction with relation to preaching and teaching the Word of God. There are occasions when a descriptive message is appropriate, for example when describing the person or character of the Lord Jesus. There are also times when an instructive message is proper--for example a study on a particular doctrine. But, oh to have the heart, passion, discernment, and steadfastness to preach with conviction. We dare not merely create hearers (or observers) of God's word--our goal ought to be creating doers.