Sermon prep / outline / critics

 Sermon pre steps (in prayer)

1.       Decide a passage

a.       Range of verses: 1 ~ 20 verses, a chapter, or a whole book.

b.       Various factors: sequential preaching from a book or a series, special occasion, seasonal, congregational needs.

c.       Rule of thumb: Though you pick the passage, you should preach what the passage says.

2.       Read & Study & Meditate

a.       Reading vs background study

b.       Notice the author’s emphases

c.       Structure & logical flow.

d.       God’s message to the first audience and to us

e.       Possible applications: what change would the message make in our life?

3.       Make sermon outline

a.       One sentence sermon thesis. Ex)

b.       Sermon title. Alluding to the main thesis or theme, not fully exposed. You can pick a phrase in the passage.

c.       Main points (two ~ three, or more)

d.       Putting together: logical flow, opening and closing.

e.       If you can memorize the outline, you are done. If you can’t, your sermon won’t be remembered in their hearts.

f. This is the recommended order when you make a sermon outline. Also, the steps are recursive and iterative.

Main points

Sermon Thesis

Closing

Opening

Sermon Title

4.       Complete the sermon script

a.       Make an initial sermon script ( 3 ~ 4 pages of 12pt, 1.5 line spacing is for 20 - 25 mins preaching, for my case)

b.       Practice your sermon and modify the script. You will remove some scripts or add new insights. Repeat this step as necessary.

c.       Practice without the script with timer.

d.       Pray.

 

Sermon Outline

<Sermon title>

<Sermon Thesis>

<Bible Passage>

OPENING

             (how to motivate them to listen to the sermon. Relevancy and Line of tension)

Transitional Question: (this will move to the first outline)

Main point 1  

               (one sentence. Show Key verses)

               Transitional question

Main point 2  

               (one sentence. Show Key verses)

Transitional question

Main point 3  

               (one sentence. Show Key verses)

 

CLOSING

You can summarize the message using the Sermon Thesis

Words of encouragement and challenge according to the message

 

Few things that make your sermon good.

1.       Authenticity of the message: what does the author say?

2.       Logic of persuasion: how does the author say?

3.       Clarity: without mixture, acute, fit to the congregation.

4.       Relevancy of your sermon to their lives

5.       What touches you will touch them as well.

 

Sermon critic points

1.       Authenticity

a.       Is non-biblical message found in the sermon?

b.       Is it from the given text? Do Main Points properly represent the text?

c.       Does the preacher use the same logic of persuasion of the author?

2.       Clarity

a.       Are the outlines and the title clear

b.       Check the flow of idea and the transition

c.       Too long sentence? Too much repetition? Too complicated?

3.       Relevancy

a.       Proper applications for the audience

b.       Too much or too little about application?

4.       Delivery

a.       Does the preacher have confidence in his/her message? How do you know that?

b.       Eye contact with audience. Less on the script.

c.       Time: Too long? Proper time allocation?

d.       How is the audience’s attention?

e.       Overall