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- Is God’s Word the most important part of this sermon? I’ve recently heard a number of sermons that were rhetorically strong but theologically weak. As you listen, be careful not to trust your emotions too much.
- Do you leave understanding the main point of the text? In other words, do you understand your Bible better because you heard this sermon? And do you see that the pastor crafted his message in such a way that the main point of his message was the main point of the Scripture he is preaching from?
- Did the preacher preach Jesus? I hope this question sounds strange to your ears. What evangelical church would leave Jesus out? Well, over my recent sabbatical, I listened to a number of sermons on Old Testament texts preached in large, conservative, evangelical churches where Jesus’ name was not mentioned.
- Did the preacher apply the sermon to my life? Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit gifts preachers and teachers to help Christians apply God’s Word.
- Choose Your Sermon Topic
- Prepare Your Heart to Preach
- Examine The Topic For Yourself
- Review Original Languages
- Read Commentaries
- Build Your Outline
- Write with Your Audience in Mind
- Speak So Your listeners Learn
- Share Your Sermon
- Conclusion
Before we dive into how to write a sermon, let’s consider the two main types of sermons: topical and expositional. Topical sermonsexplore a biblical word or concept, like missions, giving, or prayer. Learn how to build your topical sermon from start to finish in Logos. Expositional sermonswalk through biblical passages in detail, often verse by ver...
The most important part of sermon preparation doesn’t happen behind a desk or a computer. It happens on your knees. Prayer is the true power behind the pulpit. Additionally, there are important life disciplines that are important for preachers: 1. Logos Blog: Sermon Preparation Is 20 Hours of Prayer 2. The Gospel Coalition: Help for Pastoral Prayer...
Before you can preach a passage or a topic, you need to know it for yourself. This takes concerted time in the text. An effective, simple method for study is the inductive method: 1. Observe(What does the text say? Here you’re noticing details, like that a verse contains three commands or that a word is repeated multiple times in a paragraph.) 2. I...
Exploring words used in the original languages helps you understand a passage even more clearly. Even if you don’t know the difference between a jot and a tittle, you can find tools to help you explore each word’s original meaning better. Hear from Jason DeRouchie as he explains making your own translation: 1. Logos Blog: How to Do Bible Word Studi...
Commentaries are useful to help you understand how other respected preachers have understood your chosen topic. While other books can cover specific topics more in-depth, commentaries focus on biblical passages. They’re one of the most helpful tools in a pastor’s toolkit. There are three main kinds of commentaries: pastoral, devotional, and critica...
Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to put pen to paper. You should have a good idea of the main point you’ll make, and you can start thinking about the sermon title. This phase is where your sermon begins to take shape—and it’s where you can start thinking about helpful quotes and illustrations.
Many preachers (and writers say the same thing) recommend thinking of a specific person—or a handful of people—in the congregation who will hear a sermon, then writing the sermon with them in mind. That’s one great way to love the people with whom you’re sharing God’s Word. Another way to care for God’s people as a preacher is to use relevant illus...
You’re not writing a sermon for people to read—it’s for people to hear. So how do you preach winsomely, clearly, and truthfully? 1. Logos Blog: 3 Elements of Effective Preaching, According to Kent Hughes 2. Crosswalk: 10 Things Inexperienced Preachers (or Lay Speaker) Needs to Learn Fast 3. The Gospel Coalition: Julius Kim on Teaching for Attention...
Once the prep is done and the sermon is preached, it’s time to share your sermon online. Posting your sermon on your church’s podcast and website isn’t just to give you a storehouse of sermons to come back to. They’re also valuable for prospective church visitors and devoted members who missed part of your sermon series.
In the end, learning how to write a sermon well will carry you throughout the years you will preach. Ultimately, you’ll want to find a system that works best for you, your family, and your church.
People also ask
What makes a good sermon?
What makes a good sermon intro?
What is a “good” sermon?
How do you write a good sermon?
- A good sermon engages the biblical text. Historically, the Christian sermon has always followed the reading of Scripture. In a very real way, the sermon is a response to the Scriptures read.
- A good sermon proclaims the gospel. Wait a second. Isn’t preaching the Bible the same as preaching the gospel? Yes and no. Certainly our sense of the gospel (in brief, what God has done through Jesus Christ for us and all the world) emerges from the biblical witness.
- A good sermon connects God’s Word to the lives of God’s people. Part of the significance of the Christian. doctrine of the Incarnation is God’s commitment to be accessible, to speak a divine word in human form, to take on our lot and our life.
- A good sermon is well organized and easy to understand. As we all know, if the message isn’t clearly thought out and presented, it just doesn’t matter much what’s being said.
- Explain where to find the text: “Now, you can find the book of Galatians…” Don’t just say Psalm 119:5. Explain where to find it in the Bible. Mention that is starts with a “p” not an “s.”
- Explain the two testaments: “You may not know, but the Bible is divided into two parts called ‘testaments.'” Every time I introduce a sermon I explain there is an Old Testament and a New Testament.
- Encourage use of the index: “If you need to use the index, please do so.” If you have new believers or non-believers attending they may feel awkward about trying to find a book of the Bible.
- Mention Bible apps positively: “Open your app to Micah 1.” I tend to be a purist when it comes to scripture, taking a leather-bound copy with me whether preaching or listening.
- Start With Urgency. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said, “In preaching you first have to demonstrate to the people that what you were going to do was very relevant and urgently important.”
- Start High. Starting high is the best way to start a sermon. Just think: Preaching is not something you’ve got to do – it’s something you get to do! When you have the opportunity to step onto the stage to present the Word of God you should be over the moon!
- Start With A Story. Everybody loves a good story. So next time you preach, do what Jesus did and use captivating stories to immediately engage your listeners.
- Start With A Powerful Statement. Another attention-grabbing way to start a sermon is by starting with a bold statement. Walk up to the pulpit and allow a few seconds of silence to hang in the air to build anticipation…
Nov 23, 2020 · That said, I humbly submit to you five key elements to a good sermon: - “The way to evaluate the success of a sermon is how long it is till Jesus shows up in it” - David Shannon. Now, it would take a real fool to not know Jesus being in the sermon was essential to a sermon being good. BUT I’d been preaching nearly 30 years when I heard ...
Sep 10, 2015 · What makes a good sermon? For some, priority is on substance. Others recognize that it doesn’t matter what you intend to say if you can’t say it clearly. For others, interest is paramount — whatever the sermon is, it should not be boring! Which perspective is correct? Like many either-or questions, the answer is “yes!”. All of the above!
