I have created this blog in order to discuss sermon preparation tips. In my many years as a preacher of the Word of God, I have deliberately defined the process of sermon preparation or what we often called homiletics – the science and art of preaching.
When you write two or three sermons a week, you need to have a process in place so that you can confidently produce sermons for your congregation.
I learned the basics of sermon preparation in my formal training at seminary. However, it was in my ministry experience that I really developed and defined my personal paradigm for sermon preparation which helped me prepare weekly sermons with ease.
I learned very quickly that sermons have structure. Sermons have three parts – the sermon introduction, the sermon body and the sermon conclusion.
The introduction introduces what the sermon is all about (the body of the sermon) and the conclusion reiterated what the sermon is about. I usually write the introduction and the conclusion once I have written the body of the sermon.
The sermon body is the sermon outline with written content. The sermon outline includes the main preaching topic, sub-points and incidental points. I maintain that the sermon outline is simply expanding and explaining the main preaching topic.
The sub-points and the incidental points expand the main preaching topic. The content of the sermon explains the sub-points and incidental points. Once I write the sermon outline (main preaching topic with sub-points and incidental points), I set above writing content to the sermon outline.
To me, the body of the sermon is simply expanding and explaining the main preaching topic. Master this and sermon writing will become easier. Finally, I would write the introduction and conclusion.
In my early years of preaching, I tended to write deductive sermon outlines in my sermon preparation.
That is, I started with the main preaching point followed by sub-points and incidental points.
Later in my ministry experience, I had the opportunity to learn how to write an inductive sermon outline, especially with the narrative Scriptures.
Over the years I have continued to develop and refine these methods of sermon preparation. In fact, I find it absolutely fascinating the process of writing and preparing sermons.
After twenty-six years or so of writing and preaching sermons, I now have an opportunity to teach Bible students the art and science of preaching.
This blog is just a collection of information (sermon preparation tips) that I have used in order to help students prepare sermons for their future congregations. Also, this blog provides resource material which I have used and found helpful for sermon preparation tips. There are many great resources preachers can purchase in order to refine and develop this preaching skills. Over time I will share those resources with you.
By the way, the information provided on this blog is only a small contribution to the topic of sermon preparation tips. There are many ways to prepare sermons and I have only touched on those ways that I have found to be helpful in my preaching ministry.