Learning how to preach a sermon Part 2

Sermon Study Guide: The Art and Craft of Preaching

Introduction:
This study guide is based on a lecture covering the essentials of sermon preparation, structure, and delivery. It is designed to equip you with the tools to embrace the calling to preach or speak, ensuring you can effectively communicate the Word of God. The lecture emphasizes that preaching is not just an act of speaking, but a sacred responsibility to represent Christ and to facilitate spiritual growth for both the speaker and the congregation.

Part 1: The Three Kinds of Sermons

The lecture begins with a recap of the three primary types of sermons. Understanding these categories helps you choose the best framework for your message.

Topical Sermon:
- Definition: A sermon structured around a specific topic, theme, or doctrine.
- Subjects: It can address fundamental beliefs (e.g., The Sabbath, Stewardship, Creation) or common life experiences (e.g., dealing with depression, grief, anxiety, or fear).
- Commonality: This is the most common type of sermon in America.
- Structure: The most common structure is the “Triple-Decker,” consisting of an Introduction, three main points (A, B, C), and a Conclusion. It can be presented deductively or inductively (starting with a question and building to a conclusion).
Expository (Exegetical) Sermon:
- Definition: A sermon that works verse-by-verse or phrase-by-phrase through a passage of Scripture.
- Key Questions: The preacher asks fundamental questions like:
  - Who wrote this?
  - To whom was it written?
  - Why was it written? (The first three questions are often answered in the introduction to a book in a study Bible).
  - What was actually written, and how would the original audience have understood it?
  - By implication, how should we understand and apply it today?
- Commonality: This is the least common type of sermon in America.
- Example: Preaching through the book of Romans, verse by verse.
- Understanding Structure: A good study Bible can help you understand the book’s structure (e.g., the Gospel of Mark is structured around the arrival of Jesus, His ministry in Galilee, His journey to Jerusalem, and His final week, with half the Gospel dedicated to His passion. The Gospel of Matthew is structured as five long sermons, including the Sermon on the Mount).
Narrative Sermon:
- Definition: A sermon that follows a specific character or story through the Bible.
- Method: The preacher follows a person (e.g., Joseph, Mary) through their journey, asking what spiritual lessons they learned at each stage.
- Application: By implication, the preacher asks, “If you find yourself on a similar journey today, what is God doing in your life?”
- Example: Following Joseph’s journey from slavery (Egypt), to prison (as a criminal), to the palace (as a prime minister).

Part 2: Crafting the Sermon – Introduction, Body, and Conclusion

This section provides practical advice on how to structure each part of a sermon to maximize its impact.

A. The Introduction: The “Starters Gate”

The introduction is crucial because you either capture the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds, or you lose them for the rest of the sermon.

Must Do’s:
- Be Thought-Through: Do not open with a weak statement like “I was wondering what to preach about this morning.” This tells the audience they are about to receive “survival bread” rather than a “freshly baked loaf.”
- Grab Attention: Use a hook to make the sermon relevant to the audience’s lives.
  - Current News Item: Reference a significant recent event (e.g., an earthquake).
  - Provocative Question: Ask a question that challenges modern thinking (e.g., “Can Jimmy become Jane?”).
  - Moral Dilemma: Pose a difficult ethical question (e.g., “Is it morally okay to lie in order to save a life?”).
Don’t Do’s:
- Don’t Apologize: Never say, “I’ve had a tough week and didn’t have time to prepare.” This immediately disengages the audience.
- Don’t Start with a Long, Unrelated Story: A 20-minute tear-jerker story about “Sandy in San Diego” transfers authority from God’s Word to human experience and often has little to do with Scripture.
- Don’t Wander Aimlessly: Have a clear direction. Avoid asking multiple questions without getting to the point.
- Don’t State a Problem You Won’t Solve: Do not raise a question (e.g., “Is a suicide victim in heaven?”) unless your sermon intends to answer it.

B. The Body: Unity and Flow

This is the main section of your sermon, usually consisting of three points.

Unity: The points (A, B, and C) must logically flow from one another. There should be a clear, logical progression from the introduction to the conclusion.
Avoid Rabbit Trails: Fight the urge to go off on tangents that confuse the audience and break the logical flow.
Symmetry: Aim for each point to be approximately the same length. If point A is 30 minutes long and point B is 2 minutes, the sermon will feel unbalanced and lose the audience’s attention.

C. The Conclusion: The Appeal for a Response

The conclusion is where you call for a change in the audience’s life.

Be Definite: Know exactly what kind of response you are asking for. If the preacher doesn’t know, the audience certainly won’t.
It’s for Change: The goal is not just intellectual edification, but a positive choice for Christ. Ask for a commitment (e.g., to forgive someone, to follow a teaching more closely).
Avoid “False Conclusions”: Do not say “And in conclusion…” and then preach for another 25 minutes. This is frustrating and causes the audience to mentally check out. Once you reach the conclusion, you should be landing the plane, not taking off again.

Part 3: Delivery – Representing Christ from the Pulpit

When you stand in the pulpit, you are not just a speaker; you are an ambassador for Christ. Your identity is that you are a “new creation” sent with a “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5).

A. Appearance: Take Away Excuses

People often judge the message based on the messenger. Your goal is for people to remember what you said, not what you wore or looked like.

Dress Inoffensively: Choose clothes that are in good taste, clean, and well-presented. Avoid anything that might distract or cause a judgment to be made against you.
- For Men: A simple, single-tone shirt and tie that nobody will remember is a safe bet.
- For Ladies: Dress “judiciously and cautiously.” Be especially mindful of skirt length to avoid causing others to stumble.
Manage the Camera: If your sermon is being recorded for an online audience, be aware of how you move.
- Avoid Pacing: Constant pacing can make the online audience feel seasick.
- Move Strategically: Take a step to the left or right occasionally to force the camera operator to use a wider angle, rather than zooming in too closely.
General Grooming:
- Facial Hair: Don’t decide to grow a beard the morning you preach; do it during a vacation if you want to try it.
- Hygiene: Ensure teeth are clean, nails are a decent length and clean, and hair is freshly washed.
- Avoid Garlic: Refrain from eating garlic 24 hours before a preaching appointment to avoid bad breath.
- Polish Shoes: Ensure your shoes are polished, as this is part of a well-presented image.

B. Eye Contact and Connection

Make a Connection: Looking people in the eyes builds a personal connection.
Bridge of the Nose: If eye contact is intimidating, look at the bridge of people’s noses. They will think you are looking them in the eye.
Talk to the Bricks: For larger audiences, choose a few points on the back wall (e.g., “bricks”) and look at them while you speak. This simulates eye contact for the audience.

C. Self-Evaluation: Use Video

Watch Yourself: Video your sermon and watch it with a trusted friend for honest feedback.
Identify Fillers: Everyone has filler words (e.g., “um,” “uh,” “like”). Knowing what yours are is the first step to eliminating them.
Spot Mannerisms: Identify distracting physical quirks (e.g., pushing up glasses, scratching your nose, cleaning your glasses) and work to eliminate them. A small note in the pulpit can serve as a reminder.

Part 4: Strategy and Technique for the Modern Preacher

This section covers more advanced considerations for effective preaching.

A. Who is in Your Audience?

Spiritual Things are Spiritually Discerned: Not everyone in the pews is there by conviction. Some are there by convenience, and some by compulsion. People sit in church for many reasons (e.g., a promise of a Walmart gift card, to please a parent).
Don’t Assume: You cannot assume everyone in the audience wants to hear what you have to say or is open to the Holy Spirit.

B. Seek Common Ground

Starting from a place of shared belief is a powerful way to connect with a skeptical or different audience.

Example – Animists: You share common ground with animists: the belief in spirits (good and evil), that evil spirits harass us, and that a sacrifice is needed for deliverance. From there, you can preach about the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Christ on Calvary.
Example – LGBTQ Movement: There is common ground in the philosophy of despair that underlies postmodernism. You can agree with the premise that life without God is meaningless, but argue that meaning is found in Christ, not in a new identity.

C. Anticipate Objections: Use “Triple Think”

What to Do:
1. Think about what you will say.
2. Think about what people might think about what you say.
3. Answer those questions in your sermon.
The Q&A Section: Near the latter third of the sermon, anticipate objections by putting a Q&A section on the screen. Ask the questions that people will be thinking and provide the biblical answers. This removes barriers to their response to your final appeal.

D. The Power of Illustrations

Purpose: An illustration should illustrate and explain a biblical point.
Caution: Do not let an illustration become the sermon. If you have a long tear-jerker story and no Scripture, you have no authority.
Rule of Thumb: Use a short simile or metaphor to great effect rather than a long, drawn-out story that detracts from the Bible.

Final Encouragement

Don’t run away from the opportunity to preach. View it as a chance to go deeper into God’s Word, to personally meet Him afresh, and to be filled with the joy of discovery. When you are filled with this joy, you can truly preach the good news of a coming Savior.

A Good Starting Point: The Gospels are the best place to start your preaching journey because the whole Bible points to Jesus, the New Testament explains Him, and the Gospels tell His story.

Learning how to preach a sermon Part 2 | Dr. Conrad Vine