How to Preach a Sermon
This article will provide you with a solid method for sermon preparation. It is written for laypeople, and it also includes suggestions for tools and resources that will help you in your sermon preparation.
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Things You'll Need
- A Bible
- An internet connection
- A desire to share God's love with others
Instructions
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This will take some time.
Set aside 3-4 hours to work on your first draft. Before you actually write your sermon, take some time to be still. Stop your frantic rush, close your eyes, and try-however works best for you-to connect with God. Become conscious of God's presence within you, as you breathe in and out. The Holy Spirit-"ruach"-is the breath of God. Pray for help. -
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Who are your listeners?
Ask yourself, who am I going to be preaching to? What are they like? What do they need? How do they see God at work in their lives right now?Pray for them, that the words you preach will help them to better understand God's work in their lives. -
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Choose a text.
If you use the Revised Common Lectionary, which of the passages will you focus on? If you don't use the lectionary, trust God's guidance. -
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Study the text.
Read through the text(s) you've chosen several times. It also helps to read 2-3 different translations. The NRSV and NIV are commonly considered the two English translations that are most faithful to the literal meaning of the text. Become familiar enough with the text to paraphrase it in your own words. -
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Discover what others have said about the text.
Get online. The best site for sermon preparation I've come across is textweek.com. They have links to dozens of excellent online commentaries, seminary websites, Christian publications, and archived sermons. Read what the Spirit has whispered to others. Don't plaigarize, which is claiming that someone else's ideas are yours. But don't be afraid to borrow from the masters if you give them credit. There are some sermon illustrations that almost all preachers know, love, and use because they're so good. Use these ideas and illustrations, but don't pretend that they're yours. -
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Write your sermon.
Organize your thoughts. What is (are) your main point(s)? Introduce your sermon, use modern examples to help listeners understand what you're saying, and then conclude your thoughts. -
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Preach it, and then step back.
Give the outcome to God. We plant and water the seeds of God's Word in people's hearts, but God gives the growth. People bring their worries, their preoccupations, and sometimes even their disinterest into church with them. It's your job to love them, and to speak the Word. You can't do any more than that. But God can effect marvelous change in their lives when the word takes root.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use textweek.com to link to prayers, liturgies, and dramas as well as to scholarly articles.
Spend time on your sermon. The average preparation time pastors spend writing sermons is 8-10 hours/ week.
