Planning is essential before writing an effective sermon. The first step is to identify with the audience. This requires a lot of empathizing. Misunderstanding among people can be reduced if they step into the other’s shoes.
The second step is to infer whether it is going to be a need-based or Biblical principle based sermon. If the audience is a congregation of newly married couples, a topical sermon on how to foster a closer relationship with a spouse would be appropriate. If the congregation is a general one that needs to just hear the Word of God, an expository sermon is alright.
The third step is to identify the goal, i.e., “To speak the Word of God with full faith in Him”. Or it can be “To help drug-addicted kids get back to normalcy”. Goal identification after the first two steps is better than keeping it as the first step; this can save a lot of time, energy and mistakes due to oversights.
The fourth step is to use this goal and select relevant passages in The Bible. This requires an in-depth knowledge not only of the Bible but also its applicability in people’s lives. Just like an effective teacher spends more time and effort in preparing than in delivering a lesson, an effective preacher spends more time and effort in this selection process. Topical sermons require more time to prepare than expository ones as the former needs to document real life experiences, relevant case studies, etc. from different chapters and verses, in order to convince the audience.
The sermon should be based on authoritative, credible sources (as far as explanations are concerned), be brief if possible, and easily applicable to the audience’s real life experiences. Whether the contents are oral or audiovisual, they need to have an impact on the audience.
Related Articles of Interest :
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Topical Sermons
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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There are two basic types of sermons: topical and expository. Topical sermons deal with current issues of human concern – for instance, how to foster and preserve good relationships, parenting, emotional control, and so on. In topical sermons, Biblical incidents are selected and woven together...
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Sermon Help
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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There are many Christian organizations that offer sermon help to the preacher, parent, kids or any other person through their websites. People looking for help simply need to go to the website and click on the relevant link. The help covers a wide range that...
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Expository Sermons
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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While topical sermons are based on human problems and issues, expository sermons are based on Biblical texts. The Sermon on the Mount is a very good example of an expository sermon. In his sermon, part of which is as follows, Christ lays down all Christian...
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Sermons
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Many people go to church. Why? Some would say, “It’s just a family tradition”. For others, going to church means a change from their monotonous or worrisome day to day living. Some people go to church because they know that they can find true joy...
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Sermon Collections
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Some of us listen to the speech and forget it the moment the function ends. Some of us retain part of what the speaker says. Some of us take a pencil and paper and note down all the important points. Why? It is because we...
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Audio Sermons
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Living a fast-track life style today, people need a lot of spiritual guidance to lead peaceful lives. As people’s lives become increasingly digitally-oriented, they are left with increasingly less time to spend on daily morning walks, weekend outings and places of worship. There is a...
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Free Sermons
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Many Christian organizations develop sermons that can be ordered or downloaded at their websites free of cost. Many of them are textual, while some are audio versions with very good sound quality. Some organizations offer free CDs for which all that the seeker has to...
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Child Bible Study
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Bible study is the academic-style study of the bible, a holy scripture of the Jews and the Christians. It can be considered to be a part of Theology. In earlier days, bible study was done at home or in religious schools and colleges under the...
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Bible Correspondence Courses
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Reading the Bible can be mystifying and difficult to get started. Bible correspondence courses are designed to lead students through the Bible. Anyone can undertake a free Bible study course in the comfort of his or her home. The only details required for enrolment are...
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Free Bible Study
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Bible study enables a person to understand the core principles of Christianity as a religion as well as way of life. It teaches a person the Christian way of life and provides spiritual insight, growth and faith. It enables the student to live and prepare...