“I was glad when they said unto me…” – Part 42

The normal response of people who hear all that went into the preparation of this single hour on Sunday morning is, “My, but that was a tremendous amount of work.” It’s true, a lot of work was involved in each service. But, I defend this for many reasons.

First, we were planning one such service a week instead of three.

Second, the entire psychology of our congregation was one of excitement and anticipation toward church as a whole, and toward the morning service in particular.

Third, a great deal of our growth (and much of that growth was in the under-thirty age bracket) could be attributed to this positive psychology.

Fourth, the learning which occurred was far and beyond my previous experience. Please, just pause a moment and answer a question. Can you tell me what was emphasized, preached, stated last Sunday at your church? Or, in a month of Sundays?

Fifth, the careful planning of the morning service increased multifold the opportunities for members to utilize their gifts of the Holy Spirit. Since we were not content to do it the same way Sunday after Sunday, He was working in us a true expression of creative growth and power.

Sixth, the congregation continually shared with the staff its growth in understanding of worship as a direct result of the service.

Seventh, very little financial cost was involved, since for so long we had no finances to speak of and were forced to depend on human resourcefulness.

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Pastor, when “sermon prep day” rolls around each week, do you face the task of preparing another sermon with a frown on your face? If so, you’re not alone. Many pastors literally dread preparing their Sunday sermon. There just doesn’t seem to be an easy solution. The good news: David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions. We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

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“I was glad when they said unto me…” – Part 41

Timing was very important. This was particularly true, since the Service of Interaction, which follows, needs an adequate period to accomplish its purpose.

Each week as the service would go into its final form, we would put it together time-wise to see how the various parts of the service would unfold. A typical staff work sheet for a morning service might have read as follows:

Word Association (before service)
Prelude (1 minute)
Call to Worship (1 minute)
Hymn (3 minutes)
Invocation (1 minute)
Poetry (3 minutes)
Choral Selection (3 minutes)

Silent Meditation (1 minute)
Sermon (25 minutes)
Musical Selection (3 minutes)
Selected Readings (3 minutes)
Musical Selection (3 minutes)

Suggestions for Life Response (5 minutes)
Hymn (3 minutes)
Offering (3 minutes)
Benediction (1 minute)
Choral Response (1 minute)

Total: 60 minutes

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No matter what type of Sunday sermon you need to create, David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions. We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

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First Impressions

“Mood Setters” are unique ways of grabbing people’s attention prior to the start of a service. I’m told that most visitors decide within the first five or ten minutes whether or not they will visit your church a second time. That’s even before they have heard you preach! Mood Setters help to make a good first impression.

As an example, say you are preaching a sermon on “God’s Faithfulness Through the Generations.” The church lobby could have a simple display of “Who’s Who From Our Church Past.” It could include former pastors, musicians, teachers, youth workers, cooks, etc. It goes without saying that someone other than the preacher should put this display together.

Maybe the sermon topic is “Living the Balanced Life.” Have someone in a traditional mime costume, complete with face paint, stand outside the church and pantomime trying to keep balanced while walking an imaginary tightrope. When people walk into the sanctuary, a PowerPoint graphic or a banner with a picture of the mime displays what the subject of the morning is.

A sermon about “Learning to Be Better Servants” could include the ushers dressed and acting like home servants as they greet the people.

Well, you get the idea. And, it goes without saying that it’s to your advantage to not do things last-minute, but to work as far ahead as possible.

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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about? Or, what will you preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon? David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions. We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

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“I was glad when they said unto me…” – Part 40

The service at Circle Church was compiled without announcements. We do not intend for the continuity to be jarringly disrupted by:

“On Tuesday afternoon, the Boys’ Clubs will be meeting. Please note that the place has been changed tonight to Adlar Hall, which is the second door on your right as you go down the front stairway. Incidentally, we are short some sponsors in this group. Please, fathers, do your duty toward our church boys and volunteer your services…”

We also do not intend for a voice to intone:

“Now if you will turn in your hymnals to page number seventy-three we will stand and sing…”

These announcements and “service cues” interrupt the flow of the service rather than aid it. Every congregation has the capacity to follow a bulletin. Isn’t that the reason it was provided to begin with?

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You can learn how to develop highly relevant Sunday sermons that grab the attention of your congregation and help your listeners respond effectively to the deep truths of God’s Word. David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions. We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.

For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.

Share and Enjoy

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