There’s nothing sacred about preaching a well-crafted three-point Sunday sermon. As far as I can tell, that wasn’t the style of our Lord or any other preacher in Scripture.
The truth is, the three-point Sunday sermon represents a form that served ministers well for many years, but it’s no longer the way most of today’s leaders communicate. Can you think of anywhere this approach is used outside of the church?
Ministers accustomed to preaching three-point sermons sometimes have trouble figuring out how to use the answers to these four key questions:
* What’s my “subject?”
* What’s my “desired response?”
* What’s my “how to?”
* What’s my “how long?”
To be fair, I should report that there have been some pastors I have worked with who have incorporated these questions and answers into their three-point approach with little or no difficulty. I have been amazed at how easily they have done this and how their preaching has improved as a result.
On the other hand, I have worked with a number of ministers who saw the four questions as all but incompatible with their normal three-point approach. In such cases, I have encouraged them to try something new for a change. Try a new way of turning sermon ideas into effective, relevant, faith-motivating Sunday sermons.
Begin the sermon by talking about your subject. What’s relevant about it? How does it relate to your chosen text? This section of your sermon could be quite brief or rather long.
Next describe the response you’re calling for. You need to make this very clear. What exactly are you asking your congregation to do? Why is it important? When should they begin to do what you’re asking? Anticipate the questions your congregation might ask you if you were talking to them one on one.
Then transition to your “how to.” It’s not infrequent for this point to require more time than originally thought. How shall they begin the assignment? Is their a particular time or place that might work better? Again, anticipate the kinds of questions they might ask and offer them suggested answers.
Finally, include the “how long.” In other words, you’re telling people, “This is approximately how much time I think it will take the average person to get from where he or she is to what I’m talking about.”
The new sermon sequence doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that. And the conclusion can be more emotional than what I’ve laid out.
Don’t say it will never work until you’ve tried it and gotten feedback from your people!
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For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
