Traditional sermon outlines are meant to help people follow what the preacher is saying. Sometimes, however, they actually inhibit the communication process.
Recently I had lunch with a minister at his invitation. He wanted to talk about a recent sermon I had heard him give. He was not satisfied with his presentation.
“What was the subject you were talking about?” I asked. He responded briefly and with clarity.
“And, what was the response you wanted from your hearers?” was my next inquiry. He told me exactly what he wanted.
“You didn’t say any of that in your sermon,” I told him. “At least, I didn’t catch it as clearly as you just said it now.”
“Well, I didn’t feel I had the time I needed to do so,” he answered. “I had another point I needed to make.”
My next question was, “If someone wanted to respond as you just said, but didn’t know how to start living this new way, could you verbally walk him or her through the process?”
He took several minutes to do that for me, and I was impressed by how well he had thought things through.
Next, I asked the obvious question, “Why didn’t you just say these things in your sermon?”
“I was never taught to do that,” was his answer.
“Look,” I said, “start by talking about your subject and how it relates to your text. Move on to the response you’re calling for and then explain how people can live that out. It’s not that hard.”
“But that’s not how I was taught to preach,” he protested laughingly. “I’ve always had three points.”
“Which is why this particular sermon failed,” I told him.
Do I think three-point sermons are wrong? Of course not. But, do I think all sermons have to have three points? Again, of course not!
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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, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will 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 Saturday or 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.
