“Do you preach from a manuscript?” I was asked by someone recently. This person suspected that was so, but wasn’t sure.
I responded that almost always I did. I can give a message with no notes whatsoever, but it’s not a method I prefer.
“Why is that?” he queried.
My answer is that, for me, the number-one factor in a good sermon is the content. And, I believe I have a better chance of getting across content if I initially script what I am going to say.
If something isn’t clear, I can know that before preaching by having my wife or a friend go through the manuscript and make suggestions. Once the sermon is on paper, it’s easier for me to make changes or corrections than if I had to get someone to listen to me kind of rehearse what I planned to say.
I also find that my word choices are much more precise when I script the sermon.
Then, I’m often asked to travel somewhere and speak a number of times over a few days. Having the manuscripts prepared makes it easier to quickly prepare between messages. For me, anyway, manuscripts also reduce the nervousness factor.
I know that bad reading of a prepared manuscript can be almost as bad as someone talking for 30 minutes off the top of his or her head, but that’s not how I preach. And, I thought that understanding some of the plus sides of manuscripting a sermon might make the approach attractive enough to try it a time or two.
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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.
