Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.
Synopsis
In this interview, Leadership managing editor Eric Reed analyzes three sample introductions. Max Lucado's introduction to 'The Touch of Christ' opens with a personal story about notes tacked on a grieving widow's wall, moves through six elements — personal story, thesis ('nut graph'), point/counterpoint, movement into Scripture, honest dissatisfaction with the biblical account's brevity, and a closing question — and ends by inviting hearers to wonder what it is like to receive Christ's touch. Reed praises its multiple 'entry points,' the concreteness of focusing on a hand rather than the abstract idea of compassion, and its clear sequence of tasks: connecting, raising curiosity, and preparing hearers to enter the story. Mark Labberton's introduction to a sermon on homosexuality is praised for establishing 'boundaries' up front — what the sermon will and will not address — and for citing counseling experience to show pastoral compassion, though Reed cautions that such examples are riskier for pastors newer to a congregation or in smaller churches. Rick Warren's Easter introduction uses contemporary references (U.S. News, CNN, a Gallup statistic) to promise relevance and signal that the sermon will be informational rather than story-driven, letting listeners know from the outset what kind of message to expect.
Key points
- A strong introduction accomplishes several tasks quickly: connecting personally, raising curiosity, and preparing hearers to enter the text.
- Personal stories with multiple 'entry points' let different listeners identify with different characters.
- Introductions create expectations for tone and content that the rest of the sermon must fulfill.
- On controversial topics, establishing 'boundaries' — what will and won't be addressed — builds trust early.
- Concreteness belongs in the introduction, not only in application; application 'begins in the introduction.'
Key texts
- Matthew 8
From the course book
Appendix I — Effective Introductions · pp. 133-138 (reader pages 133-138) · Open the reader
- “The power of a hand — to touch and encourage! When surrendered to God, our hands belong no longer to us, but become the very hands of God.” (p. 133)
- “Application begins in the introduction. It's got to start there, and concreteness needs to begin there as well.” (p. 135)
- “All introductions create expectations.” (p. 135)
Put it into practice
- Build at least one clear 'entry point' into your introduction so different listeners can identify with it.
- If your topic is controversial, state up front what the sermon will and will not address.
- Use one concrete, sensory detail in the introduction rather than saving all concreteness for the application.
- Comprehension
1. List the six elements Reed identifies in Max Lucado's introduction.
- Comprehension
2. What does Reed mean by an 'entry point' in a sermon introduction?
- Scripture
3. Read Matthew 8 in light of Lucado's introduction. What question does Lucado say he is left wondering about the leper?
- Doctrinal Clarity
4. Why does Reed praise Labberton's introduction for establishing 'boundaries'?
- Doctrinal Clarity
5. What caution does Reed raise about Labberton's use of counseling examples?
- Contrast
6. Contrast Rick Warren's Easter introduction with Lucado's in terms of the expectations each sets.
- Comprehension
7. According to Reed, when does application 'begin' in a sermon?
- Doctrinal Clarity
8. How does Warren make ancient eyewitness testimony feel contemporary in his introduction?
- Application
9. Evaluate the introduction of your last sermon using Reed's criteria: entry points, tone expectations, and boundaries.
- Application
10. Write an opening sentence for your next sermon that gives listeners a concrete 'entry point' rather than an abstract statement of the topic.