Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.
Synopsis
Materials alone do not make a sermon, just as stones do not make a building; the difference between raw material and a finished product is organisation. The chapter gives five reasons organisation matters: it facilitates the preacher's delivery, since related thoughts arranged logically are easier to remember and deliver; it makes the sermon more pleasing, for no one admires chaos and hearers will not listen attentively to disorganized material; it makes the sermon easier to remember, illustrated by the contrast between a random pile of stones and stones arranged in a design around a flower bed; it makes the sermon easier to understand, since truth cannot be transferred in bulk but must be imparted part by part in systematic order; and it increases effectiveness, following the model of the salesman and the lawyer who build their appeals step by step. The chapter then names five qualities good sermon organisation must have: unity (one theme throughout), coherence (divisions relate to one another, not just to the theme), progress (movement toward a goal), symmetry (proportion between divisions), and climax (a worthy goal reached at the end). Each quality is illustrated with model outlines.
Key points
- Facts, illustrations, proofs, and application do not make a sermon; organisation does.
- Organisation aids delivery, memory, understanding, and persuasive effectiveness.
- Unity means one theme runs through every division of the sermon.
- Coherence means the divisions relate to each other, not merely to a common theme.
- Progress, symmetry, and climax keep the sermon moving toward a worthy goal.
Key texts
- Hebrews 4:16
- Romans 1:14-16
- Mark 1:14-15
- Philippians 3:13-15
From the course book
How to Organise a Sermon · pp. 29-34 (reader pages 29-34) · Open the reader
- “Facts, illustrations, proofs, and application do not make a sermon; the only difference in each case between the materials and the finished product is organisation.” (p. 29)
- “The organized sermon is easier to remember. A sermon has permanent value only if it can be remembered.” (p. 29)
- “First and foremost, the sermon structure should have unity.” (p. 30)
Put it into practice
- Before preaching, check that every division of your outline serves one theme.
- Arrange divisions so each rises a little nearer the goal, rather than wandering into side trips.
- Time your points so no single division is enlarged out of proportion to its importance.
- Comprehension
1. What illustration opens the chapter to explain the role of organisation?
- Comprehension
2. List the five reasons given for organising a sermon.
- Scripture
3. Explain the illustration of the pile of stones on a hillside.
- Comprehension
4. What are the five qualities of good sermon organisation?
- Scripture
5. Read the 'Throne of Grace' outline (Hebrews 4:16). What quality does it illustrate, and why?
- Doctrinal Clarity
6. How does the chapter distinguish unity from coherence?
- Contrast
7. Contrast a sermon with progress and one without it, using the merry-go-round and arrow illustrations.
- Doctrinal Clarity
8. Why does the chapter say symmetry cannot be illustrated with an outline alone?
- Application
9. Where in your own sermon preparation are you most tempted to let one division run long at the expense of others?
- Application
10. Choose a text you might preach and sketch three divisions that would have unity and progress.