Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.
Synopsis
A sermon is defined as an ordered speech meeting listeners' needs, helping them accept God's leading, making the Word meaningful, and uplifting Jesus as Lord — giving instruction, understanding, encouragement, hope, and inspiring action. Preparation begins personally: the preacher's life must be consecrated, under the Holy Spirit's control, marked by Bible study, prayer, wider reading, and voice development. Choosing a subject starts with the needs of church members — carelessness, discouragement, new believers — and ideas may come from Bible study, reading, experience, current events, dreams, nature, or visits, researched through concordance, commentary, dictionary, books, Spirit of Prophecy, or one's pastor. The preacher then writes the title and aim. A sermon outline, likened to a skeleton, guides the preacher, keeps him on track, and helps hearers understand and remember. It has three parts: an introduction (4-5 minutes, using a story, text, parable, article or question, to settle and interest hearers); a main body (two to six points, supported by Scripture, illustrated, bridged logically); and a conclusion (short, no new ideas, summarizing, applying truth, calling for decision, ending positively). A sample outline on Abraham illustrates the method.
Key points
- A sermon is ordered speech that meets listeners' needs and uplifts Jesus as Lord.
- Personal consecration — Bible study, prayer, reading, and voice work — must precede sermon preparation.
- Subjects should be chosen from the actual needs of the congregation, researched with concordance, commentary, and other aids.
- A sermon outline is like a skeleton: it guides the preacher and helps hearers understand and remember.
- Every outline has three parts — a short interest-arousing introduction, a body of two to six supported points, and a conclusion that summarizes and calls for response.
Key texts
- Matthew 22:14
- Genesis 12:1
- Romans 4
- Galatians 3
- James 2
- Revelation 7:15
From the course book
How to Prepare a Sermon · pp. 15-20 (reader pages 15-20) · Open the reader
- “A Sermon outline is like the skeleton of an animal. A skeleton allows the animal to stand up and walk around. Without a skeleton, the animal would collapse in a heap on the ground.” (p. 16)
- “The introduction must be short (4-5 minutes only). It is only the beginning of your talk.” (p. 17)
- “Not introduce any new ideas. This will only distract your hearers from what has already been said.” (p. 17)
Put it into practice
- Before choosing a topic, identify one real need in your congregation this sermon should address.
- Write your sermon title and aim on paper before building the outline.
- Check your outline has a short introduction, two to six supported main points, and a conclusion with no new ideas.
- Comprehension
1. List three things a sermon is prepared to do, according to the opening definition.
- Comprehension
2. Why must personal preparation precede sermon preparation?
- Comprehension
3. Where should a preacher look to discover what topic his congregation needs?
- Comprehension
4. What are the three parts of every sermon outline?
- Scripture
5. Read Genesis 12:1, as used in the sample outline. What is the first main point drawn from it?
- Doctrinal Clarity
6. Why does the course compare a sermon outline to a skeleton rather than to the whole content of the sermon?
- Doctrinal Clarity
7. Explain why the conclusion must not introduce any new ideas.
- Contrast
8. Contrast a sermon with a clear outline and one without.
- Scripture
9. Read Matthew 22:14, quoted in the sample outline's conclusion. How is it applied to hearers?
- Application
10. What need in your own congregation would you choose as the subject of your next sermon, and why?